The BEMA Podcast 489: Vice & Virtue — Justice
Dec 18, 2025
Reed Dent, a longtime contributor and teacher focused on biblical context and ethics, leads a thought-provoking discussion on justice. He contrasts punitive legal justice with a more compassionate, prophetic social justice that emphasizes protecting the vulnerable. The conversation highlights biblical figures like Jeremiah and Amos, illustrating how true justice involves mercy and proactive inclusion. Readers are encouraged to reflect on the importance of justice in worship and consider practical ways to serve their communities.
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Josh Bosset's Gentle, Confronting Love For Justice
- Reed and others reflect on Josh Bosset's legacy, naming justice, Shabbat, wrestling, and celebration as his defining loves.
- Josh practiced justice by confronting issues gently and inviting conversation rather than shaming people.
Child's Moral Outrage Sparks The Topic
- Reed tells a story of his eight-year-old son Briggs confronting his parents about a homeless man at a highway exit ramp.
- Briggs demands action instead of prayer, showing raw moral urgency that frames the episode's theme of justice.
Prophetic Justice Focuses On The Vulnerable
- Jeremiah links injustice to failing to promote the fatherless and defend the poor rather than only breaking laws.
- Biblical justice often focuses on advocacy and inclusion for vulnerable people, not just legal punishment.