Why the Church Cares

The words of Micah are among the best known in the Hebrew Bible. Justice has always been a central theme in Jewish thought and practice and the word ‘justice’ appears more than 200 times in the Old Testament. It is the subject of justice that I want to focus on. I am going to begin with a brief excursion into agriculture – canal irrigation technology in particular. That there is a connection with justice will hopefully become evident quite soon.

During this U.S. Government shutdown, it may be fitting for American Christians to consider how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, at the centre of the dispute, matches up with Biblical ethics. It seems that Biblical ethics may bring some clarity to the discussion.

The road to Jericho beckons me in much the same way as it beckons the priest, the Levite, the Samaritan, and the expert in the law to whom Jesus speaks. It begs the question: “Who is my neighbour?”