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October 8, 2009Signs of Faith in Sarah Palin's Book?
Palin is writing her book with an evangelical author.
Sarah Palin may not be writing a second autobiography for Christian audiences as previously reported, but perhaps her evangelical co-author will persuade her to include more details about her faith.
Shortly after she was nominated as John McCain's vice presidential candidate, media outlets seemed to dig for details about her Pentecostal background. But the focus on Palin's faith appeared to fade after the election as she became a grandmother, battled with her daughter's ex-fiancee, and resigned from her Alaska office.
Palin's 400-page memoir, Going Rogue: An American Life, is due out from HarperCollins and Zondervan November 17. (Coincidentally, it's the same day Zondervan releases Rick Warren's The Hope You Need. Warren became the target of criticism after he was chosen to lead the benediction at President Obama's inauguration.)
Going Rogue's product description suggests that Palin will write about "the importance of faith and family," but is still fairly vague. She chose to work on her book with Lynn Vincent, co-author of Same Kind of Different As Me (which is becoming a movie starring Samuel L. Jackson), and a former writer for World magazine.
Politico's Ben Smith wrote about how Vincent could help Palin appeal to the Christian audience:
Vincent's posture on the confrontational, conservative right matches Palin's post election stand, in which she has powerfully secured her standing as a leading figure of the Republican party while doing little to broaden her appeal beyond the party's base.That's also the posture likely to sell books.
"She doesn't need a writer who understands government — she needs a writer who understands the Christian heart — that's what the book's going to be about and that's who the book's going to appeal to," said [Sara Nelson, a longtime publishing industry watcher].
It will be interesting to see if Palin includes as much about her faith and analysis of religion and politics as Obama did in The Audacity of Hope, which included an entire chapter on Obama's faith, giving examples of how it impacted his views on abortion, same-sex marriage, and social justice. (Sections are available on Google Books starting on p. 195.)
Dan Gilgoff argues that Palin embodies the evangelical ethos because she is so countercultural. But at this point, it appears her countercultural stance is more political than it is religious.
Do you plan to buy Palin's new book? If so, do you expect to find much about her faith? Now that we are nearly a year past the 2008 election, how do you view Palin as a political figure?
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Comments
I am definitely going to purchase the book. I certainly hope Sarah addresses her Faith in the book (and I understand that she does)...but I also applaud the way she DOESN'T use God and her spirituality as a "political commodity" to sell herself to Christian voters. I know that she is a devout Christian, a Prayer Warrior and a Bible reader (you can pick up her biblical references if you listen to her speeches)...and I am glad she respects her precious Creator enough not to "sell" Him for votes.
Posted By: Susan | October 8, 2009 1:06 PM
Since when is someone's faith more important than whether someone understands government? This country is messed up. It'd be nice if President Clinton's actions conformed more with ANY faith and that he had some morality in his personal life, but good grief, Bush was Mr. Faithful Christian Man and looked what a mess he left us especially compared to the happy days of Jan. 2001.
Posted By: Daniel | October 8, 2009 1:59 PM
If she talks about her faith, she will only serve to discredit Christianity because in many respects she makes our faith look worse, especially if you read the behind the scenes stories about her. Although I understand that it is Christ that saves people not us so we can't worry too much, she's not a good example in many respects
Posted By: Simon Glenn | October 8, 2009 2:01 PM
I don't plan to buy the book and hope that she doesn't emphasize what she's calling her "Christianity".
@Susan - Palin wears her Christianity on her sleve. I wish that she didn't since her actions are not a good testament for Christ or the Bible, but she does. If she didn't no one would have ever even thought a separate version of the book might be comming out.
I don't expect her to emphasize her faith. She's been very carefull to distance herself from her Church and its associates. (Even though THEY"VE been vocal about their connection and conversations with her).
