Farming in Africa and Catholic Social Justice – Peace & Justice Report March 7
Written by Tom Walker on Monday, March 5, 2018
–I received my BA from Cleveland State University, and MA from St. Norbert College in WI. Completed my Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation in 1995.
–I have been interested in and committed to justice since I was a child, and loved visiting my Grandmother who fed the hungry with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at her back door. I loved meeting them, and talking with my Nanna about justice.
–My area of study was the Prophets of the Hebrew Bible. That study led me to Catholic Social Teaching.
–I love to speak about the meaning of Biblical Justice, as distinct from the “justice” of our criminal system which is really retaliation.
–Catholic Social Teaching is often called “The Best Kept Secret” in the Catholic Church, as the documents are little known, and seldom preached.
–There is a Catholic Social Justice Lobby in Washington, DC, called NETWORK, which is founded on Catholic Social Teaching. The “Nuns on the Bus” campaign, with Sr. Simone Campbell was from NETWORK. They actually lobby the legislators representing the Gospel.
–I also direct the Bible Study and Travel Program here at Catholic Theological Union, and so travel to Israel fairly often. Jesus was thought to be a Prophet by many, because of his “speaking truth to power.” Some suspect that Jesus’ experience in Sepphoris, where a “deal” was cut with Rome to avoid violence was an experiential learning for Jesus’ own non-violence.