Progressive & Religious

Robert P. Jones, Ph.D.

Robert P. Jones, Ph.D.

Robert Jones is a speaker, scholar, and consultant on religion and progressive politics. He advises a number of national advocacy groups in Washington, DC, and across the country. His latest book is about the emerging progressive religious movement in America.

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How Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist Leaders are
Moving Beyond the Culture Wars and Transforming American Public Life

The wind is changing. Weary of the divisive way religion has been used in American politics, a growing chorus of religious leaders is calling for a new public engagement that moves beyond the culture wars to an inclusive politics of progress, shared values, and the common good. This emerging movement represents a new public face of religion that is both politically progressive and authentically religious.

Progressive & Religious (forthcoming August 2008), tells the story of this emerging movement through nearly 100 in-depth interviews with remarkable contemporary leaders in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. Both for the religious Americans who are wary of progressive politics and for political progressives who are wary of religion, understanding the new progressive religious movement has the potential to open up new conversations and coalitions at a critical moment in our national life. The book portrays a vision of a vibrant multi-religious America that will help journalists, policy makers, and the general public reach a deeper understanding of the authentic religious roots of progressive politics.

You can hear these inspiring leaders talk about this emerging movement by tuning in to "Progressive Religious Voices," our bi-monthly podcast. You can listen online, or subscribe to this podcast (directly or on iTunes) to have a new interview delivered to your ipod or mp3 player every two weeks.

My Research

My Research in the News….

My Books

Progressive and Religious: How Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist Leaders are Moving Beyond the Culture Wars & Transforming American Public Life

Liberalism’s Troubled Search for Equality: Religion and Cultural Bias in the Oregon Physician-Assisted Suicide Debates

Co-author with Third Way “Come Let Us Reason Together: A Fresh Look at Shared Cultural Values between Evangelicals and Progressives”

With the Center for American Values in Public Life
"The American Values Survey"

Advance Praise for Progressive & Religious

By seeking out and presenting American opinion leaders who are committed to human rights and social justice from their respective religious perspectives, Progressive AND Religious is particularly timely in these perilous times of polarization and social regression among religious communities. In this pioneering initiative, Dr. Jones exemplifies the vitally important role of the public intellectual and responsible scholarship for social change.
-An-Na'im Abdullahi Ahmed, Ph.D., Professor of Law, Emory University; human rights activist; and author of Toward and Islamic Reformation

Dr. Jones's Progressive AND Religious promises to finally put to rest the myth that one cannot be both religious and politically progressive. This book will make a major contribution to our understanding of religion in public life by highlighting the deep, authentic connections that exist between progressive religious belief and practice on the one hand and a commitment to a politics of the common good on the other.
-Rev. Jennifer Butler, Executive Director of Faith and Public Life; author of Born Again: The Christian Right Globalized.

This is a potentially vital book, and Dr. Jones brings to the task a clear vision and much intelligence.
-Al Vorspan, civil rights leader; Vice President Emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism; founding Director of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism

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