Posted on 03/02/2008 2:59:28 PM PST by Terriergal
The Poverty and Justice Bible, the latest release from Bible Society, has broken new ground as the first ever to literally highlight the more than 2,000 passages that reveal God’s sorrow over poverty and injustice, and His command to believers to act to eradicate them.
Sun, Mar. 02, 2008 Posted: 12:41:18 PM EST
The Poverty and Justice Bible, the latest release from Bible Society, has broken new ground as the first ever to literally highlight the more than 2,000 passages that reveal God’s sorrow over poverty and injustice, and His command to believers to act to eradicate them.
The new edition challenges the notion that the Bible is a dusty, outdated rulebook, and shows that God – through the Bible - was already speaking out on poverty long before anyone else.
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Tom Wright, bishop of Durham and Bible Society’s president, said, “Poverty and injustice are two of the biggest issues of our day, challenging the minds of politicians and social activists around the world.
“The imbalance of global wealth, famine, water shortages, exploitation and corruption are all issues that invoke outrage – and demand attention. But The Poverty and Justice Bible shows that, in speaking out on these issues, God got there first.”
Far from being irrelevant, the Poverty and Injustice Bible demonstrates that God’s Word has “something to say about issues that resonate today”, the bishop added.
“This Bible connects with the very fabric of today’s world, with all its problems and messiness – and has something powerful to say,” he said.
Bible Society was inspired to develop the new Bible after Pastor Rick Warren, author of bestselling The Purpose Driven Life, admitted that had missed more than 2,000 verses that speak of God’s heart for the poor despite studying theology and being a pastor for decades. He claimed that Christians risked losing their credibility if they failed to speak out against poverty and injustice.
Christian leader and commentator Tony Campolo added, “Here’s proof that faith without commitment to justice for the poor is a sham, because it ignores the most explicit of all the social concerns of Scripture.”
Bible Society staff and experts spent months debating and sifting through the Contemporary English Version (CEV) Bible to pull out the verses that say something about God’s attitude to poverty and justice. The result was more than 2,000 sections, with almost every page from Genesis to Revelation emphasizing just and fair behavior.
The organization hopes that the Poverty and Justice Bible will also act as a springboard for Christians to take action on these issues by helping them link social action with Scripture.
The new Bible, produced with support from aid agency World Vision, includes a 32-page study guide written by bestselling authors Nick and Claire Page, and covers a wide range of timely issues from equality to education, and farming to fair trade.
The studies highlight that concern for the oppressed is foundational to faith, and encourage action – from giving and praying, to living responsibly.
“For us in this country, issues of poverty and justice have increasingly become front and center,” Bible Society Chief Executive James Catford said. “What this Bible shows is that on the topics that challenge us every day, God got there first. The Bible has something to say about life and, in fact, there’s nothing on earth that we can experience that the Bible doesn’t tackle.
“The Poverty and Justice Bible helps the Church engage with the Bible more effectively by linking Scripture with issues that are rooted in today’s world. For Bible Society, this is just as important as our work to make the Bible available. It’s all part of the fight against Bible poverty.”
Anne Thomas
Christian Post Correspondent
It is unjust for the government, any government, to take money form those who are diligent, educated and productive and to give that money to those who are stupid, lazy and ignorant.
you’d think!
Sounds like just another attempt at trying to use Christianity to support forced charity through government actions.
Christianity has always been solely about the relationship between God and man, not between God, Man, and the government.
God knew that if the heart of man was saved and regenerated, all the rest would naturally follow.
However, if you let unsaved and unregenerated men attempt to do the same thing through the force of government, it will fail every time.
It sure is, you’ve got that right.
It’s another Sojourners-type Jim Wallis Christian Marxist book.
Rick Warren talks about how wrong Christian Marxism is but he sure does plenty to promote it.
There. That's better.
Seems like all these libs want to save the world but none bother to clean up their own back yard. This is a tip off to the real agenda.
Where is the pic of the guy rubbing his head and saying: “Oh no not this $hit again?”
Christian leader and commentator Tony Campolo added, “Here’s proof that faith without commitment to justice for the poor is a sham, because it ignores the most explicit of all the social concerns of Scripture.”
“and His command to believers to act to eradicate them.”
Believers, NOT givernment.
Context is everything especially in the list of what is important. Let’s not forget:
“Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
Sounds like just another attempt at trying to use Christianity to support forced charity through government actions.
“Poverty and injustice are two of the biggest issues of our day, challenging the minds of politicians and social activists around the world.
Pro 13:18 Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, But he who regards reproof will be honored.
Pro 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself Or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. (Should we give to Rick Warren?)
Rev 2:9 'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Those longing for justice can realize that one day the will see the ultimate justice: Judgment Day. I'm guessing they aren't looking for that much justice.
Don't show partiality to the poor. . . I don't hear that part quoted too often.
Amen. If Jesus intended for us to “eradicate poverty,” why would He ever had said that “the poor you will always have with you?” And why would he praise the poor widow who gave sacrificially out of her own poverty? Jesus was completely indifferent to politics, and never attacked the existing distribution of wealth. In lessons like the Parable of the Talents, people were told to make the most of what they had, even if the distribution was unequal. The rich were told to show charity to the poor, but not out of some presumption that their wealth was undeserved. In the instances when rich people were to repent of their wealth, it was because they made it by cheating, like Zaccheus the tax-collector. Then as now, the cheaters used govt. to achieve wealth. There were also others who exploited religion to cheat people, like the money-changers in the Temple; they are the spiritual ancestors of those who twist Christianity into a profit-seeking or wealth-transferring scheme.
Kinda reminds me of the ‘Gay Bibles’ I see around Asheville, NC...where Religion must be twisted to fit your political view. So sad.
Groan
You’re sure this isn’t Scrappleface, or Tom in the Box, or the Onion?
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