“People are looking for a moral centre, which isn’t a mushy political centrism, but which looks at the moral challenges of our time and says ‘don’t go left, don’t go right - go deeper.’ It’s about applying a consistent moral ethic, something that inevitably leads to the crossing of political lines.”

The event, hosted by Christian social action movement Faithworks, attracted around 300 churchgoers and political activist. They were urged by Wallis to focus their efforts on fighting inequality, which he claimed was “the pivotal moral issue of our time”, contributing directly to global poverty, the spread of HIV/AIDS and people trafficking.

Speaking about the impact that Christians in the UK can have on political decision-making, Faithworks Founder Rev Steve Chalke said:

“The Church must never lose its prophetic edge. We have to learn what it means to be in the company of the king, but never in the pocket of the king. Our concern should not be for just social action, it should also be for social justice. The Church should be involved not just in service, but also in politics, affecting policies and bending them towards justice.”

The launch, which also included a brief performance from singer/songwriter Martyn Joseph, was the first in a number of UK-based events for the highly acclaimed US author.

It also followed on from last year’s high-profile Faithworks Lectures, which saw the leaders of the three main political parties address an audience of church leaders in the run-up to the General Election.

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If you have any further queries about this press release please contact Dave Vann, Faithworks Public Relations Officer on 0207 450 9059 or 07855 833525.Click here to read the Observer's interview with Jim Wallis

Faithworks has a limited number of copies of God's Politics: Why the American Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Don't Get It by Jim Wallis to sell at a discounted price of £9.00.