Book Reflection - Welcoming Justice: God’s Movement toward Beloved Community

As you can possibly imagine from the title, this book is a reflection of the vision toward the beloved community as envisioned by Martin Luther King Jr. One way King describes it is, “The end is reconciliation, the end is redemption, the end is the creation of the beloved community” (17). The process toward the beloved community is through actions of reconciliation and redemption. As stated before, this book is a reflection on the beloved community through the eyes and experience of Charles Marsh, a professor and historian, and John Perkins, an activist, community developer and inspiration to millions of people like me. This book is a wonderful inspiration and motivation for people who are seeking greater and lasting transformation in their community and are willing to step out and take it upon themselves to make the change happen.

In a chapter titled “The Next Great Awakening,” John Perkins notes that he sees this awakening coming from a generation of youth that seek for a transformed church where instead of there being a weekly gathering to recharge the individuals personal faith, there will be a seeking of “authentic relationships in a reconciled community” (82). I agree with this assessment of the future of the church. As I was reading this, though, I thought of the news of Ann Rice rejecting the forms of church that she is aware of due to its anti-gay, anti-democrat stance. Obviously, there is a church that this is a large part of, but I see a much larger body of Christians that are seeking these authentic relationships. What is missing is the reconciled community. As Perkins notes earlier, “The world needs a church that does something to interrupt business as usual where we are” (48). There is so much division and mistrust of each other in this world. It is so much easier to remain in the safe and secure homogenous communities we form, but is this what is best for the world around us? Instead, I agree with MLK, Perkins and Marsh that what is needed (and hardest to do) is to step into the void toward people in true and desperate need and seek this reconciled community through the creation of authentic relationships.

I appreciated one of the latter sections of the book where John Perkins refers to Zechariah as a prophet that God spoke through in a very applicable way to urban situations today. Zechariah is one of the post-exilic prophets, so he is prophesying to a people that are back in the land God gave them and they are dealing with all the issues that come with a broken city and society. In chapter 8, Zechariah is prophesying over the desire of God toward the city. He states:

Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets (8:3-5).

Both the old and the young (the most prone to neglect and abandonment in times of distress) will be cared for. Laughter, wonder, the passing of wisdom and love will permeate the society from the most powerful to the lowest.

For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things (8:12).

God will provide all that is needed as the people respond in faithfulness and peace.

And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing (8:13).

“If we are faithful, God will be faithful, and we will become a blessing to the nations” (112). As we strive to become a blessing to others, we follow the path set forth by Martin Luther King’s vision of The Beloved Community.