Christian Justice And Public Policy

Disagreements about justice are not simply academic matters. They create problems for practice and for policy-making. In a morally fragmented society in which 'nobody knows what justice is' issues such as wages policy, punishment and poverty become particularly difficult to handle. People striving to act justly are often uncertain how this might be done. Secular theories such as those of Rowls, Hayek, Habermas and modern feminist theorists, examined here, give some guidance for problems of justice that arise on the ground, but have serious limitations. This book argues that Christian theology, although it can no longer claim to provide a comprehensive theory of justice, can provide insights into justice - 'theological fragments' - which give illumination, challenge some aspects of the conventional wisdom, and contribute to the building of just communities in which people may flourish in mutuality and hope.

The church has a duty to fight corruption and injustice. The increased awareness globally of corruption and the threat it poses to humanity has led many in the secular and Christian world to seek solutions to stamp out this scourge. Recognizing the crisis caused by corruption in Tanzania, his own country, Dr Alfred Sebahene seeks to understand this social epidemic through the application of theological ethics. As a result of the study the author identifies theological-ethical guidelines that inform and add substance to the church’s duty in the public sphere, particularly in the fight against corruption and injustice.

"This book turns to the wisdom of an older generation of Christian activists from all across Canada (including Quebec), in order to inspire a direction and model for future faith-based action for social and ecological justice. Written by Joe Gunn, a long-time leader within the Canadian justice ecumenical milieu, and current Executive Director of Citizens for Public Justice, the book promises to be a thoughtful and inspiring reflection based on interviews Joe will conduct with key Canadians from several ecumenical backgrounds. These are folks who have served as active models of social justice struggles across the nation over the years. While their witness, and that of many Christians, have contributed to the ending of apartheid, the partial cancellation of debts to poor countries, and the engagement in reconciliation and solidarity with Indigenous people, challenges remain: poverty, in Canada alone, continues to deprive families of abundant life, and achieving climate justice in a world addicted to oil appears daunting. The rationale behind the book is that it is important to evaluate 'what works' from varied perspectives in every era, as well as to know where we have been in order to discern how to proceed. This line of thinking then, is especially important now, since the call to justice is arguably greater today than it has been in the past. With the inclusion of at least one chapter reflection by a Millennial Christian activist on the wisdom of an older generation of Christian activists, this book can inform and inspire a newer generation of faith-based public justice activists today."--

Public theology is a developing field of discourse concerned to address matters of pressing public concern in theological perspective for the common good. Themes of ecology, poverty, human rights, and especially justice feature prominently in its discourse. Although justice is also a prominent theme in the Bible, there is no single perspective on what constitutes justice in the Bible and no single view on how biblical perspectives on justice should contribute to contemporary discussion regarding the meaning and implementation of justice. Informed and inspired by Christopher Marshall's landmark work on Compassionate Justice (Cascade Books, 2012) in dialogue with Jesus' parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, this collection of studies addresses various interrelations between the Bible, justice, and public theology. Marshall himself proposes that certain parables of Jesus are paradigmatic for public theology, and some contributors respond to different dimensions of his treatment of the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son in terms of restorative justice. Other contributors, by contrast, examine broader related concerns such as justice in biblical, theological, and philosophical perspective, the hermeneutics of engagement for justice, the relation between feminist theology and restorative justice, biblical resources for public theology, and popular culture as both a conversation partner with and a medium for public theology.

What does it mean for the twenty-first century church to conceive of itself as a community defined by the covenant of grace? 'Grace and Global Justice' explores the ramifications of this central Christian doctrine for the holistic mission of the church in the context of a globalized world.

Bringing together articles and chapters from his considerable work in theological ethics, India, and the social order, Duncan Forrester incorporates new writing and introductions to each thematic section to guide readers through this invaluable resource. This book offers stimulating studies in three related areas - Indian Christianity with particular attention to the caste system, contemporary Christian theological ethics, and the distinctive and challenging theological approach that Duncan Forrester has developed in relation to public issues such as prisons and punishment, welfare provision, social justice, and poverty.

This book examines housing policy in Hong Kong using a new and unique interdisciplinary approach – combining the philosophical discussion on social justice with policy and housing studies. It considers both Western and Chinese concepts of social justice, and investigates the role of social justice in a public policy such as housing. As a philosophical treatise on social administration, the book will be of interest to philosophy, public administration, and housing studies academics and students of all countries. Since Hong Kong represents a very special case with massive governmental intervention into the housing market, housing professionals and policy makers will find the analysis of Hong Kong's housing policy useful.

The bulk of the contributions in this publication originated in a research project initiated by the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) in 2002. The book is based on the idea that the attainment of greater social and economic justice, specifically in the South African context, is strongly influenced by the implications and the coherence of various theories of social and economic justice.