Restorative Justice as a Way of Community Life

Restorative justice is a biblically-based view of justice that focuses on restoring persons and communities to shalom. Restorative justice involves both prison ministry and the reintegration of released prisoners into communities. More broadly, restorative justice is a way of life for every worshiping community. Within a body of believers, every act of forgiveness of someone who has wronged us, in whatever trivial or traumatic way, helps to build up the body of Christ.

Worship Resources

• List of prayer requests

• Worship service

• Prayer for prisoners and victims

• Prayers, responsive readings, sermons from Correctional Service Canada

• Select prayers from the Book of Common Prayer

• Sermons/speeches and scripture passages on restorative justice

• Restorative Justice, a website hosted by the Christian Reformed Church 

Feature Story
Restorative Justice: Prison congregations multiply grace
Millions of people behind bars are waiting to hear the gospel. Forming congregations in prisons is an important step in restorative justice, say pastors Ed Nesselhuf and Steve Moerman.

Books

• Barth, Karl. Deliverance to the Captives. New York: Harper and Row, 1961.

• Zehr, Howard. The Little Book of Restorative Justice. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2002.

• Learning to Sing in a Strange Land: When a Loved One Goes to Prison, an account of how the Psalms shaped the lives of a family separated by prison.