In the introduction to this book, Keller identifies the his audience: young people interested in social concern but live lives separated from their “volunteer” interest, those who see the church’s involvement I social justice as being in conflict with the gospel message, those involved in social justice and see it as separated from the church’s message of salvation, and those critical of Christianity in general and see it as a poison. In a good Reformed theological perspective, Keller links our Christian call to justice with salvation. God doesn’t just want to save us for heaven; God expects that we’ll be making a difference in lives here on earth. The gospel is not just to be proclaimed, Keller argues, “but embodied in the community” (106).

Keller strives to walk a balance between many issues that divide those who call themselves conservative and those who call themselves liberal in America today. For him, helping the poor doesn’t just include deeds of charity, but also involves the removal of structural barriers that keep people poor. This necessitates political involvement. He notes that in our society, where you are born and which schools are available often determines one’s destiny in life and whether or not a person will remain in poverty. Instead of falling back on that quote from Jesus that is so overused it’s become a cliché (the poor will always be with you), he notes that God doesn’t want people to suffer and to be poor but to enjoy the fruits of the earth, and because it is God’s intention, it should also be ours… Using the Reformed Theological concept of Common Grace, he makes the case for Christians working with non-Christians in areas of common concern to strive for justice in the world.

I found this book refreshing for a personal reason. Keller is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America. My general view of those in the Presbyterian Church in America (a conservative denomination) has been colored by my experiences in the South. I always felt that many who went into the PCA had racist agendas and were strong supporters of a doctrine known as the “Spirituality of the Church.” This doctrine, developed in the 19th Century, strove to keep the church from involving itself in political issues (slavery in the 19th Century and Civil Rights in the 20th). From my reading of his book, I can’t see Keller espousing such a doctrine. He calls for Christians to get involved, and not just on social issues, but on issues that affect the vulnerable in society.

Keller doesn’t give us pat answers for how a Christian or a church should be helping the poor. Instead, he calls for us to wrestle the need to be involved. For congregations, he presents five questions to be considered: 1. How much should we help? 2. Whom should we help? 3. Under what conditions does your help proceed or end? 4. In what way to do we help? 5. From where should we help? (136-8)

This book should be read by Christians. It would make a good study for a small group.

A few quotes:

“In the Scripture, gifts to the poor are called ‘acts of righteousness.’ Not giving generously then, is not stinginess, but unrighteousness, a violation of God’s law.” (15)

“At first glance, no two things can seem more opposed than grace and justice.
Grace is giving benefits that are not deserved, while justice is giving people exactly what they deserve. In Christ we receive grace, unmerited favor. Nevertheless, in the mind of the Old Testament prophets as well as the teaching of Jesus, an encounter of grace inevitably leads to a life of justice.” (49)

“If you have money, power, and status today, it is due to the century and place in which you were born, to your talents and capacities and health, none of which you earned. In short, all your resources are in the end the gift of God.” (89)

“But in the New Testament this is changed. Christians now do not constitute a theocratic kingdom-state, but exist as an international community of local assemblies living in every nation and culture, under many different governments to whom they give great respect but never absolute allegiance.” (21)

Jewish Mishnah: “Why did God create only one human being? So no one can say to a fellow human being: My father was better than yours.” (121)

“At Pentecost the first gospel preaching was in every language, showing that no one culture is the ‘right’ culture, and that in the Spirit we can have a unity that transcends all national, linguistic, and cultural barriers.” (122)