Faithful Friday: Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice

Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice book cover on white doily

If you're looking for a book that evaluates social justice from the lens of the Bible, I heartily recommend Why Social Justice Is Not Biblical Justice: An Urgent Appeal to Fellow Christians in a Time of Social Crisis by Scott David Allen. It's an outstanding look at how Christians can better understand the origins of the social justice movement and its ideology while comparing it to God's heart for the nations, His definition of justice as found in Scripture, and what it means for Christians to care for the least of these (Matthew 25:31-46).

I love that this book isn't afraid to examine critical race theory and critical social theory and get into the weeds of explaining the differences between communitive justice and distributive justice, amongst other terminology and concepts. The author does an excellent job of highlighting why regarding humanity through the sole lens of a power struggle between oppressor and oppressed is ultimately destructive, and how Christians should pursue God's perfect justice instead.

One of the reasons I continually turn to this book is because I'm professionally trained in the fields spoken of in this book, which I admit is an interesting space to be in as a Christian. While I'm well-versed in social justice vocabulary and tenets and can understand where people are coming from, I constantly have to evaluate these teachings against the Bible. That's where this book makes a meaningful difference to me both personally and professionally. The teachings that the author delves into line up with what I have learnt so there is no sensationalizing of the material, and its outcomes are accurate with what I've seen from people who operate from a social justice worldview.

I appreciate that this book does not minimize the need for Christians to respond to social crises, but that it affirms why God's comprehensive biblical justice is the mindset we should be operating from instead of the world's. This book is a thoughtful treatment of so many of the social issues facing the church today, and would be an informative read for anyone involved in ministry or curious about the subject matter.

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