Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Occupy the Bible League [Part 2]

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This is the continuation of the story started in part 1.

I encourage you to read part 1 if you have not done so already before jumping into the story in this post.

“Catch!”, Holmes yelled as he tossed a Bible in my direction. “Turn to Luke 19 and start reading in verse 11 if you would be so kind.”

I almost remarked about the Bible not being a KJV but thought better of it. The Bible I now held was an ESV and it read as follows:

As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said therefore, “a nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.'”

“Stop!” cried Holmes, which shocked me for I had barely started. “Why was Jesus telling this parable?”

I re-read the text to myself, then blurted that the crowds were expecting Jesus to bring about the long awaited Kingdom of God.

“Yes, and do you know when this event purports to take place?” asked Holmes. The headings surrounding the passage gave me all the clues I needed and even I was able to deduce that it was just prior to the “triumphal entry” when Jesus rode in Jerusalem on a donkey prior to being crucified.

“Right you are”, encouraged Holmes, “and what do we know of this event and those that follow”.

“Well, from what we know of the accounts of Jesus, his miracles and proclamation that the kingdom is at hand has raised Messianic expectations among the people. Now that Jesus is going into Jerusalem it is at a fever pitch. Yet 5 days later he will be crucified. 3 days after that He will rise from then dead and 40 days later He will ascend into heaven.” I shared. “We also know that Jesus has promised His disciples that He would return.”

“Well done”, Holmes remarked. “Now, you know my methods, dear Watson. Apply them here.” Continue reading →

Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Occupy the Bible League [Part 1]

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I, Dr. Watson, having recently called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes, found him relaxing on his sofa in the confines of his Baker Street apartment. He was smoking his pipe holding a cup of fresh hot coffee and it was apparent he had spent the night working on some puzzling challenge as deduced by the empty cans of Red Bull that surrounded him. Open before him lay many large books and a copy of the Washington Post lay strewn about.

“So good of you to join me” he called out as the aforementioned newspaper came flying in my general direction. “What do you make of that article?” he asked.

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Grabbing the paper I dropped into one of the high back chairs next to the fire place and found the article that Holmes had circled in the Guest Voices section.

The article was titled “Occupy the Bible:Why Jesus is not a ‘free-marketer’”. The writer was Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite a former President at the Chicago Theological Seminary and currently a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.

She had written earlier articles about the OWS – citing the protests as a “witness against corporate greed and economic injustice” and that the movement was all about the “inequality stupid”. Being a teacher at a seminary she was also known to draw on Scriptures to support her views. Continue reading →

What’s in a word: Social Justice

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This post was originally published on Sept. 19, 2010.

I thought exploring the term social justice was worth reviewing again given the nation is dealing with a growing debt  problem and a struggling economy. Just this month Congress is wrestling with bills dealing with payroll tax cut extensions, the Medicare/DocFix, and extending unemployment insurance. The issue is how to offset the costs of these items. Whose taxes will get raised and what social programs will be cut?

As the nation debates this the #OccupyWallStreet movement continues highlighting income inequality, corporate greed, and the need for social justice. However social justice is a difficult term to pin down.  What do you think?

Roger Olson in his blog recently asked – why is the term social justice now considered a bad phrase. He then urges Christians to save the phrase and reject any attempt by others to give the term negative connotations.

My fear is that this good term “social justice” will be demonized like so many other good terms to the point that it will be virtually impossible to reinvest with its original valuable meaning.  Christians of all political persuasions should stand up and say a loud and resounding “No!” to those who use it pejoratively.

The problem is how does one define social justice? Not that I want to step into this argument, but clearly Glenn Beck and Jim Wallis are having trouble agreeing on a definition. What does the term social justice mean to people today? How the word is defined is going to determine the reaction you get.

Olson offers these definitions (one in the blog and one in a comment):

“social justice” is any concept of improving the social order for the good of all people.

“social justice” is simply a term to cover any concern for the poor and oppressed and goes beyond charity.

If social justice is a phrase that means “concern for the poor” then it is certainly open to discussion how to best help the poor. Continue reading →