Progressive Evangelicals and the Pursuit of Social Justice
Progressive Evangelicals and the Pursuit of Social Justice

Author: Brantley W. Gasaway

Publisher: UNC Press Books

Published: 2014-10-30

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 1469617730

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In this compelling history of progressive evangelicalism, Brantley Gasaway examines a dynamic though often overlooked movement within American Christianity today. Gasaway focuses on left-leaning groups, such as Sojourners and Evangelicals for Social Action, that emerged in the early 1970s, prior to the rise of the more visible Religious Right. He identifies the distinctive "public theology--a set of biblical interpretations regarding the responsibility of Christians to promote social justice--that has animated progressive evangelicals' activism and bound together their unusual combination of political positions. The book analyzes how prominent leaders, including Jim Wallis, Ron Sider, and Tony Campolo, responded to key political and social issues over the past four decades. Progressive evangelicals combated racial inequalities, endorsed feminism, promoted economic justice, and denounced American nationalism and militarism. At the same time, most leaders opposed abortion and refused to affirm homosexual behavior, even as they defended gay civil rights. Gasaway demonstrates that, while progressive evangelicals have been caught in the crossfire of partisan conflicts and public debates over the role of religion in politics, they have offered a significant alternative to both the Religious Right and the political left.

Social Justice Goes To Church: The New Left in Modern American Evangelicalism
Social Justice Goes To Church: The New Left in Modern American Evangelicalism

Author: Jon Harris

Publisher: Ambassador International

Published: 2020-10-06

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13: 1649600917

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"The infusion of social justice into the gospel may well be the most dangerous problem facing the church today. Yet, it is going unnoticed in far too many circles. Social Justice Goes to Church can serve as a wake-up call." —Samuel C. Smith, Ph.D. Chair and Graduate Program Director, Department of History, Liberty University In order to understand why so many evangelicals recently support left-leaning political causes, it is important to know a little history. In the 1970s, many campus radicals raised in Christian homes brought neo-Marxist ideas from college back to church with them. At first, figures like Jim Wallis, Ron Sider, and Richard Mouw made great gains for their progressive evangelical cause. But, after the defeat of Jimmy Carter, the religious right stole the headlines. Today, a new crop of mainstream evangelicals has taken up the cause of the New Left, whether they know it or not. As pro-life evangelicals rush to support movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo, it is important to realize they are walking in footprints already laid down. Their mission may be more successful, but it is not new. To understand where the evangelical social justice movement is heading, it is vital to understand the origins of the movement. Social Justice Goes to Church: The New Left in Modern American Evangelicalism answers, from a historical perspective, the vital question, "Why are American evangelicals moving Left?" “The great injunction to the Church was to preach the Gospel to the world, while not being of the world. Social justice neatly reverses this trend, preaching the ways of the world into the church. That is not its only critical reversal. The Gospel is about freedom from guilt and sin and bondage. Social justice seeks above all to apportion guilt and sin and bondage, enslaving entire demographics and requiring that they kneel before man in attrition. How important that a book of this nature should enter the fray right now. I applaud Mr. Harris for his excellent work in providing the practical means of identifying and repelling this fraudulent force, this ideological interloper, this dangerous false teaching.” —Douglas Kruger Author of Political Correctness Does More Harm Than Good: How to Identify, Debunk, and Dismantle Dangerous Ideas

Return to Justice
Return to Justice

Author: Soong-Chan Rah

Publisher: Brazos Press

Published: 2016-06-21

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1493404512

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Reclaiming an Evangelical History of Activism In recent years, there has been renewed interest by evangelicals in the topic of biblical social justice. Younger evangelicals and millennials, in particular, have shown increased concern for social issues. But this is not a recent development. Following World War II, a new movement of American evangelicals emerged who gradually increased their efforts on behalf of justice. This work explains the important historical context for evangelical reengagement with social justice issues. The authors provide an overview of post-World War II evangelical social justice and compassion ministries, introducing key figures and seminal organizations that propelled the rediscovery of biblical justice. They explore historical and theological lessons learned and offer a way forward for contemporary Christians.

Factors Contributing to the Transformation Toward Progressive Social Justice Consciousness Among Evangelical Christians
Factors Contributing to the Transformation Toward Progressive Social Justice Consciousness Among Evangelical Christians

Author: Melanie Keillor

Publisher:

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13:

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As a conservative, Evangelical Christian, the Social Justice and Equity class at Hamline University awakened me to the realities of injustice. As I shared my new understandings with other Evangelicals, responses varied from acceptance to rejection. These contradictory responses generated my question, "What factors contribute to a transformation of progressive social justice consciousness among Evangelical Christians?" In addition to works by many Biblical scholars, the work of philosophers including Mezirow, Freire and Kohlberg laid for me a theoretical foundation of transformation. My goal was to discover how others are experiencing transformation. By interviewing and analyzing the experiences of transformed Evangelical leaders, I was able to elicit an understanding of what factors led to their transformation as it relates to social action. As a result, I identified what motivated change for my participants, what factors played a role in their transformation, and what characteristics are displayed in their work today.

