Jesus and Justice by Peter Goodwin Heltzel
Jesus and Justice: Evangelicals, Race, and American Politics
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Product description from the publisher’s website:
This timely book investigates the increasing visibility and influence of evangelical Christians in recent American politics with a focus on racial justice. Peter Goodwin Heltzel considers four evangelical social movements: Focus on the Family, the National Association of Evangelicals, Christian Community Development Association, and Sojourners.
The political motives and actions of evangelical groups are founded upon their conceptions of Jesus Christ, Heltzel contends. He traces the roots of contemporary evangelical politics to the prophetic black Christianity tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the socially engaged evangelical tradition of Carl F. H. Henry. Heltzel shows that the basic tenets of King’s and Henry’s theologies have led their evangelical heirs toward a prophetic evangelicalism in a shade of blue green—blue symbolizing the tragedy of black suffering in the Americas, and green symbolizing the hope of a prophetic evangelical engagement with poverty, AIDS, and the environment. This fresh theological understanding of evangelical political groups shines new light on the ways evangelicals shape and are shaped by broader American culture.
Peter Goodwin Heltzel is assistant professor of theology, New York Theological Seminary, and an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He lives in New York City.
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Heltzel, in his book, Jesus and Justice discusses Evangelism with a particular reference to racial relation in America and the role of Evangelists in American politics. There ia particular focus on racial justice and a discussion of four Evangelical Movement. Focus on the family, National Association of Evangelicals, Christian Community Developmant Association and Sojourners. These organizations which all emphasize the role of Jesus Christ, do vary across the political spectrum. On the whole, they tend to be political conservatives.
There is an emphasis on the suffering of the Blacks in Amerirca, and a demonstration of how the Evangelical Movement is involved with politics, Aids, and the enviroment. A basic characteristic of Evangelicals is their goal of speading the word of God.
After reading the Jesus and Justice, I am impressed by the variety of response to the messege of Jesus by the Evangelics. I realize that a true follower of Jesus Christ needs to go into the community and work for racial justice. Evangelicals who are conservative seem to me to be difficient in this regard.
I would not hesitate to recommed this book to individuals and groups who have an active interest in social betterment.