The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life

For those discouraged and exhausted by the bitterness and rage in our politics, Michael Wear offers a new paradigm of political involvement rooted in the teachings of Jesus and drawing insights from Dallas Willard's approach to spiritual formation.

When political division shows up not only on the campaign trail but also at our dinner tables, we wonder: Can we be part of a better way? The Spirit of Our Politics says "yes," offering a distinctly Christian approach to politics that results in healing rather than division, kindness rather than hatred, and hope rather than despair.

In this profound and hope-filled book, Michael Wear--a leading thinker and practitioner at the intersection of faith and politics--applies insights taken from the work of Dallas Willard to argue that by focusing on having the "right" politics, we lose sight of the kind of people we are becoming, to destructive results. This paradigm-shifting book reveals:

• Why we need to reframe how we view our political involvement as Christians
• How, as Christians, we can reorient our politics for the good of others
• The crucial connection between discipleship to Jesus and political involvement
• A different way of talking about politics that is edifying, not stomach-turning
• How to navigate political strife in churches and small groups
• Why who we are in our political life is not quarantined from who we are in "real life"
• Why gentleness is entirely possible in our political discourse

The Spirit of Our Politics is for readers of any political perspective who long for a new way to think about and engage in politics. That new approach begins with a simple question: What kind of person would I like to be?

Michael Wear is the founder, president, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution that contends for the credibility of Christian resources in public life, for the public good. For well over a decade, he has served as a trusted resource and advisor for various civic and religious leaders on matters of faith and public life, including as a White House and presidential campaign staffer. Previously, Michael founded and led Public Square Strategies, a consulting firm that helps religious and political organisations, businesses, and others navigate the rapidly changing landscape of religion and politics in America.

Michael’s first book, Reclaiming Hope, examines the role of faith in the Obama years and what it means today. He has co-authored or contributed to several other books, including Compassion and Conviction: The AND Campaign’s Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement with Justin Giboney and Chris Butler. His writing has appeared in the Atlantic, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Catapult magazine, Christianity Today, and other publications.

Michael and his wife, Melissa, are both proud natives of Buffalo, New York. They now reside in Maryland, where they are raising their beloved daughters, Saoirse and Ilaria.