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.

Carter’s Middle East Trip: If its Tuesday, This Must be Gaza

by James M. Wall Jimmy Carter’s 10-day trip to the Middle East started in Lebanon, June 7 and ended in Gaza, June 17. This picture was taken in Gaza, where, among other stops, Carter visited an UNRAW Children’s Center, accompanied … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Middle East Politics | 3 Comments

Obama Speech and Moussavi Campaign Weaken Zionism’s Iran Narrative

Update: Iran Detaining Election Opponents In a practice which sounds disturbingly familiar to Middle East election watchers, the Iranian government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has “detained” leading supporters of the man who “lost” the election, Mirhossein Moussavi. It has become increasingly obvious that … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics | 1 Comment

Obama Speech Draws Spirited Response From DC To Damascus

by James M. Wall   Reactions to Barack Obama’s Cairo speech were largely positive, with one notable caveat.   Start with the ongoing struggle between two Washington, D.C. lobby groups, AIPAC, and its emerging challenger, J Street.  The more moderate challenger’s … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics | 2 Comments

Can Obama Take His Cairo Show on the Road to Jerusalem?

by James M. Wall   President Obama has a massive educational task on his hands. In his long-awaited Cairo speech, he addressed a world audience of more than 1.2 billion Muslims, an estimated 22% of the world’s population, second only to … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics | 3 Comments

The Narrow Visions of Dick Cheney and Benny Morris

by James M. Wall                                             This is a quick visit into the thinking of two men, Dick Cheney and Benny … Continue reading

Posted in Media, Middle East Politics | 3 Comments

Between Netanyahu and Obama, The NYT Picks Fear of Amalek

By James M. Wall         Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu  came to Washington with one thing on his mind: Attack Iran.  President Obama was not buying it.  His focus was on a two-state solution for Israel and the … Continue reading

Posted in Media | 1 Comment

Obama Is The “tough-loving, truth-telling friend” Israel Needs

by James M. Wall                 Early in my writing career, I received a personal note from a well-known writer which so boosted my morale that fifty years later, his note remains deeply embedded … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics, Religion and politics | 4 Comments

EFCA Could Lose: We Need Frances Perkins Today

by James M. Wall Your reading assignment for today combines New Deal history with a current news story.  The book is by Kirstin Downey, The Woman Behind the New Deal: The Life of Frances Perkins, FDR’s Secretary of Labor and His … Continue reading

Posted in Religion and politics | 4 Comments

The Pope Skips Gaza: “I was in prison and you visited me not”

by James M. Wall                A friend writes from Bethlehem:          His Holiness will arrive in Jordan at the end of this week, then cross the river to Israel-Palestine and spend a … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East, Religion and politics | 4 Comments

“Congress is Israeli-Occupied Territory”; You Got a Problem With That?

by James M. Wall   Update from final day of AIPAC Conference May 5 Speeches on the final day brought some surprising speeches.  Go to the internet and click the following for Phil Weiss’ coverage of speeches by Vice President … Continue reading

Posted in Middle East Politics, Politics and Elections | 3 Comments