Generous Justice - Tim Keller

Generous Justice is a book that will both broaden and deepen your understanding of what it is to be a seeker and doer of justice. Keller starts with this reflection:

“I have observed over the decades that when people see the beauty of God’s grace in Christ, it leads them powerfully toward justice.”

And so he sets about showing us that beauty by unpacking God’s desire for justice, His compassion for the poor and His association with the lowly and downtrodden throughout the bible and inparticularly in the life and death of Jesus.

Though theologically rich, this is not a book short on application. Keller uses inspirational examples of people and ministries he knows to illustrate the principles he’s discussing, and doesn’t shy away from the addressing controversial issues in pursuing justice in both the personal and public arena.

I think this book addresses a common dilemma for Christians living in affluence; our difficulty transforming the personal knowledge of God’s mercy shown in Jesus with a willingness to sacrifice ourselves and ambitions for the good of others – and more importantly, for the good of the gospel. Generous Justice transcends the dichotomy of evangelism versus social justice to show how integrated the two are when God’s grace is at work in His people.

“Before you can give this neighbor-love, you need to receive it. Only if you see that you have been saved graciously by someone who owes you the opposite will you go out into the world looking to help absolutely anyone in need. “(p 77)

A well thought through, informative and most worthwhile read. Available on the church bookstall, and online.

Genevieve Thompson