What would it mean for the criminal justice system to be unjust? And if it is, what should Christians do about it? Dominique Gilliard, author of “Rethinking Incarceration,” talks with Amy Julia about the history of injustice in this system, reimagining justice, punishment, and reconciliation in light of the gospel, and practical ways the church can love people who have been incarcerated.

SHOW NOTES:
Dominique DuBois Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Love Mercy Do Justice (LMDJ) initiative of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). His book “Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice that Restores” won the 2018 Book of the Year Award for InterVarsity Press.

Follow LMDJ on social media

“Restorative justice says that for justice to be made manifest, there has to be a tangible pathway toward restoration for not only the person who has suffered from the offense but also the person who has caused the offense.”

“Do we really believe the things that we proclaim in our congregational spaces, and, if so, how does that inform how we vote, how we live, how we engage in the world at large?”

“Nobody is beyond redemption....the Spirit who has the ability to bring life out of death has the ability to bring restoration out of people who have caused offenses.”

“When we understand that privilege is something for us to steward, then that liberates us from feeling immobilized by it. It liberates us from actually denying it. We can affirm privilege is real and that we have a responsibility to steward it in a way that furthers the kingdom and loves our neighbor.”

On the Podcast:

“The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander
Shooting of Kathryn Johnston
Equal Justice Initiative
Prison Fellowship
Season 3 of Serial
Chicago’s Million Dollar Blocks
Old Testament gleaning laws
“Compassionate Justice” by Christopher Marshall
Bryan Stevenson and Equal Justice Initiative
67% of white evangelicals support the death penalty
Interview with Bryan Stevenson about “Just Mercy”
Psalm 139:23-24
Resources from Dominique: What We Can Do powerpoint and Follow-Up Resources pdf

Thank you to Breaking Ground, the co-host for this podcast.

White P

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S3 E12 | What Is Unjust About the Criminal Justice System with Dominique Gilliard