Justice in the Church (Aug/Sept/Oct 2012)

How do we as God’s people uphold the biblical ideal of justice in a fallen world where sin, death, violence, and abuse often make the absence of justice more noticeable than its presence? Christian leaders do have unique opportunities to demonstrate justice and impart its value to those we seek to disciple, counsel, serve, and teach. These opportunities arise throughout the tasks and venues of ministry: From the pulpit, we can preach a gracious response to those who have wronged us. In the counseling chair, we can comfort those who ask, “Why?” At our open doors, we can restore to community those who have been exiled. Out in the world, we can share the good news of God’s mercy in places of deep need.

In This Issue

articles Preaching Grace in a Culture of Revenge
- By Jill Moffett Howard
- Posted on July 30th, 2012
On May 1, 2011, we all sat glued to our televisions or Internet news source awaiting a huge news story to break at any second. I specifically remember my husband predicting what…
articles Teaching the Old Testament: When God Seems Unjust
- By Brent A. Strawn
- Posted on July 31st, 2012
I make my living teaching the Old Testament, so I’m quite aware of its “problems.” You might say it’s a job hazard in my line of work. Even if people…
articles Justice Begins at the Table
- By Ben Gosden
- Posted on August 1st, 2012
Dining together as a family around a common table is quickly becoming a lost art in our fast-paced world. We always seem to be on the go. We have things to do, people to see, and…
articles Good News for All
- By Mike Slaughter
- Posted on July 31st, 2012
Some of us in many traditions too often see evangelism as simply introducing people to Jesus only as a means to get to heaven. It neglects discipleship as well as the broader…
articles Answering Tough Questions: Tragedy and the Justice of God
- By Edward P. Antonio
- Posted on July 31st, 2012
When confronted with the reality of pain and suffering in the world Christians—priests, pastors and theologians included—have a tendency to launch into a search for…
articles Discipline and Accountability in a Church Shopper's Market
- By Shane Raynor
- Posted on July 30th, 2012
I grew up in The United Methodist Church, but I wasn’t confirmed until high school. It was about that time that I first encountered The Book of Discipline. I’m not…
articles Empowering Kids to Be Agents of Love
- By Lanecia Rouse
- Posted on July 28th, 2012
The Gospel writer proclaims in John 1:14, “and the Word became flesh and lived among us.” Jesus, the Light of the World, chose not to reside in a holy temple or a…
articles Helping Evil Die on the Seashore
- By Keri Day
- Posted on July 27th, 2012
In 1956, Martin Luther King, Jr. preached a sermon entitled “Death of Evil upon a Seashore,” in which he compares the plight of Israel with the historical plight …
articles Restoring Prisoners to Community
- By Karen Vander Molen
- Posted on July 30th, 2012
Restorative justice is a term one does not hear much in America. Our country practices retributive justice, emphasizing the punishment a criminal deserves. Restorative justice, on …
articles More than a Hot Topic: Addressing the Roots of Modern-Day Slavery
- By Christopher P. Momany
- Posted on July 31st, 2012
Why is human trafficking wrong? This question runs the risk of offending people. Those familiar with human trafficking or contemporary slavery seldom approach the issue this way. …
articles Waiting for Justice: Where Are You, Jesus?
- By Jenn W. Harris
- Posted on August 2nd, 2012
A violent storm of injustice strikes with full force. You resist the urge to lash out, and instead you turn to God in prayer. You pray and pray, but still no answers come. It is…