The God of Justice – Online Class
| What if everything you’ve been taught about God’s justice is incomplete—or worse, backwards?What if the biblical vision of divine justice is far more radical, compassionate, and transformative than traditional Christianity has dared to imagine? These are the revolutionary questions that Pete Enns and John Dominic Crossan will explore in our upcoming four-week online class, The God of Justice, offering participants a chance to discover biblical truths that could fundamentally reshape their faith.In an era when Christianity’s relationship to justice has become increasingly polarized, these two towering figures of progressive biblical scholarship bring complementary expertise that promises to unlock Scripture’s most profound teachings about divine justice. Their collaboration represents a unique opportunity to learn from scholars who have spent decades wrestling with the Bible’s most challenging passages while maintaining deep faith commitments. REGISTER HERE FOR THE CLASS Two Visionary Approaches to Biblical JusticePete Enns, the Harvard-trained Old Testament scholar, brings his groundbreaking “incarnational model” of Scripture—the revolutionary idea that the Bible, like Christ himself, is both fully divine and fully human. This framework transforms how we read difficult passages about divine violence and retribution. Rather than defending every brutal conquest or harsh judgment as reflecting God’s perfect character, Enns argues these passages reveal how ancient peoples understood God within their cultural limitations.”When God lets his children tell the story,” Enns explains, “the way that story is told is deeply influenced by the ‘rules of the schoolyard'”—the tribal values of ancient societies that prized victory over enemies and divine favoritism. But this cultural accommodation doesn’t diminish Scripture’s authority; it reveals how divine revelation necessarily works through human understanding, ultimately pointing us toward the more complete revelation found in Jesus. John Dominic Crossan, co-founder of the Jesus Seminar and perhaps the world’s foremost historical Jesus scholar, offers an equally transformative lens through his systematic distinction between “distributive justice” and “retributive justice.” For Crossan, the biblical God authentically embodies distributive justice—focused on fair resource sharing, care for the marginalized, and the radical egalitarianism glimpsed in Genesis 1’s Sabbath vision where all people and even animals can rest.Retributive justice—the violent, punitive approach that dominates much of human civilization—represents a corruption of divine intention. Through meticulous historical analysis, Crossan reveals how Jesus embodied distributive justice through “free healing and common eating,” challenging social hierarchies and offering a nonviolent alternative to imperial domination. Why the Biblical God of Justice Could Transform Your FaithTogether, Enns and Crossan offer something desperately needed in contemporary Christianity: sophisticated tools for reading Scripture that honor both scholarly integrity and spiritual depth. Their approach liberates believers from the false choice between fundamentalist literalism and faithless skepticism, opening space for mature biblical engagement that can actually strengthen rather than threaten authentic faith.For too long, many Christians have struggled with biblical passages that seem to portray God as vindictive, violent, or indifferent to suffering. Traditional responses—defending every difficult passage as mysteriously perfect or explaining away obvious contradictions—often leave people with damaged faith or cynical disillusionment. Enns and Crossan provide a third way: understanding these passages within their historical context while maintaining that Scripture ultimately reveals a God of radical justice and compassion.This isn’t about diminishing Scripture’s authority but about reading it with the sophistication it deserves. Both scholars demonstrate how proper historical and literary analysis actually enhances our understanding of biblical truth rather than undermining it. They show how Jesus serves as the interpretive key that unlocks Scripture’s deepest wisdom about justice, mercy, and divine character. REGISTER HERE FOR THE CLASS Learning from Complementary MastersWhat makes this comparison particularly valuable is how Enns and Crossan’s different strengths complement each other perfectly. Enns excels at helping ordinary believers navigate Old Testament difficulties with tools that strengthen rather than weaken faith. His approach is particularly valuable for those within evangelical traditions who want to embrace critical scholarship without abandoning core Christian commitments.Crossan brings unparalleled expertise in first-century Mediterranean culture and historical Jesus research, offering detailed analysis of how economic inequality, imperial oppression, and social hierarchies shaped the biblical world. His work reveals how Jesus’s teachings about justice weren’t abstract theological concepts but concrete responses to real-world injustice that remain remarkably relevant today.Their combined expertise means participants will encounter both pastoral wisdom for faith communities and rigorous scholarship that can withstand academic scrutiny. Whether you’re grappling with personal doubts about biblical violence, seeking resources for church teaching, or wanting to understand Christianity’s relationship to social justice, this class offers tools that work in real-world contexts. Perfect Timing for a Crucial Conversation This class couldn’t come at a more crucial moment. American Christianity finds itself deeply divided over questions of justice, with progressive and conservative believers often talking past each other using entirely different frameworks. Meanwhile, younger generations increasingly view Christianity as irrelevant to justice concerns or even opposed to them.Enns and Crossan offer resources for moving beyond these polarizations. They demonstrate how biblical justice transcends contemporary political categories while remaining deeply relevant to current struggles for equity, peace, and human dignity. Their work shows how authentic Christian commitment actually demands engagement with justice issues rather than retreat from them.For church leaders struggling to address justice issues without triggering congregational conflicts, this class provides biblical grounding that can help communities move beyond surface-level political divisions toward deeper theological understanding. For individuals wrestling with how their faith relates to social concerns, it offers frameworks for integration rather than compartmentalization. An Accessible Format for Deep LearningThe asynchronous online format makes this transformative content accessible regardless of schedule constraints or geographic location. With sessions available for replay and supplementary resources provided, participants can engage at their own pace while still benefiting from community interaction through optional live sessions and Facebook group discussions.This accessibility is crucial because these ideas shouldn’t remain confined to academic settings. The insights that Enns and Crossan offer have power to renew faith communities, strengthen individual discipleship, and equip Christians for more faithful engagement with contemporary justice challenges. Don’t Miss This OpportunityRarely do scholars of this caliber collaborate to make their expertise accessible to general audiences. Both Enns and Crossan have spent decades developing approaches to biblical justice that could revolutionize how Christians understand their faith’s relationship to social transformation. Their willingness to share these insights in an accessible format represents an unprecedented opportunity for spiritual and intellectual growth.Whether you’re a pastor seeking fresh perspectives for preaching, a small group leader looking for meaningful curriculum, or simply someone who wants to understand what the Bible really teaches about justice, this class offers tools that could transform your faith journey. In a world crying out for justice, we need Christians who understand what biblical justice actually entails and how to live it out authentically.The God of Justice class isn’t just about learning new information—it’s about discovering resources for faithful living in a complex world. Don’t miss your chance to learn from two of the most important biblical scholars of our time as they unveil Scripture’s radical vision of divine justice.REGISTER HERE FOR THE CLASSShare  Get more from Tripp Fuller in the Substack appAvailable for iOS and Android Get the app |
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