Thoughts from the videos from Week 8:
Session 8.1: Introduction to Social Justice (Bob Ekblad)
What is the Biblical basis for social justice and advocacy, and what does that look like in contemporary life?
- Child soldiers, slaves, prostitutes, trafficking, etc. are huge issues.
- Death penalty in US, homeless, prisoners, asylum seekers etc. need advocacy
Biblical Basis?
- Gen 1:27-28 (in God’s image)
- Gen 1/Ps 8 (All creation EXCEPT HUMANS under human dominion)
- Gen 1:1-2 (God present in darkness)
- Gen 3-4 (God clothed/sought Adam, Eve, Cain, etc.)
- Exod 1 (God blesses midwives with doomed baby boys)
- Exod 2-3 (God knows, hears, sees oppressed)
- Isaiah 58 (homeless poor – religious practice that doesn’t include them)
- Gen 16 (Hagar)
- Gen 18:16-33 (Abraham for Sodom/Lot)
- Jesus in the incarnation = most radical example
Session 8.2: Basis of Advocacy
- A God who sees/hears the cries
- Following the flow of God’s heart (love, not anger) (Exodus 6:1-8)
- God chooses the weak and humble as his agents (Isaiah 42: 1, 6-8a, 18-22)
- God recruits those on the margins to become a light to the nations (chooses murderer – Moses – as liberator of the people of Israel)
Session 8.3: Advocacy in the New Testament
The writer of Matthew – a number of women appear (in the genealogy)
- Tamar (Gen 38) – incest
- Rahab – prostitute
- Ruth – Moabitess
- Bathsheba – possibly Hittite
- Mary (pregnant with the Holy Spirit, visited by the Angel)
- John the Baptist (murdered for critiquing Herod)
- Jesus as Prototypical Advocate (Luke 4) – compassion, taking authority of the devil
- Holoy Spirit as Advocate – Defender – Comforter
Session 8.4: Social Justice and Advocacy Today
Talking about experience with his charity, esp working with illegal immigrant workers.
