Claiborne is a prominent activist for nonviolence and the redistribution of resources to the poor.  It’s not rare to see people pack churches, auditoriums, stadiums, etc., to hear him talk about his theory of electing Jesus for President.  Claiborne is being featured in a documentary called “The Ordinary Radicals,” a film that is being created and directed by Eastern University graduate Jamie Moffett (2000) which will be released in September 2008.  The term “ordinary radicals” has become the name of the group of individuals in the film as they travel the continent to promote Jesus as the next president of the United States. Their travel bus is painted with the words “Jesus for President” and the bus runs on 100% used vegetable oil.  You can occasionally find them camped out at restaurants along the road on their cross-country journey as they wait for more vegetable oil to fuel their bus.

"This whole project is about the political imagination of what it means to follow after Jesus," Claiborne said. His speeches emphasize Jesus’ work, and the embodiment of his presence in today’s society.  According to Claiborne, caring for the poor, the sick, and the unfortunate should be at the forefront of all political agendas.  He is promoting Jesus for president—or if not Jesus himself, for the candidate who can fully support what is at the heart of Jesus- the poor and the peacemakers.

The film itself, “The Ordinary Radicals,” is about a group of individuals, Claiborne included, who are traveling across the United States on a tour to promote the book, Jesus for President.  They use the Bible and other works of history to debate Jesus, his role, and the relationship that history has to today’s state of American politics.  Jesus for President and Claiborne’s speeches transcend questions of “Should I vote or not?” and “Which candidate?” by thinking creatively about the fundamental issues of faith, democracy and allegiance.

As Claiborne and Haw wrote in the book, “This is not a set of political suggestions for the world; this is about invoking and embodying the alternative. All of this is an invitation to join a peculiar people- those with no king but God, who practice jubilee economics and make the world new. This is not the old-time religion of going to heaven; this is about bringing heaven to the world.”

The nationwide tour just went to Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., with Texas, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida next up on the list.  For more information about upcoming events with the Ordinary Radicals, or more information about the group, visit http://www.theordinaryradicals.com.  To check out Claiborne’s schedule, visit http://www.thesimpleway.org/shane/.  For the full CNN story, visit: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/29/evangelical.campaign/index.html