I'm at a cross roads, either she does believe in the form of Christianity that she's supporting OR she's thrown them over and hasn't told them as much. Her actions are those of a worldly person interested in money and power. Now that she has it without the politics, I don't see her going back into politics beyond being a shiny trinked used for fundraising.
I do see her using the threat of running to maintain a high profile image that will sell books and land her speaking gigs. After all, if she said she wasn't running again (say, so that she could focus on her family), there would be no more reason for main stream media to cover anything about her.
Posted By: Enkel | October 8, 2009 4:03 PM
I noticed that those who post on here that "she will only serve to discredit Christianity" only site "behind the scenes stories" without giving reference to any particular story. If you know about the campaign then you know the campaign manager, Steve Schmidt and Nicole Wallace were responsible for spreading lies according to campaign staffer Randy Scheunemann and others. Scheunemann was fired and then rehired and muzzled for helping Palin. It's all a long story. I look forward to reading her side of it in the book.
I look forward to hearing about her faith too. I also pick up her biblical references when she is speaking and even just answering questions.
Sarah Palin inspired me to return to church and make faith a central part of my life. What better testimony for a Christian to espouse Christian values, than by leading people back to faith?
She is just fine and she will go where God wants her to be.
Posted By: Stacy | October 8, 2009 4:47 PM
It is good that we profess Christ and not Christians.
Posted By: Eric | October 8, 2009 5:05 PM
Yes, I will buy the book. #1 I like to read from firsthand, not what the people say about others. #2 As a christian your life and not your words have to speak about your walk and relationship with Christ.
Posted By: Jackytc | October 8, 2009 5:15 PM
I wouldn't buy the book or read it if it was given to me. Given her campaign excesses and her dumping her gubernatorial duties, I seriously question how anyone can take her seriously. If this is the direction the GOP takes, I pity the party.
Show me any public figure who lives out their faith these days.
Call me curmudgeonly....
Posted By: Lori | October 8, 2009 5:30 PM
Her editor must have had the patience of Christ if what she wrote was anything like her language-mangling speeches and interviews.
Posted By: Laura | October 8, 2009 5:40 PM
I don't believe she's saved. Her vindictiveness toward Wooten, Monegan and Levi is unchristian.
Posted By: J.Black | October 8, 2009 7:33 PM
There is nothing wrong with wearing your Christianity on your sleeve.
Any Christian who hides their Faith as opposed to practicing it normally is not a Christian but a coward.
The truth is that Sarah Palin is a western libertarian/conservative who happens to be a devoted Christian.
I'll take that any day over the weak, helpless, liar and pro-death POTUS we have now.
Posted By: Sapwolf | October 8, 2009 7:39 PM
Every choice she has made has been at least indirectly related to her faith. She alienated the corrupt GOP
establishment in her state, by choosing to resign rather
than paper over the chairman's faults. That he happened
to be party chairman, hasn't been forgotten. Pushing for
a pipeline not favored by the original Big three Oil companies was not an easy measure. Choosing to 'walk the
walk, not talk the talk" in relation to her beliefs has
possibly been one of the sources of contempt against her.
Yes she was in part responsible for the ethics reform that
was used as a cudgel against her, by the remnants of her own party, and later the Democrats when she cast her eyes
on what Obama would bring. she was quite prophetic in that
speech on what we would be facing. For that she was slandered mercilessly even putting her own maternity into question. Despite all that, she has always spoken out on Christian principles, notably at Evansville, and when it became untenable to continue in office, she chose another
path, helping to derail the malign schemes of the public option and cap n trade, calling the nation to live it's values, even in the "belly of the beast" in China's backyard,
Posted By: narciso | October 8, 2009 8:43 PM
I am wondering if sarah palin will finally address in her book the issue of multiple unwed pregnancies in her family. Hers (apparently) and her child's. I find it stunning that sarah would have allowed her daughter to date for two years a boy of very questionable character, especially after her own experience. For a “Christian” it seems that sarah has dropped the ball more than once on the values she proclaims to have.