Unreconciled
Unreconciled

Author: Andrea Smith

Publisher: Duke University Press

Published: 2019-12-13

Total Pages: 245

ISBN-13: 1478007036

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In the 1990s, many evangelical Christian organizations and church leaders began to acknowledge their long history of racism and launched efforts at becoming more inclusive of people of color. While much of this racial reconciliation movement has not directly confronted systemic racism's structural causes, there exists a smaller countermovement within evangelicalism, primarily led by women of color who are actively engaged in antiracism and social justice struggles. In Unreconciled Andrea Smith examines these movements through a critical ethnic studies lens, evaluating the varying degrees to which evangelical communities that were founded on white supremacy have addressed racism. Drawing on evangelical publications, sermons, and organization statements, as well as ethnographic fieldwork and participation in evangelical events, Smith shows how evangelicalism is largely unable to effectively challenge white supremacy due to its reliance upon discourses of whiteness. At the same time, the work of progressive evangelical women of color not only demonstrates that evangelical Christianity can be an unexpected place in which to find theoretical critique and social justice organizing but also shows how critical ethnic studies' interventions can be applied broadly across political and religious divides outside the academy.

Social Justice Pharisees
Social Justice Pharisees

Author: AD Robles

Publisher: Morgan James Publishing

Published: 2021-09-07

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 163195573X

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Social Justice Pharisees: Woke Church Tactics and How to Engage Them prepares readers for the social justice conflict in their local church, evangelicalism in general, and the culture at large. Social justice has been able to gain traction in the evangelical church due to a lack of clarity on key issues of biblical justice. The "woke church movement" seeks to capitalize on this lack of clarity and push politically progressive ideas in the conservative evangelical church. Biblical sounding words, such as "justice" and "love", are robbed of their meaning and the lack of clear teaching on these issues has put the layman in an uncomfortable position. The good news is that the solution is straightforward. Social Justice Pharisees shows that there are a handful of easy to memorize verses that teach easy-to-understand principles that refute each objectionable aspect of the social justice movements key errors. They have been there all along and just need to be applied to modern context in a straightforward way. A.D. Robles is a Puerto Rican reformed Christian. His family tree includes African slaves, European slaveholders, slave traders, and native Americans. All the usual accusations and insults don't work against him and his family. More importantly, he has a knack for teaching biblical concepts in layman's terms, thereby amassing a following on his YouTube channel, which is dedicated to this task. Unlike many major theologians, in Social Justice Pharisees, A.D. does not try to dazzle with complicated words or reference obscure philosophers. Instead, he seeks to be understood plainly. For a handbook of this sort, this is crucial.

Christianity and Wokeness
Christianity and Wokeness

Author: Owen Strachan

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2021-07-20

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 1684512433

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How wokeness in entering the culture -- How wokeness is entering the church -- Why is wokeness an ungodly system? Theological issues -- Why is wokeness and ungodly system? Cultural issues -- What does the Bible teach about identity and ethnicity? Old Testament -- What does the Bible teach about identity and ethnicity? New Testament -- Hard questions on American history and other hot topics.

Fault Lines
Fault Lines

Author: Voddie T. Baucham

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2021-04-06

Total Pages: 271

ISBN-13: 1684512018

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The Ground Is Moving The death of George Floyd at the hands of police in the summer of 2020 shocked the nation. As riots rocked American cities, Christians affirmed from the pulpit and in social media that “black lives matter” and that racial justice “is a gospel issue.” But what if there is more to the social justice movement than those Christians understand? Even worse: What if they’ve been duped into preaching ideas that actually oppose the Kingdom of God? In this powerful book, Voddie Baucham, a preacher, professor, and cultural apologist, explains the sinister worldview behind the social justice movement and Critical Race Theory—revealing how it already has infiltrated some seminaries, leading to internal denominational conflict, canceled careers, and lost livelihoods. Like a fault line, it threatens American culture in general—and the evangelical church in particular. Whether you’re a layperson who has woken up in a strange new world and wonders how to engage sensitively and effectively in the conversation on race or a pastor who is grappling with a polarized congregation, this book offers the clarity and understanding to either hold your ground or reclaim it.

Themelios, Volume 40, Issue 2
Themelios, Volume 40, Issue 2

Author: D. A. Carson

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2016-04-22

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 1725250063

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Themelios is an international, evangelical, peer-reviewed theological journal that expounds and defends the historic Christian faith. Themelios is published three times a year online at The Gospel Coalition (http://thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/) and in print by Wipf and Stock. Its primary audience is theological students and pastors, though scholars read it as well. Themelios began in 1975 and was operated by RTSF/UCCF in the UK, and it became a digital journal operated by The Gospel Coalition in 2008. The editorial team draws participants from across the globe as editors, essayists, and reviewers. General Editor: D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Managing Editor: Brian Tabb, Bethlehem College and Seminary Consulting Editor: Michael J. Ovey, Oak Hill Theological College Administrator: Andrew David Naselli, Bethlehem College and Seminary Book Review Editors: Jerry Hwang, Singapore Bible College; Alan Thompson, Sydney Missionary & Bible College; Nathan A. Finn, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Hans Madueme, Covenant College; Dane Ortlund, Crossway; Jason Sexton, Golden Gate Baptist Seminary Editorial Board: Gerald Bray, Beeson Divinity School Lee Gatiss, Wales Evangelical School of Theology Paul Helseth, University of Northwestern, St. Paul Paul House, Beeson Divinity School Ken Magnuson, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Jonathan Pennington, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary James Robson, Wycliffe Hall Mark D. Thompson, Moore Theological College Paul Williamson, Moore Theological College Stephen Witmer, Pepperell Christian Fellowship Robert Yarbrough, Covenant Seminary