Torch, Fall/Winter 2010

Fall–Winter 2010 | TORCH 7 SCOTT HUCK | CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY Structural Change Sometimes environmental or systemic problems plague people and limit their access to oppor- tunity. When this is the case, development alone is not sufficient to overcome injustices and obstacles that keep people trapped in the cycle of poverty. Sin is not just personal; it is also structural. The sinful decisions of people with power get embedded in the structures of society, favoring the powerful at the expense of the powerless. In the Old Testament book of Esther, for example, Haman didn’t just hate Mordecai personally; he made a law based on that hate, which affected all Jewish people — a whole strata of society. Poor educational systems, predatory lending, injustice in zoning laws, and disinvestment in communities by financial institutions are all problems faced by urban poor, which collectively become monumental hurdles to overcome. When confronting structural injustice at this level, it is often best for churches to partner with organizations that are experienced in engaging systemic issues in society, thereby blending their presence and influence with others to confront unjust power. On a larger scale, for example, churches may want to work with and support organizations like International Justice Mission. On the local level, they may want to work with those organizations that are at the forefront of movements to address injustices in their communities. The mobilization of churches last year in Ohio, for example, played a significant role in restricting unjust interest rates (up to and exceeding 500 percent) charged on loans at cash advance businesses, which are typically located in poor communities. Much of the contemporary Church genuinely wants to engage a hurting world. But it can become confusing and intimidating when we are challenged to make a difference in the face of such overwhelming needs. Just as a doctor first determines a patient’s problem in order to prescribe a helpful course of treatment, the Church must also learn to diagnose social needs to determine the appropriate response. Dr. Jeff Cook serves as associate professor of Bible at Cedarville University. He earned his B.A. from Cedarville University, M.A. from Grace Theological Seminary, M.Div. from Tyndale Theological Seminary, and D.Min. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has been at Cedarville since 1997. Recently churches and voters in Ohio worked together to restrict the exorbitant interest rates that cash advance businesses were charging on loans.