Author Archives: wallwritings

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About wallwritings

From 1972 through 1999, James M. Wall was editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine, based in Chicago, lllinois. He was a Contributing Editor of the Century from 1999 until July, 2017. He has written this blog, wall writings.me, since it was launched April 27, 2008. If you would like to receive Wall Writings alerts when new postings are added to this site, send a note, saying, Please Add Me, to jameswall8@gmail.com Biography: Journalism was Jim's undergraduate college major at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. He has earned two MA degrees, one from Emory, and one from the University of Chicago, both in religion. He is an ordained United Methodist clergy person. He served for two years in the US Air Force, and three additional years in the USAF reserve. While serving on active duty with the Alaskan Command, he reached the rank of first lieutenant. He has worked as a sports writer for both the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, was editor of the United Methodist magazine, Christian Advocate for ten years, and editor and publisher of the Christian Century magazine for 27 years. James M Wall died March 22, 2021 at age 92. His family appreciates all of his readers, even those who may have disagreed with his well-informed writings.

Which Obama Will We See in the Third Debate?

By James M. Wall The Barack Obama we saw in his second debate with Mitt Romney was the self-assured and experienced leader we have wanted to see glaring sternly at Benjamin Netanyahu. Thus far, in his first term in office, … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics, Netanyahu, Obama, Politics and Elections, Romney | 8 Comments

Romney’s Israeli Friends Desert Him

Agence France Presse Continue reading

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics, Movies, Netanyahu, Obama, Politics and Elections, Romney | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A “Bad Moon Rising” Over An Obama Victory

by James M. Wall Those voters looking forward to a second term for Barack Obama, were shocked by the President’s sub-par first debate performance. A month before the election, it now appears that an Obama victory is no longer a certainty, … Continue reading

Posted in Media, Middle East, Middle East Politics, Netanyahu, Obama, Politics and Elections | 9 Comments

NYT to Obama v. Romney, “let’s you and him fight”

by James M. Wall Scott Shane’s New York Times story Friday, linked President Obama to President Jimmy Carter. Shane maintains that Obama, like Carter before him, could also be a one-term president. The New York Times must have gone into … Continue reading

Posted in -Movies and politics, Media, Middle East, Middle East Politics, Movies, Netanyahu, Obama, Romney | 2 Comments

Obama’s UN Call For “the right to practice free speech” Does Not Embrace Beit Ommar

By James M. Wall President Barack Obama was at his eloquent best when he addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week. Until, that is, he inserted a jarring note that was anything but eloquent.  It sounded, in fact, like a … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Middle East Politics, Politics and Elections | 4 Comments

The Video That Could Doom A Candidate

by James M. Wall The presidential election is still four and a half weeks away, but the video that tells all about Republican Mitt Romney’s inner beliefs on Palestine and U.S. tax payers, may already have doomed his candidacy. Mother … Continue reading

Posted in Media, Middle East, Middle East Politics, Netanyahu, Obama, Romney | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

How A Hate-Driven Anti-Muslim Film Led to the Death of Four U.S. Diplomats

by James M. Wall Leave it to Juan Cole to come up with just the right metaphor to interpret the events in Libya and Egypt this week. Cole knows the Middle East and he has the writing skills to clarify … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics, Obama, Politics and Elections | 13 Comments

The Night An Unscripted Moment of Democracy Surprised the Democrats

By James M. Wall To have seen it, you had to be watching either a public or a cable network. You also had to be watching closely. Otherwise, early Tuesday evening in the Democratic National Convention, you missed an ever-so … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics, Netanyahu, Obama, Politics and Elections | 8 Comments

Israeli Court Blames Rachel Corrie: She “Put Herself in a Dangerous Situation”

by James M. Wall An Israeli civil court’s decision to exonerate the Israeli Defense Force in the death of Rachel Corrie, was not a surprise. Rather, the decision, written by an Israeli court, in standard Israeli narrative language, reinforces the … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Middle East Politics | 6 Comments

Corrie Family Waits For Tuesday Verdict

by James M. Wall Rachel Corrie’s parents, Craig and Cindy (above), and her sister, Sarah, are in Israel this week, waiting for a verdict from the Haifa District Court on the family’s suit against the government of Israel. The verdict … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics, Obama, Politics and Elections | 10 Comments