From an article by THE HILL on the book, Trailblazer:
“Lorenzo Benet, an assistant editor at People magazine, tries to capitalize on Palin’s star power in his latest book, Trailblazer: An Intimate Biography of Sarah Palin.
But even with all of his focus on Palin’s values, Benet practically glosses over what was apparently a shotgun wedding. The Palins eloped on Aug. 29, 1988, to the surprise of their parents and friends. Their firstborn, Track, was delivered almost exactly eight months later, on April 20, 1989.
When contacted by The Hill, Bill McAllister, a spokesman for Palin, said only: "I think it's part of the public record that the governor and her husband eloped." He declined to comment on the timing of Track’s birth."
http://thehill.com/bookshelf/20791-tracing-palins-trailblazing-path
Posted By: Shelby | October 9, 2009 12:22 AM
Public figures who live out their faith:
1) Barack Obama - his "faith" as expressed in an interview is not orthodox Christianity, but rather an afrocentric social democracy qua religion.
2) Dalai Lama
3) Joe Lieberman
4) Ayatollah Khamenei
Or did you mean orthodox Christians?
Posted By: Kozak | October 9, 2009 12:35 PM
Yes, I have already ordered it. And I can't wait to read it.
Susan said she wears her Christianity on her sleeve. She does not at all. I wished she did. If she runs in 2012 she will make mince meat of Obama if he lasts that long.
Posted By: DAVID TEETER | October 9, 2009 2:26 PM
Sarah . . . who?
Posted By: Jim Roane | October 9, 2009 2:55 PM
We'd be so much better off if she'd just shut up.
Posted By: muse | October 9, 2009 3:37 PM
No, I won't be buying Palin's book, simply because she doesn't interest me. Seems to me she quit as Governor just so she could be free to publish a book; no matter the other reason she gave to the media. Personally, I don't think she has what it takes for political office.... hanging in for the long haul and not being so defensive about every negative comment that comes with the territory of holding public office. As for her faith - only God knows her heart. Same for the rest of us too.
Posted By: Sue | October 9, 2009 5:04 PM
This is my take on the book and the coauthor.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-scott/say-it-aint-so_b_315895.html
Posted By: Donna | October 9, 2009 6:56 PM
Anyone that thinks she would make mincemeat of Obama if she runs in 2012 has reality issues plain and simple. There is not a single argument that you can make that would point to her winning. She would fray the GOP coalition, encourage a third party, and get walked over Obama on experience issues. If you didn't finish your term as Governor, how can you justifiably claim that you deserve to be President. It smacks of arrogance if you ask me.
Posted By: Simon Glenn | October 11, 2009 9:48 PM
I don't agree with Palin in religious areas but intend to buy it because of the rare treatment she received from the media.
Posted By: john | October 13, 2009 3:02 PM
Seriously, Sarah Palin is the author of her book in the same way that George and Laura Bush's dog was the author of a book about the White House. Why does anyone care what Palin thinks? If she can't take the political heat as the governor of a state, how will she possibly stand up to the criticsm thrown at her as a presidential candidate? And "the Lord will protect her" is not a viable answer.
Posted By: SKD | October 15, 2009 9:30 PM
There are a lot of judgemental Christians here ... It's not our place to judge, only to bring ppl to Christ Jesus. I hope her claims to be a Christian are true. Just me... why do so many ppl get angry at this. Who are you to judge.
Posted By: Lori | October 17, 2009 4:48 PM
Sarah Palin reminds me of many strong women in leadership I've known: women with families, careers, and lots of common sense required to get the job/s done. What's wrong with that?
Posted By: lkluna | October 17, 2009 5:16 PM
Please, please, please, Sarah, run for president in 2012. Please, Republicans, nominate her. Please. :-) It would make this Democrat SO happy.
Posted By: Sally | October 28, 2009 5:15 PM