The Christian Left is a rising power in American politics, finding allies at all levels of government.  Arguably, the movement played an important role in electing Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008.  In their forthcoming book Meandering to Zion, Mark Caleb Smith, Marc Clauson, and Tom Mach examine the roots and beliefs of the Christian Left, including the movement's general understanding of economics, war, justice, and the role of the state. Dr. Smith will be presenting aspects of the work.

Dr. Mark Smith serves as assistant professor of political science and the director of the Center for Political Studies at Cedarville University. He teaches courses in American politics, constitutional law, and research methodology/data analysis. Dr. Smith has authored numerous refereed journal articles, book chapters, and other publications. His primary research interest is in the field of religion and American politics. He received his B.A. in history from Bryan College (1992), an M.A. in the history of Christianity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (1995), and an M.A. (1997) and Ph.D. (2001) in political science from the University of Georgia. Before arriving at Cedarville in 2004, Dr. Smith taught at Tulane University and Calvin College.