When you write a book for a big publisher, you inevitably lose control of parts of it. Humanitarian Jesus is no exception to that rule.  But I never knew that when I finally agreed to the publisher’s sub-title, “Social Justice and The Cross” I might be making an enemy of Glenn Beck and other conservatives who view the words Social Justice as a profane attack on all things American and I suppose for that matter Christian (if you don’t know what I am talking about click this link).

While the book doesn’t come out until May 1, I have given a few copies to close friends and family and to my surprise one of the reactions has been, “Oh wow, have you heard what is going on with those words ‘social justice’?  I mean, it is a really big thing right now.  What do you think about wealth redistribution?”

First off, I don’t care about wealth redistribution and it has nothing to do with my book.  Second off, I assumed that the words Humanitarian Jesus might be the controversial part of the title…silly me. Third off (not really good writing – but parallel), the fact that Glenn Beck has told people to leave churches that talk about Social Justice is alarming, but not nearly as alarming as the fact that some people might actually do what Glenn Beck (or anyone else on TV for that matter) tells them to do without thinking it out for themselves.

So. Just because Glen Beck thinks that Social Justice is all about neo-fascism, or communism, or some other ism….doesn’t mean that it is.  What I am concerned with is how Jesus lived, what He thought, and what the heck it has to do with us.  What I am concerned with is that not enough of us are investing in God’s world, God’s way, for God’s reasons.