Reading about Justice
As we run, jump, shuffle, walk, tiptoe, hop, skip or leap into this series on justice we are already starting to encounter some great big ideas; certainly I’ve realized there are quite a few ways I need to face up to my patterns of behavior and some perhaps pretty deeply-held previous convictions. Processing these things in small group is amazing (we had a wonderful discussion last night about Sabbath – I hear others did too), but sometimes it’s simply time to read….
We don’t have a library (yet!) at Restoration – but if you buy any of these why not lend them to others in your small group, order them through your library, read them in your book clubs or give them as birthday presents. Feel free to donate old copies to Restoration if you have them! Perhaps we can start a little lending book area?
So to start with some of the books David has been referencing include:
- Corbett, Steve, and Brian Fikkert. When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor– and Yourself. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2009.
- Crouch, Andy. Playing God Creativity and Cultural Power. Grand Rapids, Mich: Calvin College, 2011.
- DeYoung, Kevin, and Greg Gilbert. What Is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway, 2011.
- Haugen, Gary A. Good News About Injustice: A Witness of Courage in a Hurting World. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
- Keller, Timothy J. Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just. New York, N.Y.: Dutton, Penguin Group USA, 2010.
- Labberton, Mark. The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call to Justice. Downers Grove, Ill: IVP Books, 2007.
- Martin, Jim. The Just Church: Becoming a Risk-Taking, Justice-Seeking, Disciple-Making Congregation. [Carol Stream, IL]: Tyndale Momentum, 2012.
- Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Justice: Rights and Wrongs. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008.
I haven’t read all of them yet… so I’m looking forward to working through the list. When you’ve read all of these – come back to us and we’ll suggest some more 🙂 or perhaps you’ve got suggestions of your own to add to the list? Please add comments below. Happy reading!
~ Liz
May 1, 2015 @ 2:20 pm
If you want to go ‘old school’, here is a great recommendation from Morgan by St. Basil the Great…
http://www.svspress.com/on-social-justice-st-basil-the-great-pps38/
May 1, 2015 @ 3:03 pm
I second that recommendation (On Social Justice, by St. Basil the Great). If you want a real kick in the teeth about what it means to love your neighbor in a concrete way, you cannot do better than that precious little gem of a book. It’s so amazingly relevant it could have been written yesterday.
Also check out St. John Chrysostom, On Wealth and Poverty. Very readable, as is Basil–many consider John the greatest preacher of all time (Chrysostom means “golden-mouth”). Fits in your pocket!: http://goo.gl/7pT7BV