The Finger of God offers an account of the theological foundations of the American experiment and, in doing so, illumines a pathway for a profound transformation of the Republic. Jesse Jackson, Jr. argues, with a strong reading of the Constitution at his back, that merciful acts of forgiveness – especially for the 68 million “debt-paid” felons – can be a basis for renewal of our fragile democracy. One doesn’t have to agree with all of Jackson’s claims to feel the passion in his heart and on the page. He cares deeply about this nation and about us. This book is his powerful testimony—words inspired by a revelation within the solitary walls of a prison—to set all the captives free.
The Finger of God literally points readers toward an important yet frequently overlooked fact: the founders of the American Republic recognized that the Constitution’s efficacy depended upon its ability to foster (as President John Adams put it) “a moral and religious people.” Jesse Jackson, Jr. intertwines this aspirational lesson with his own personal story of what Judaism would call “transgression and repentance.” Although this book is written from the perspective of a truly devout Christian, the author’s message can easily be universalized as a clarion call for a morally renewed American government
The Finger of God ignites a new trajectory to address America’s spiritual and material fall or rise from its legacy and current war within. In an authentic and uncompromised quest for transformation and salvation, personal and national, Jesse Jackson, Jr. vigorously interrogates the “experiment of democracy” through the theological and symbolic meanings embedded in the U.S. Constitution and the foundational documents of this nation. In so doing, he excavates the theological lens of the founding fathers, implicating the most perilous and prescient issues of today: voter protection for all Americans, including the formerly incarcerated; processes of constitutional amendment; immigrant and human rights in the context of demographic shifts and ultimately, America’s reckoning with its racialized past.
With a book that speaks to the mind, the heart, and the soul, Jesse Jackson Jr. gives us brilliant insights into the political and religious beliefs of the founders of the United States and how we might keep the dream alive to reach greater heights and reconcile their efforts to create democracy with their enslavement of human beings and the horrific racist legacy they have left us. The candor with which Jesse tells us about his own personal struggles is deeply moving and inspiring. This is a book for everyone who has experienced anguish and longed for redemption: this is a book that brings hope, comfort, and love!
Years ago, an older elected official gave me some very sage advice, “listen with a third ear and read with a third eye.” Jesse Jackson, Jr. has revealed the spiritual, political, and cultural DNA of the founders of this country and has opened our third eye.
