Alan Jacobs exegetes the Evangelical Manifesto

At the bottom of page 15, these words appear: "The Evangelical soul is not for sale." This is what is called "burying the lead." Had the Evangelical Manifesto begun with this affirmation, it could have been a manifesto indeed -- a declaration of political, cultural and intellectual independence. "We're fed up with being the Republicans' lapdogs, but don't think we're joining the Democratic kennel" -- if only the document had spoken so clearly, so forcefully! If only it had given us some sense of whom it is speaking to, and why; if only it had been as bold as DADA, or Marx and Engels. Moderation is all well and good, I guess; but for my money, the fearless spirit of the true manifesto is just what an increasingly somnolent evangelical movement needs.