Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World

by Mae Elise Cannon

Book Overview

Outreach Magazine Resource of the Year award winner

Every day we are confronted by challenging societal problems, from poverty and institutional racism to AIDS and homelessness. It can all seem so overwhelming. But while none of us can do everything, all of us can do something. This handbook will help you discover what you can do.

Mae Elise Cannon provides a comprehensive resource for Christians like you who are committed...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0830837159
• ISBN13: 9780830837151
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: IVP
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.1" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

It's About the Heart

Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World, Mae Elise Canon, InterVarsity Press, 2009 How's your heart? That's the question whispered on every page of Mae Cannon's book, Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World. It's a question that gets beyond the regular sorting between liberals or conservative Christians, red ones or blue. By getting to the heart, Mae does more than accomplish her goal of giving practical starting points for being a great neighbor from a biblical foundation; she invites us to search our hearts for God's pulse and leading, and then participate in more of God's fun and joy, each in our own way! Jesus re-started God's plan to re-form hearts and bring rest to all people, however they were categorized in society. Slave or free, male or female, nationality b or a, included or excluded, sick or healthy; all were included and invited to make the good in this world better with Jesus help. In a tough political and economic time, Jesus publicly repeated the words of Isaiah, inviting all to participate: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:19, Isaiah 61:1-2). These words challenged and invited followers of God to really worship God, providing the litmus test for life, and remind us again that we authentic worship integrates all of life. "Is not this the kind of fasting (concrete spiritual practice) I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6). Thank you Mae, for helping us get started when our heart breaks over AIDS, Bioethics, Genocide, or Race Relations; for inviting us to a life bigger than ourselves as we work toward and experience God's rest in troublesome times. Thank you for whispering the reminder that life is essentially about the soft heart God implanted in each of us. Thank you for giving us another place to start watering our souls with ours souls with friends! A friend and fan, Layne Kilbreath - Walnut Creek, CA Feb 17, 2010

Outstanding Resource

If you are interested in effectively influencing others to take action on issues of social action, then I would highly recommend "Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps For A Better World" by Mae Elise Cannon. I am not familiar with any other resource of this kind. Cannon provides a comprehensive guide to the topic of social justice that is not only rooted in Scripture, but is replete with tangible ways to pursue justice through the local church. The handbook is divided into two main parts. Part one, which includes five chapters, titled "Foundations of Social Justice," is meant to provide a biblical and theological framework for justice, and addresses how individuals and churches can get involved. Chapter one, "God's Heart for Justice," is a broad view of the theological foundation for social justice. Chapter two focuses on definitions and questions about social justice. Chapter three, provides a history of Christian social justice in the United States. Chapter four addresses the process people must embark on to allow their hearts to be opened and broken toward those who are most affected by injustice and oppression. And chapter five focuses on the roles individuals, church, community and government can play in advocating social justice. While each of the chapters are excellent, my favorite is chapter four. In it Cannon shares a very helpful process of moving people from apathy to advocacy, that I believe has broad implications for ministry. She writes: "Though social justice cannot be simplified to a step-by-step program, I have identified nine components to be consistently helpful in the movement from apathy to advocacy: prayer, awareness, lament, repentance, partnership and community, sacrifice, advocacy, evangelism, and celebration. Sometimes these elements happen in a linear progression, sometimes they happen simultaneously, and at other times they are cyclical. In any case, they are part of the ongoing process of personal transformation and spiritual growth toward Christlikeness." Part two, "Social Justice Issues," is arranged alphabetically and includes more than eighty justice "topics." This section of the book is designed to be both a reference guide and a reflective tool. Cannon has included multiple ministry profiles, spiritual reflection and awareness exercises, and simple (not easy) action steps. Lastly, the book includes a wonderful set of appendixes, that include organizations, books and movies that deal with a variety of justice issues. I appreciate the words of Gilbert Bilezikian as he sums up his recommendation of this resource: "The moment you open Social Justice Handbook, it will vibrate in your hands with the heart-passion that inspired its making, a passion generated by him who described his life-mission as bringing good news to the poor, release to captives, sight to the blind, freedom to the oppressed and the time of God's grace."

A call to action

SOCIAL JUSTICE HANDBOOK: SMALL STEPS FOR A BETTER WORLD provides Christian readers with a survey of social justice issues and explains Christian approaches to justice. Suitable for both religious and social issues college-level collections, this surveys challenges form domestic violence and debt relief to homelessness and environmental stewardship, offering dozens of practical exercises for taking action. Highly recommended, it's more than another review of social issues, but a call to action.

Great reasource for those who REALLY want to know!

This book is timely and very truth-based in its assertions and suggestions and I highly recommend it to anyone who is involved in community service and efforts to achieve more fairness and justice within society. But, I think everyone should read this book!

Nothing out there like it!

This book is an academic work of ART. Mae Cannon did a meticulous job of explaining the theological basis for Christian's living out justice. But more importantly this is the first practical guide to action and I don't believe there is NOTHING out there like it. How I could have used this book when I returned back from my first Mexico trip in 91..and in 1999 when I started working in the urban pocket of Concord. Many will benefit from its practical side. It is simply too scary for churches to engage without some sort of guide and this book is a comprehensive guide that helps on so many levels. This book will be a companion for those whose hearts are broken and want to move from feelings into action. Theologically sound and pratical in its approach.