Souled Out

What did I find in my mail this afternoon but a slim new volume, Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith & Politics After the Religious Right by the estimable E.J. Dionne. Since I've only had it in my possession for a few hours I can't say a ton about the substance of the argument but from what I've seen it's the right kind of argument -- analytic about what's happened in the past, and then first-order about the future ending on a chapter about "Religion's True Calling" rather than something about how Al Gore should have gone to church more. What's more, Dionne is really the author I'd like to read on "The Agony of Liberal Catholicism" so I'm very much looking forward to that chapter.

But in the interests of finding something else to say about a book I've barely read, let me just note that "Souled Out" is most frequently used a as a title in a context where "soul" means "black people" rather than "religion." See, e.g., Shaun Powell's Souled Out: How Blacks are Winning and Losing in Sports or C.L. Smooth's All Souled Out.

Comments

C.L. Smooth! Yea! Matt, your street cred is back.

Posted by Tracy Jordan | January 28, 2008 5:41 PM

Here is a great article in the L.A. Times debunking the so called black and brown divide..
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-rodriguez28jan28,0,5950176.column

According to the MSM (Pat Buchannan) there is one. Evidently my parents didn't get the memo since my mom is Cuban and my dad is AA.

Posted by Ann | January 28, 2008 5:55 PM

Incidentally, E.J. Dionne said the following of Obama's Call to Renewal Address on Faith and Politics: "(Obama's Speech On Faith) may be the most important pronouncement by a Democrat on faith and politics since John F. Kennedy's Houston speech in 1960 declaring his independence from the Vatican. . . Obama offers the first faith testimony from any politician that speaks honestly about the uncertainties of belief."

Again with the JFK comparisons. :)

Watch This Speech--it's a bit longish.

Posted by Abe | January 28, 2008 6:16 PM

What's more, Dionne is really the author I'd like to read on "The Agony of Liberal Catholicism" so I'm very much looking forward to that chapter.

On the exact opposite subject, What ever happened to Amy Sullivan over at Washington Monthly? After the Dems won convincingly in 2006 without fluffing the evangelical vote, she abruptly disappeared.

I'd guess either 1) WM is the kind of administration where you can get fired for being consistently wrong, or 2) She's writing her own book telling us how, through her tireless efforts, the Dems won by 'getting' religion in 2006. I pray for the former but sadly believe the latter; such are the vagaries of faith.

Posted by Bo | January 28, 2008 8:23 PM

Was it a backhanded compliment to call him estimable rather than inestimable?

Posted by hw | January 28, 2008 8:29 PM

Souled Out was also an album by the Righteous Brothers, when they were still a blue-eyed soul group instead of the Phil Spector balladeers of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"

Posted by jonp72 | January 30, 2008 11:16 AM

Souled Out was also an album by the Righteous Brothers, when they were still a blue-eyed soul group instead of the Phil Spector balladeers of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" fame.

Posted by jonp72 | January 30, 2008 11:18 AM

Souled Out was also an album by the Righteous Brothers, when they were still a blue-eyed soul group instead of the Phil Spector balladeers of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" fame.

Posted by jonp72 | January 30, 2008 11:19 AM