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Reforming Criminal Justice (1920x1005, 2025 Jan)

Dates and Time

February 24-April 14, 2025
8:00 - 9:15pm

Location

Zoom link will be emailed after registration

Contact

Joe Marcucci

joem@highrock.org

Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal

Highrock Beyond Bars invites you to an eight week book study and learning community, Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal, Matthew T. Martens.

Matthew Martens writes an extensive critique of the criminal justice system.  He applies the biblically just ideas of accuracy, due process, accountability, impartiality and proportionality to bear on the entirety of our legal system from the formation of a law to sentencing and punishment.  Each participant will come away with a deeper understanding of our legal system and targets for reform.

Participants in this learning community will:

  • Develop vocabulary and depth of understanding for what constitutes biblical justice.
  • Understand the constraints upon those in authority for using physical force (arrest, detainment and incarceration) against their own citizens.
  • Learn the details of legal  system including the creation of a law, penalties for violating that law, plea bargaining, jury selection, judges, assistance of counsel, exculpatory evidence, witnesses, sentencing and the death penalty.  
  • Learn to evaluate every nuance of the criminal justice system with ideas that proceed from scripture.
  • Wrestle with issues that gravely affect those who are harmed, those who are accused of doing harm and the consequence for those who have been found guilty of doing harm.
  • Learn about the history of the criminal justice system with many examples of unjust application of the law.
  • Understanding the need for accountability for those in authority who do wrong.
  • Develop a plan for next steps as you seek to make a non zero response.

Expectations

Required:  Purchase Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal, by Matthew T. Martens.

Throughout our sessions, we will focus on spiritual formation.  Each gathering will begin with a spiritual practice and/or devotional that will incline our mind and affections up towards God.  More than information, our interest is transformation and action.

We recommend reading the assigned sections for each week, though it is not required.  We will read some portions during our sessions so you’ll need to have a copy of the book with you when we meet. The more familiar someone is with the content of each chapter, the greater the benefit.

We do expect that each participant will consider how they will make a non-zero response to what we are learning.

Schedule:

  • February 24 Introduction to the criminal justice system  (chapters 2 and 4)
  • March 3  Biblical Foundations  (chapters 1 and 3)
  • March 10 Five Pillars of Biblical Justice  (chapters 4,5,6,7 and 8)
  • March 17   Crime, Plea Bargaining and Jury Selection  (chapters 10, 11 and 12)
  • March 24    Judge, Assistance of Counsel and Exculpatory Evidence  (chapters 13,14, 15)
  • March 31  Witnesses and Sentencing  (chapters 16-17)
  • April 7    The Death Penalty  (chapter 18)
  • April 14 What Can You Do?  A non-zero response! (chapter 19)