Urban Shalom and the Cities We Need

Andre Van Eymeren, Ash Barker, Chris Elisara

• Publisher: Urban Shalom Publishing
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781999779887
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

This book is the result of two historic events that took place in Quito, Ecuador during
October 2016. The first was the Gospel and the Future of Cities Summit at which a
contingent of Kingdom focused urban leaders gathered to explore what the gospel has to
say to the development of cities globally. The participants then formed a delegation to the
United Nation’s Habitat III conference, joining with 45, 000 city leaders, academics, NGOs
and others from all over the world.

Urban Shalom and the Cities We Need picks up the themes discussed at the summit and
reflects on their connection to the New Urban Agenda which was ratified at Habitat III and
sets the tone for the development of cities globally. In these pages, you will hear from
practitioners, leaders and academics as they lead you in reflection on some of the major
issues facing all urban environments. From years of experience the authors offer very
practical tools on discipleship, urban planning, land use, community development and
responding to the poor. It is our hope that their reflections and tools will enable you and your
networks to engage in crucial conversations with others about the physical and social
development of your neighborhoods, communities and cities. And that together we can all
work on the creation of great spaces and places that reflect God’s desire for us all to
experience shalom.

— 3 —

Urban Disparity:
A Prophetic Response

Evelyn Feliciano

This chapter first appeared as chapters 3 and 5 of Evelyn Miranda-Feliciano’s book, Unequal Worlds (2000). It is used here with permission from the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture.

Treading on Dangerous Places: A Prophetic Model

To be the conscience of society is also to be ambassadors of hope.

Text

MICAH 3:1-12

1Then I said,

“Listen, you heads of Jacob,

you rulers of the house of Israel.

Should you not know justice?

2 you who hate good and love evil;

who tear the skin from my people

and the flesh from their bones;

3who eat my people’s flesh,

strip off their skin

and break their bones in pieces;

who chop them up like meat for the pan,

like flesh for the pot?”

4Then they will cry out to the Lord,

but he will not answer them,

At that time he will hide his face from them

because of the evil they have done.

5This is what the Lord says:

“As for the prophets

who lead my people astray,

if one feeds them,

they proclaim ‘peace’;

if he does not,

they prepare to wage war against him.

6Therefore night will come over you, without visions,

and darkness, without divination.

The sun will set for the prophets,

and the day will go dark for them.

7The seers will be ashamed

and the diviners disgraced.

They will all cover their faces

because there is no answer from God.”

8But as for me, I am filled with power,

with the Spirit of the Lord,

and with justice and might,

to declare to Jacob his transgression,

to Israel his sin.

9Hear this, you rulers of the house of Jacob,

you rulers of the house of Israel,

who despise justice

and distort all that is right;

10who build Zion with bloodshed,

and Jerusalem with wickedness.

11Her leaders judge for a bribe,

her priests teach for a price,

and her prophets tell fortunes for money.

Yet they lean upon the Lord and say,

“Is not the Lord among us?

No disaster will come upon us.”

12Therefore because of you,

Zion will be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,

the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.

MICAH 4:1-4

1In the last days

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established

as chief among the mountains;

it will be raised above the hills,

and peoples will stream to it.

2Many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us his ways,

so that we may walk in his paths.”

The law will go out from Zion,

the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

3He will judge between many peoples

and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.

They will beat their swords into plowshares

and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nations will not take up sword against nation,

nor will they train for war anymore.

4Every man will sit under his own vine

and under his own fig tree,

and no one will make them afraid,

for the Lord Almighty has spoken.”

Questions on the text

1. Biblical scholars label Micah as one of the “minor” prophets, yet based on the text, he has a major message. What is his message about, and to what three groups in society is he addressing his message? (3:1-2, 5, 9)

2. What is he particularly condemning in each group? (3:2-3; 5, 9-11) What specific punishments is he predicting for each of them? (3:4, 6-7, 12)

3. What moral authority does Micah claim for himself such that he has the courage to call to task these three groups of national leaders in society? (3:8)

4. Micah’s message of condemnation is balanced by his message of hope. (4: 1-4) What is this message? How is it to be realized?

5. Basing on his pronouncements against the leaders of his day, what kind of a man was Micah? How could we be like him today? What is a true prophet?

Comments on the Text (Part 1)

Background on the Prophets

The so-called prophets these days come in many varieties. There is a kind who speaks stridently with nothing but gloom and doom, walking around in a flowing robe. He tends to grab you by the collar, shouting into your ears, “Prepare to meet your God!”

Another comes with a mellifluous voice, and a telegenic personality claiming to have a large telechurch. He/she pleads for telesupport, and people who believe they go to church via their remote control do give considerably. Then one day one hears about the scam this “prophet” is enmeshed in or the immorality tainting his life.

The more common variety is one who walks around with eyes toward heaven, straining his ears to hear the voice of God, and seeing esoteric visions. He asks his followers to abandon family, work and the worl...

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Creating Shalom in the City: A Roadmap for Human Flourishing
• Urban Shalom & Conversions to Discipleship
• Urban Disparity: A Prophetic Response
• The New Urban Village & Its Challenge to the Church
• Shaping the World’s Neighborhoods for Shalom
• Transforming the Lives of Urban Children & Youth Through Asset Building
• Urban Shalom - Seeing People & Community with New Eyes
• A Biblical Theology of Land & Ownership
• The Gospel & the Future of Cities: A Call to Action