Park Community Church faces the history and future of Cabrini Green.
When standing on the site of Park Community Church’s new building the view is certainly breathtaking. Under the Chicago skyline you are lined on one side of the street by brand new half-million dollar town homes, and on the other by public housing projects slated for renovation. The stark contrasts of the rapidly changing neighborhood are striking. New development aside, …
Read MoreThe Jena 6 and “stealth” racism in the U.S.
What do three nooses hung from a tree in response to a black student sitting in its “whites only” shade say about racism in America? Volumes. Today over 20,000 people from all 50 states marched on Jena, LA. This is an issue that everyone needs be familiar with. The incident one year ago and the events following came to boiling …
Read MoreBiblical justice is a celebration of discipline
The Just Life is very much an approach to justice issues through spiritual development and self-giving discipleship — viewing a truly “just life” as the ultimate expression of a Christian’s engagement with the world we find ourselves in. Studying the spiritual disciplines is a great place to start your journey. One of the masters at articulating the disciplines is Richard …
Read MoreIs “microfinance” the solution to global poverty?
Perhaps. Microfinance (aka microcredit) are very small loans — typically less than $100 — made to the rural poor in developing countries who would have no other legitimate way of receiving traditional banking credit. Read on for links and resources that provide an introduction to this concept and to a few of the organizations pioneering the way.
Read MoreInversion continued…
Read on to follow the thoughts of a friend, theologian, family man, and pastor as he wrestles with Jesus’ example and what it might mean to live a just life.
Read MoreJustice and Consensus
I’ve been inspired and challenged by some of the recent dialog to look again at the tension between justice and consensus. Do we need to have a unified position on specific issues in order to be effective agents of biblical justice? Or can we act as individuals for the common good and not have to worry about any official church/community …
Read MoreSocial Shalom
Justice and shalom are closely linked. Shalom is translated peace. Our translation of peace is too weak. Physical shalom is good health. Social shalom is an interwoveness among various social segments of society for the common good. Doing justice is repairing the fabric of society where it is falling apart. Shalom is the human being dwelling at peace in all …
Read MoreBonded Slavery Fact Sheet
Here is a fact sheet on bonded slavery provided by the International Justice Mission. Learn more about injustice around the world and what IJM is doing to help. Once you know, your life will be changed.
Read MoreDikaiosune: and justice
Did you know that the word justice does not appear in some translations of the New Testament? That could be a bit disconcerting for those who understand biblical social justice to be central to Christianity. The reality is that God’s heart for Justice is so integrally linked to His Righteousness that the original greek word used was “dikaiosune,” which has a …
Read MoreSocial Justice as the “new monasticism?” NO!
For a while now I’ve kept this article from Christianity Today on file as an example of Christians engaged in the community development level of social justice (for better and for worse) and who exhibit the high discipleship required to live for justice. These Christian community development efforts are kin to the CCDA organization we have talked about. However, this …
Read More“Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God”
Someone recently commented: “Incarnate Integration & Investment,” isn’t that the way Jesus did it? Is the example He set that hard to see?” and it made me think of this quote by the great Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855): “The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we as Christians are a bunch of scheming …
Read MoreSocial Justice and the Emergent Movement (part 1)
These days, whenever talking about social justice, the emergent movement/conversation is inevitably brought up — thinkers like Brian McLaren are readily mentioned and many implications have been made about the parallels between “The Just Life” conversation and the “emergent” one. In a recent comment to a previous post, “md” fleshed out the immediate connection in pondering: “…I wonder if there …
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