Christ Among the Classes

The Rich, the Poor, and the Mission of the Church
by Dr. Al Tizon

Jesus championed the poor, warned the rich, and loved them both. If this is a portrait of Christ among the classes, and we looked at it like a mirror, what would we see? Is the church in North America (and other affluent societies) anywhere near reflecting this Christ? How can the church reflect Jesus more fully, and thus become an advocate-friend to the poor and a prophet-friend to the rich? This book offers a fresh theology of wealth and poverty, urging the church to be faithful to Jesus and therefore to her mission to bear witness to the gospel of the kingdom of God. It discusses six “life movements” toward living lives of compassion, generosity, simplicity, hospitality, friendship, and solidarity. To the extent that the church moves toward these things, it undermines the sin of classism that plagues our world and becomes truly good news to the poor, oppressed, marginalized, and traumatized.

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"Be warned, this is a challenging, prophetic, and disruptive book that calls the reader and the Church to deeper self-examination of classism, while calling us to follow and embody Christ.'

Rev. Eugene Cho, President/CEO, Bread for the World, Author, Thou Shalt Not Be a Jerk: A Christian's Guide to Engaging Politics

A Course at Seminary Now

Missiology in the 21st Century
by Dr. Al Tizon

God is on a mission to redeem all of creation and everyone in it, and God has given us a mission to bear witness to this good news of peace, justice, and salvation to the ends of the earth. But what does this mission look like in the 21st century, among the diverse cultures, and at this particular time in the history of the world? The nature of the gospel remains unchanged, but the expressions, forms, and practices of the church on mission must change if we are to speak meaningfully in today’s world.

In this course Al Tizon, affiliate professor of missional and global leadership at North Park Theological Seminary, explores the question of how the church should practice God’s mission throughout the whole world in the 21st century.