Curated topics for a disillusioned church
For the most part Christians do not know what God's righteousness is. We tend to lean heavily on private justice (the king without the kingdom) or public justice (the kingdom without the king), but an equal blend of both is needed for God's righteousness.
From feeding people in their local communities to walking with protestors to listening and learning from members of the community here are what five pastors are doing in their neighborhoods to address racial injustice. All of these examples can be done in your local community - but first slow down and pray.
Justice seems to be a universal term. A term that everyone knows and that is generally agreed upon. But, since most Christians have not been discipled in Biblical justice we bring in non-Biblical definitions and assumptions when discussing justice. To learn about Biblical justice pastor Thabiti Anyabwile suggests that we must first have a heart check. This is part of a superb eight-part series.
A comprehensive history of the terms justice, social justice and biblical justice. On the technical side, but if you just want the facts then this is an excellent starting point. If you would like a different writing style, but similar content try Tim Keller's "What is Biblical Justice?"
In an excerpt from Tim Keller's book, Generous Justice, he explains that biblical justice consists of two Hebrew words - mishpat (to treat people equitably) and tzadeqah (a life of right relationships) - and when those two words are brought together in today's terms it would be called social justice. If you would like a different writing style, but similar content try Joe Carter's "The FAQs: What Christians Should Know About Social Justice."
Sure, most Americans have heard of lynching and perhaps it was perfunctorily talked about in a high school history class, but few understand how common and ruthlessly callous it was. In At the Hands of Persons Unknown Philip Dray takes a comprehensive, chrological look at how common, and brutal, lynching was in America.
How to be an Antiracist is all about reprogramming our minds. In the author's opinion, there is no such thing as a non-racist. You are either racist or antiracist. The difference between a non-racist and an antiracist is the antiracist recognizes that racism exists, and does something about it, especially in the antiracist's mindset.
Exceptionalism. Triumphalism. White Supremacy. Mythology. These are just a few of the words that are the bedrock of the United States of America and the white American church. The blending of Christianity with conquest dating back to the 1400's to the Doctrine of Discovery influencing the racist and sexist wording of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution to boarding schools and internment camps justifying white supremacy what people of color and white people have experienced living in the United State is vastly different.
Knitting his personal family's history with the establishment of the Equal Justice Initiative and the history of slavery and segregation Bryan Stevenson makes a strong case that America - its people and its institutions - need to learn and recognize the legacy of lynching, segregation and slavery and it's far reaching effects to move towards reconciliation.
Associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary W. David O. Taylor says all that we need to do to learn about justice and the Bible is to open the book of Psalms. In the book we can learn what Biblical justice is, who should pursue justice and what justice looks like.
Sunday to Saturday 
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