Recently on the Oikonomia Network author and Detroit pastor Chris Brooks shared an excerpt from his new book, Urban Apologetics: Why the Gospel is Good News for the City. He reminded his readers,
To those who are willing to put in the hard work of learning how to engage socially without compromising biblically will be given a harvest of souls. And this is our ultimate goal. Unlike secularists who are attempting to establish a utopia on earth (which can never come about apart from the future reign of Christ), we are seeking to win men and women to the Lord Jesus by means of His gospel expressing itself through words of truth and acts of justice.
Brooks’ hope in his article and book is to help people “handle the concerns of economic fairness with care and theological correctness,” because ignoring these issues will lead many to think that the people struggling with economic fairness are being ignored. He argues that justice requires
a) understanding what kind of economy would best help the poor
and
b) being willing to “roll up [our] sleeves in tangible ways” in urban communities.
You can read more of his call to action, and words of wisdom from Fr. Robert Sirico of the Acton Institute and Dr. John Perkins of the Christian Community Development Association, by checking out the full article— and the book. You can also watch Brooks, who has wrestled with urban renewal in Detroit and is determined to make the church a force for economic flourishing in his city, speak about the issue above.
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