Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
To honor Dr. King today his sermon “Paul’s Letter to American Christians” is presented here for your reflection. For more information and reflection please visit last year’s post here. Paul’s Letter to American Christians by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I would like to share with you an imaginary letter from the pen of the Apostle Paul. The postmark reveals …
Read MoreThe Pulpit and the Podium: Part 3
Part 3 of our “Pulpit and the Podium” series looks at what the distinctions set forth in Part 2 mean for Christian public policy efforts. Begin with Part 1 here or continue reading…
Read MoreThe Pulpit and the Podium: Part 2
Part 2 of our “Pulpit and the Podium” series looks at the difference between Christian Standards and Biblically based ethics. Begin with Part 1 here or continue reading…
Read MoreThe Pulpit and the Podium: 4 part series
With the election season now in full swing the discussion about Christian political responsibility must fully engaged. In order to remain diligent, tactful, and properly motivated in engaging public policy Christians must constantly ask themselves what exactly they are advocating — or better — what they should be advocating. Continue reading for part one of a five part series…
Read MoreThis is Martin Luther King Jr. Day
To honor Dr. King today an excerpt from his speech “The Drum Major Instinct” is presented here for your reflection: Also view Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech” with full transcript here. As an added devotional, one of the most moving pieces from Dr. King’s writing, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” has been coped below…
Read MoreModified Monopoly: Experiencing Social Class Inequality
Here is an interesting exercise any group can put together to illustrate social inequality using the readily available Monopoly board-game. Read on for the rules — give it a try and let us know what you think and how it went!
Read MoreThe Just Life on the Radio
Welcome KGCM listeners! A special thanks to Chaplain Jean Jones for highlighting The Just Life on her program this morning.
Read MorePark 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 MoreIn the News: Africans to Bono: ‘For God’s sake please stop!’
With all of the megastar attention to the needs in Africa, and public awareness reaching all time highs, voices from inside Africa have begun to raise a new concern: STOP flooding Africa with aid. This perspective might come as a surprise. Read on to investigate these viewpoints through two recent articles…
Read MoreWhat is a Just Church?
“Charity depends on the vicissitudes of whim and personal wealth; justice depends on commitment instead of circumstance.” Sunday we had our first foray into some unknown territory. Building off of our growing understanding of exactly what Christian social justice is we have started asking questions like: “What makes a church just?” and “What are the identifiable characteristics of a just …
Read MoreMore on definitions and purpose…
I’m finding it important to distinguish between what I see as the two sides/arenas of Christian social justice: Community and Advocacy. Beloved Community: The heart of Christian social justice is in the way that a personal faith in Christ can wonderfully transform people into a new body of believers where there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, rich …
Read MoreWhere do we go from where?
I’m really wrestling with this question and the countless questions it spawns. I’e only just begun to organize my thoughts and the thoughts of the group… If a church does not know what social justice is or whether it is even a proper concern of the Church, then of course they must start at the beginning — and do it …
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