Robert A. Dahl’s new book, How Democratic Is the American Constitution?, provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on the meaning of our electoral system. James Skillen uses Dahl’s criticisms as a point of departure for proposing serious, democratic electoral reform for the United States.

The United States does not yet have a true multiparty system, but Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) may help to bring it about. IRV became the law in San Francisco and the state of Vermont this year and is attracting more and more attention around the country.

Evangelical leaders from across the United States sent a letter to President Bush urging him to give as much consideration to the valid interests of the Palestinians as to those of Israel.

Stanley Carlson-Thies, who served in President Bush’s White House Office on Faith-Based and Community Initiatives for 15 months, answers questions about his role and the present status of legislation and court cases in this arena.

British-born Canadian scholar Jonathan Chaplin urges American Christians to enter into serious dialogue with Christians around the world about the nature and use of American power. That power is neither all good nor all bad, and there are very different perceptions of it both in the United States and in other countries.

Nelson Gonzalez, an international consultant and student of Christian Democracy, picks up themes from Joseph Nye’s The Paradox of American Power and weaves them together with the call for a multilateral internationalism.

The editor argues that on September 12 at the U.N., Kofi Annan and President Bush rang the same bell, calling for international action to deal forcefully with Iraq. Will the agreement hold?