Brian McLaren, Elisa Padilla, and Ashley Bunting Seeler, The Justice Project. Baker, 2009.
Referenced in: Social Ministry Strategies
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
For those who need to understand the resurgence of interest in social justice among younger evangelicals, this is the place to start. It is not a dispassionate academic description of the desire for social justice, but comes directly from those who feel it and live it. But it should not be read simply for exposure to “their world.” Instead, this book is designed to be a catalyst to action.
The Justice Project is not a step-by-step ministry guide, but a large collection of brief, inspiring, conscience-awakening teaching stories that call to action on an extensive list of local, national, and global justice issues. It brings together both well-known Emergent authors and lesser-known activists to ignite the passion of both the like-minded and the unexposed. As the title implies, it is part of the Justice Project, a conversation that has as its purpose to “invite individuals and communities to join in the hopes, dreams, and aspirations God has for our world.”
What impact does this book have upon its readers? The effect upon newcomers may be similar to the transformation of Brian McLaren himself, whose interaction with the others in the project nudged him “out of the comfortable, privatized, complacent, hyper-personalized, escapist, consumerist, colonial, justice-evading, and utterly convenient understanding of the Christian gospel that I once enjoyed and considered orthodox.” (11-12) In that vein, much of the content of this book is, and is expected to be no less than, unsettling.
Some will hear scary theological tones, and others will want to back away entirely. But for most, there will be the haunting realization that the growing interest in a “holistic” gospel that integrates evangelism and social action is not an abandonment of scripture, but an affirmation of biblical strains evangelicals have not come to grips with in the last several decades. Some conservatives may not like the way the authors use scripture. Many of them have a bent toward liberation theology and liberal (shall I say socialist?) public policy. But no reader can come away from these essays without seeing a deep respect for scripture and an immersion in scripture.
McLaren begins by presenting a brief, definition of justice that guides the discussion: “the right use of power in our relationships with others.” He continues, that the authors “seek to be rooted and resourced at every point by the stories of Scripture and their echoes throughout history. And most of all, we will focus again and again on Jesus, our liberator, leader, and Lord.” (22) From there, the book divides into five sections:
- God of Justice – Unpacks the relationship of each person of the Trinity to justice and how this has been expressed across the major periods of church history
- Book of Justice – Discusses how to read the Bible in such as a way as to capture, not minimize, its strong emphases on justice in the Torah, Prophets, Gospels, and Epistles.
- Justice in the USA – Looks at the issues of racism, our history of mistreatment of native Americans, politics and elections, the strengths/weaknesses of the liberal and conservative political platforms, family values, and immigration.
- Just World – Uplifts the need for American Christians to “just global citizens” who steward their relative power and resources to address global issues such as wealth and poverty, business and labor, ecology, de-colonizing Christianity, transforming cities, addressing urban poverty, living justly in our suburbs and rural areas.
- Just Church – Awakens conservative Evangelicals to social justice issues such as racial segregation, church planting, parenting, and just trade.
A concluding section summarizes the ideas from the various authors and suggests next steps.
Many who read this text will come away wanting more. The chapters are brief, and in most cases, too brief. And some of them simply are not that substantive. But if one uses the book not as a guide, but a catalyst, it will have served a good purpose.
From the Publisher
Justice and the call for change are in the air. Whether it’s extreme poverty, human rights, racism, or the Middle East, news outlets bombard us with stories about the need for justice in the world. But how are Christians to respond to these stories and the conditions to which they refer? Here’s help. Editors Brian McLaren, Elisa Padilla, and Ashley Bunting Seeber have amassed a collection of over 30 brief chapters by some of the most penetrating thinkers in the justice conversation, including René Padilla, Peggy Campolo, Will and Lisa Samson, Sylvia Keesmaat, Bart Campolo, Lynne Hybels, Tony Jones, and Richard Twiss. Divided into sections, “God of Justice,” “Book of Justice,” “Justice in the USA,” “Just World,” and “Just Church,” The Justice Project invites readers to deepen their understanding of the pressures our world faces and to take up the challenge of alleviating them. Never has the world been in greater need of Christians who “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.” This resource will help them do just that.
About the Authors
Brian McLaren is internationally known as an author, speaker, pastor, and networker among innovative Christian leaders, thinkers, and activists. He is the author of over ten highly acclaimed books on contemporary Christianity, including the A New Kind of Christian trilogy, A Generous Orthodoxy, and The Secret Message of Jesus. He lives in Maryland.
Elisa Padilla is executive director for the Kairos Foundation. Kairos works through publishing, theological education, community ministries, and the Kairos Retreat Center to encourage disciples of Jesus Christ to live out their faith in every area of life. Elisa and her family live in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ashley Bunting Seeber is a graduate student pursuing an MA in the Bible and Postcolonial Studies at the University of Sheffield in the UK. She and her husband live in Geneva, Switzerland, and are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Geneva.
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Related Areas
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- Strategies For Christian Social Ministry
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- Christian Perspectives on Economics and Public Policy
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