PT Media Picks: Books

Doing justice, globally

Justice in a Global Economy: Strategies for Home, Community and World

by Michael Lewis (Westminster John Knox Press, 2006; 165 pages; $19.95, paper; WJK Books)

edited by Pamela Brubaker, Rebecca Todd Peters and Laura Stivers 

Every socially conscious Christian grapples with this question: How can I live as a First World citizen and treat the rest of the world justly? The three editors of this book, all social ethics professors committed to a Christian vision of economic justice, believe that “those of us ‘at the top,’ who do benefit in some ways from economic globalization, bear some responsibility for the negative implications of our lifestyles on those ‘at the bottom.’”

Without allowing guilt to paralyze them, the editors set out to find experts to write essays about how Christians can live justly in their homes, communities and on the global, structural level. They promote community farming, paying child-care and home-help workers a fair and living wage, and more intentional eating of whole foods grown locally.

At the community level, they talk about holding corporations more accountable for providing living wages and environmental protection. And three writers challenge us to envision a world that is more just and then work to make our public policies line up with that vision.

This book provides hope for Christians who want to support economic justice but aren’t sure where to begin.
—Teresa Blythe

A body and spirit workout

Stretch and Pray: A Daily Discipline for Physical and Spiritual Wellness

by Murray D. Finck (Fortress Press, 2007; 107 pages; $27.99, paperback book and DVD)

Need some holy encouragement in order to get yourself moving? Lutheran Bishop Murray Finck found that combining stretching (basically yoga moves without the Hindu names) with prayer alleviated much back pain and helped him find more energy for his daily work.

Finck discovered the joy of body prayer on a trip to Thailand in 1998 that involved a lot of hiking and movement. Plagued with back pain since he was 28 years old, he began the trip with some trepidation. But the morning prayers and postures practiced by the group he was traveling with helped him more than years of pills and physical therapy.

In this DVD and book set Finck shares what he learned. He leads the simple stretching on the DVD. His small spiral book tells more about the stretches and prayer positions.

You will not get an aerobic workout here. This is gentle stretching led by a silver-haired senior, not some spandex-wearing hard body. But Finck’s daily stretch-and-pray routine will get your blood circulating, your muscles warmed up and your spirit engaged.
—Teresa Blythe