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  • The Social Vision of the Gospel

    The Social Vision of the Gospel
    2025/10/30
    Luke 6:20-31 & Luke 19:1-10 “In today's world, where income inequality is widening and economic systems often benefit the few at the expense of the many, Zacchaeus’ story raises urgent questions. His response to Jesus was not mere charity but restitution and structural change—principles echoed in movements for reparations and equitable wealth redistribution today. The story of Zacchaeus challenges both the acquisition and use of wealth. It invites a transformation that starts with a compassionate awakening toward those the system has plunged into poverty and leads to economic action. In a time when billions live in poverty while a small percentage hold vast wealth, the Zacchaeus story reminds us that true discipleship involves justice, not just belief. His encounter with Jesus demonstrates that economic justice is central to spiritual renewal, and that addressing income inequality is not only a policy issue but also a deeply moral and theological one.” For more go to renewedheartministries.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    18 分
  • The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

    The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
    2025/10/24
    Luke 18:9-14 “This group, even the more liberal among this group who interpreted all of the Torah through the lens of love and treating others the way they would like to be treated, failed to enter Jesus’ kingdom because of their failure to embrace concrete economic changes in Jesus’ teachings that would have lessened the inequality gap between the rich and the poor of their society. Many Christians think they have arrived at a correct and healthy understanding of the gospel when they conclude that it’s all about love. But love that is indifferent to povety, according the gospels is not enough. If our grand teachings on love do not translate down into a concrete, material difference for the poor, is our gospel really the same as Jesus’? Is it enough for us to declare a gospel of love, the love of God, and how we should love our neighbor if we do not apply that love of neighbor to how we live in relation to wealth inequality, the growing gap between the rich and the poor, and a system that continues to create both great wealth and great poverty.” For more go to renewedheartministries.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    18 分
  • Persisting Inspite of Unjust Obstruction

    Persisting Inspite of Unjust Obstruction
    2025/10/17
    Luke 18:1-8 “In the parable of the widow and the unjust judge, I can understand the challenges Luke’s author must have been facing by trying to inspire people to believe in the wake of hopeless devastation. It resonates with where many of us are today. Despite growing polarization and setbacks, believing in social justice today is not naïve. It’s necessary. Every movement for equality has faced resistance, yet progress has always come through those who refused to give up. From climate justice to racial equity, just voices are louder, more connected, and more persistent than ever. Grassroots efforts, legal reforms, and digital activism are reshaping narratives and holding power accountable. The fight is far from over, and yet each small victory builds momentum. Believing in social justice means choosing hope over cynicism and action over silence. Change is slow, but it is still within reach, if we keep pushing, if we continue, like the widow, who 'nevertheless, she persisted.'” For more go to renewedheartministries.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    16 分
  • The Ten Lepers and Christian Xenophobia

    The Ten Lepers and Christian Xenophobia
    2025/10/09
    Luke 17:11-19 “The word for foreigner here is xeno, from which we get the word xenophobia. The scriptures are far from univocal about the foreigner, though, and this is why there is debate among Christians today. The scriptures are not going to force any of us to treat today’s migrants any particular way. We get to choose which portions of our sacred text we want to shape us here. Do we want to be the kind of humans who vote for and support mistreating migrants at the U.S. border, refusing asylum for those seeking protections, or placing children who have been separated from their parents into detention centers? Do you want to be that kind of person? Scripture will not give you much cover if you do. You may find verses that you can use to help support your biases, but there are also passages on the other side of the debate, as well. So what makes you choose one set of passages to follow over others, especially in light of the story of Jesus through which Christianity claims to interpret Scripture? However many passages one may find to justify the mistreatment of migrants today, we must all stand before Jesus’ words here.” For more go to renewedheartministries.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    19 分
  • The Christian Normalization of Social Evils

    The Christian Normalization of Social Evils
    2025/10/02
    Luke 17:5-10 “One of the dangers of readings like the one we’re reading this week is that they normalize for Christians behaviors and societal evils that we should react to with much more concern. They desensitize us to just how evil some things really are. This helps us make sense much of why certain sectors of Christians today have embraced racist, fascist, authoritarian, and misogynistic elements in our society. Christians I have known all my life have embraced things over the last decade that have left me wondering if I really ever knew them. Things that should have been deal-breakers were instead glossed over, mitigated, or explained away. However we hold, read, view, or interpret our sacred texts, we must do so in life-giving ways within a diverse community of others who experience life on this planet differently than ourselves.” For more go to renewedheartministries.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    17 分
  • The Rich Man, Lazarus and Justice

    The Rich Man, Lazarus and Justice
    2025/09/25
    Luke 16:19-31 “Future reversals of reward or punishment in an afterlife can be a strong motivation. I would rather live by a different motivation though. We can choose to be motivated to do the right thing by a deep belief in the value, dignity, and potential of every human being. Unlike moral systems based on afterlife consequences, we can consider the consequences of our actions in this life and choose to ground our ethics in reason, empathy, and a commitment to human welfare. We can choose to improve the conditions of those around us whose needs are not yet being met. One of the strongest motivations beyond self-concern and afterlife threats is empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. When we see suffering, we can choose to allow ourselves to be moved not by religious obligation or fear of post mortem punishment, but by a genuine desire to alleviate pain and promote the well-being of those who are suffering now. If we let it, this emotional connection to others can drive us to act with kindness and integrity in this life.” For more go to renewedheartministries.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    18 分
  • The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

    The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
    2025/09/18
    Luke 16:1-13 “Our story this week is one that scholars have offered multiple interpretations of. They have spiritualized the story, taken it literally, and sought to apply the story to our context today, but most interpretation give me the feeling that something is being left on the table. One interpretation I find most convincing is by William Herzog in his classic book, Parables as Subversive Speech: Jesus as Pedagogue of the Oppressed. Herzog looks at various parables from the gospels through the lens of the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire’s work Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The early Jesus movement built community through what was called 'dishonest wealth.' It was about forging bonds through shared resources and mutual aid. Even now, this parable whispers through time, urging us to transform the riches of the few into a wealth shared by all, to redistribute wealth not to the few, but for the good of all, and to create a robust common wealth rooted in compassionate, empathetic care for everyone's needs.” For more go to renewedheartministries.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    14 分
  • Sheep, Coins, and a Preferential Option for the Marginalized

    Sheep, Coins, and a Preferential Option for the Marginalized
    2025/09/12
    Luke 15:1-10 “The parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin in our reading this week both challenge the notion that social justice can be achieved without addressing the root causes of oppression and focusing on communities who suffer harm from inequities. Jesus’ teachings here call us to to confront the structures that perpetuate inequality, advocating for systemic change for people being harmed now rather than mere charity or superficial solutions. This way of reading the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin align with principles of social justice: true equality cannot exist without addressing the historical injustices against specific communities that have led to disparities. Focusing on the ninety-nine sheep that need no rescue and saying “they matter too” neglects the importance of context and the specific struggles that the specific communities represented by the sheep or coin in our reading face. Universal approaches to the gospel often oversimplify the realities of systemic oppression and what certain communities uniquely need. In contrast, the lens of a preferential option for the marginalized (temporarily focusing on the lost sheep or the lost coin rather than the rest) provides a nuanced understanding that prioritizes those who are suffering. True justice for all requires acknowledging injustice that may be only affecting certain communities, and focusing on those being harmed acknowledges that injustice to any is a threat to injustice to all.” For more go to renewedheartministries.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    19 分