Mercy & Justice Round-Up: June 2019
Why is the city “cracking down” on people experiencing homelessness in the subway system? Is there a relationship between neighborhood segregation and life expectancy? What does it mean when we talk about Biblical justice? You’ll find articles and videos that speak to these questions and more in this month’s Mercy & Justice Round-Up.
As always, this is a collection of content that got us thinking lately and includes a range of perspectives— some we agree with, others we might not. We hope you’ll read, listen, learn and love better with us.
- June 20 was World Refugee Day. World Relief produced this powerful video showing how refugee and immigrant families resettle into new homes. “Our first steps were met with unwelcoming eyes and cruel words”—let’s pray that the Church is increasingly a source of welcome, compassion, and abundant provision for any newcomer to our community.
- The New York Times reports that the city is launching a new “Subway Diversion Project” to address the increasing number of those experiencing homelessness who are camping out on the subway. The new program encourages those who are homeless and camping out to leave the subway accompanied by outreach workers who can offer services like shelter or medical care. Critics maintain that this new approach doesn’t address the more fundamental reasons many New Yorkers experiencing homelessness forgo city shelters in favor of the subway—a shortage of safe beds, better affordable housing options, and support services for those with mental illness.
- Does living in a segregated neighborhood influence your odds of seeing your grandchildren grow up? A research team from NYU has identified 56 cities with the largest life expectancy gaps between census tracts—and found a relationship between life expectancy and three factors: race, place, and income. Read more about the group’s research that shows an association between segregation in neighborhoods and life expectancy gaps.
- Pastor and theologian Thabiti Anyabwile unpacks what it means when we talk about Biblical justice in a 9-part series that defines Biblical justice and traces the theme of justice through Scripture. Some highlights? What do we mean when we talk about Biblical Justice?, The Gospel Combines All Aspects of Biblical Justice, Wisdom to Live Justly, and Evangelical Hearing Impairments.
- At the end of last year, we co-hosted the “Formed for Justice” conference with Redeemer to explore how we can live out our call as Christians to do justice and love mercy. The video and audio from the conference—featuring thinkers such as Christina Edmonson, Jemar Tisby, Gabriel Salguero, and more— is available for download via Gospel & Life.