Why most other bookstores don’t stock such books we don’t know (is there no market out there??Is that all that matters??) Our shop allows customers to draw upon the insight from across the political spectrum--from conservative efforts to strengthen the family and protect children to feminist opposition to pornography, from Mennonite insight about conflict resolution to the Reformed emphasis on foundational thinking about creational intentions. (For instance, what other store stocks resources for school choice and draws on the compassion and critique of Jonathan Kozol? Who stocks radical feminist critiques of the Enlightenment’s violence to the Earth and still appreciates many evangelical concerns for traditional sexual ethics? We read widely and can share good ideas for nearly all your efforts, in whatever arenas God has caused you to take a stand. )

We are loaded with good tools for the struggle for social change and hope that sharing our vision out here in cyberspace will call forth a virtual community willing and ready to read, think, reflect and prayerfully act to make a difference. A few of the connecting links we have offered may be useful or encouraging. Call or e-mail us so we can at least network together and stay in touch. We are willing to mail out books all over the world and are especially energized by helping activists stay active!

If this stuff doesn’t make any sense to you, start here:

One-Sided Christianity (Ron Sider) One of our favorite authors (see his regular columns in his magazine, Prism, put out by the organization he founded, Evangelicals for Social Action, in our connecting links section.) This great book is his bold and yet careful call to be as wholistic as the Bible is. Scripture, unlike our peculiar American church traditions, calls us to preach the gospel, do works of mercy and advocate the reform of social structures. Oddly, some want to change the world without seeing individuals repent and come to faith; others are into "soul-winning" without any desire to meet physical or social needs.

This is the best argument for having a Kingdom vision which calls for taking the totality of life seriously and truly over-coming lopsided theologies of the right or left. Amen! A beautiful follow-up is a collection of case studies and testimonies of churches that truly do embody this full, wholistic vision. Cup of Water, Bread of Life is inspiring, to say the least.

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger (Ron Sider) Again, Sider has given us a "must-read" for Biblically-based social concern. This book--bar none!--gives the best Biblical picture of God’s immense concern for economic justice. One of the top handful of books that we truly say "changed our lives." A newly revised and updated edition was published last year and a special commemorative, anniversary edition.

For they Shall Be Fed: Scripture Readings and Prayers for Just World (edited by Ron Sider) We encourage folks to use this in their churches, schools and home Bible studies. A great collection of nearly all the verses which speak to issues of justice and poverty.

Decisive Issues Facing Christians Today (John Stott) One of the premier evangelical authors of our era has given us a great gift--how to think Christianly about social issues and cultural reformation and then numerous chapters on a variety of specific issues such as labor, ecology, war, racism and the like. A gold mine of information.

Subversive Christianity (Brian Walsh) Four serious-minded sermons calling for a transformed vision of culture and a radical break with the prevailing ethos of our secularized faith in progress. Brian’s book nourishes me like few others and are proud to be one of the few stores in the states that stock it. If you’ve read his Transforming Vision: Developing a Christian Worldview, you’ve got to get this one!

The Prophetic Imagination (Walter Brueggemann) One of our favorite Biblical scholars has given us a brilliant study into the world of the Hebrew prophets. This text is not without its problems nor is it a clear read. Nonetheless, we commend it as a critical resource for those who want their God-given pathos to burn towards a new world. See also his inspiring Hope Within History or the helpful messages on shalom, Living Towards a Vision.

The Soul of Politics (Jim Wallis) The editor of Sojourners has visited our shop and we have been associated for decades, so you can imagine that we get excited about his books. See also his more recent book Who Speaks for God? which provides a progressive alternative to the hard Christian right. We also stock the Sojourner’s study guides, if you haven’t gotten ‘em from them. They are excellent.

The Scattered Voice:Christians at Odds in the Public Square (James Skillen) In this book, an equally good friend takes on a variety of Christian efforts in political witness--from Wallis’ "Christian left" to Colson to the Christian Coalition to the social policies of the Catholic Bishops and illustrates what is helpful and what is missing from each of their perspectives. In many ways, this is the most important book on these topics written in decades. Jim directs the thoughtful Center for Public Justice whose home page can be found on our connecting links.

Cease Fire: Searching for Sanity in America’s Culture Wars (Tom Sine) One can hardly do better than studying Sine’s visionary, Biblically-balanced proposals. A very important book!

Living Faithfully in a Fragmented World: Lessons for the Church from MacIntyre’s After Virtue (Jonathan R. Wilson) What a great book in a great little series of very small but powerful books which take serious analysis from important scholars--Newbigin,Volf, Bosch, for instance--and gives us a lecture or two summarizing their work. Order any of the "Christian Mission and Modern Culture" series and you will be pleased with the level of discourse and the useful brevity.

Capitalism and Progress: A Diagnosis of Western Society (Bob Goudzewaard) Written by a former member of the Dutch Parliament and a solid believer, this is one of the great works which helps "put everything in perspective." Sadly long out of print, we found this inexpensive British edition which John Stott helped reissue. God bless him, and all those serious enough to study the roots of the societal mess we’ve gotten ourselves into.

Goudzewaard’s interesting Idols of Our Time has also been reprinted in recent years by Dordt College Press; we may be one of the only non-collegiate bookstores in the world which stock it. His most recent work on third world development, Beyond Poverty and Affluence: Toward an Economy of Care is superb. A best-seller in Europe, let’s make it popular here, too! You can order through e-mail or over the phone.

Their Blood Cries Out: (Paul Marshall) The most thorough documentation about persecution of Christians throughout the world, a crisis unheard in the public media. Look carefully in the footnotes and you’ll see a bit we helped with...Regardless of political or religious orientation, this is a tragic matter which must get addressed and Marshall does a compelling, readable job. Highly recommended!

Paul’s excellent introduction to a Christian view of government and politics is called Thine is the Kingdom and we have long maintained that it is the best book of its kind. It is out-of-print but we’ve got some editions which were done for a class in Canada; we are happy to offer it here for mail order.

Parenting for Peace and Justice: Ten Years Later (Jim and Kathy McGinnis) We have numerous books which attempt to teach just and peaceful values to children; this book is rather standard among activists who want to wisely bring up their children to share the vision. Along with The More-With-Less Cookbook, Jack Nelson’s Families Valued and Terry Glaspey’s very special Children of a Greater God: Awakening Your Child’s Moral Imagination and a bunch of children’s books, families really can make a difference! Do call or e-mail if you’d like to talk further on this. We can recommend newsletters, other books and children’s resources for peace and justice.

Citing these few resources doesn’t really do justice to the genuine diversity of resources which we offer nor does it communicate adequately our desire to serve folks across the political spectrum to reflect on the Biblical call to be civic minded and advocates for public justice.

If you desire to be used by God to create a more vibrant vision for being God’s agents of reconciliation in a world of brokenness and violence, may we applaud your efforts and offer to be of service. We trust that you will agree that this is one more reason to order books from Hearts & Minds, allowing us the privilege of serving you.