How can we be just and merciful? Are justice and mercy in conflict? Or are they aspects of the same truth?

In his new book, “No Mercy, No Justice: The Dominant Narrative of America versus The Counter-Narrative of Jesus’ Parables” (Wipf & Stock’s Cascade Books, 2019), Rev. Brooks Harrington draws on more than 40 years’ experience as a criminal prosecutor, a pastor of inner-city church in an impoverished neighborhood, and the founder of the Methodist Justice Ministry, a legal ministry protecting indigent victims of family violence and child neglect and abuse.

Through moving stories of women and children he has encountered, he shows the terrible toll of the dominant narrative’s version of justice and mercy. And he offers Christians hope with new and startling insights into God’s justice and mercy revealed in the parables of Jesus.

“I wrote this book for the Christians who want to help fix our broken world, who crave more than what seems to be offered by the culture we live in, who believe that helping equates to worshiping,” said Harrington. “It is my hope that this book changes those who read it.”

“Brooks Harrington has given us an amazing book,” writes Will Willimon, American theologian and bishop in the United Methodist Church (North Alabama Conference) and Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School. “At once personal testimony from his significant experiences as an attorney and pastor to the marginalized, then creative and invigorating biblical interpretation, all cast by a Christian with a passionate commitment to the embrace of Justice and mercy. This book will change how you look at our criminal justice system, the parables of Jesus, and the Christian life.”

“No Mercy, No Justice” asks the reader: How can we be just and merciful? Are justice and mercy in conflict? Or are they aspects of the same truth?

According to Rev. Harrington, Christians in America are presented with two conflicting versions of justice and mercy. One version comes from the dominant secular narrative of America. Justice and mercy are contradictions. Mercy is devalued and discouraged. But within the counter-narrative of God revealed through Torah, the prophets, and particularly through the life and parables of Jesus, justice and mercy are aspects of the same truth and way of God. There is no justice without mercy. There is no mercy without justice.

“Brooks offers Christians hope with new and startling insights into God’s justice and mercy revealed in the parables of Jesus,” writes Mike Lowry, resident bishop of the Central Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church. “‘No Mercy, No Justice’ takes us both deeper into the Holy Scriptures and deeper into the life of faithfulness exemplified by the deeds of love, justice and mercy.”

Brooks Harrington is the founder of the Methodist Justice Ministry, a pro bono legal ministry that provides legal protections and supportive services for indigent victims of child abuse and family violence. He has been a Marine infantry officer, a criminal prosecutor in Washington D.C., a litigator in private practice, an ordained United Methodist elder, and the pastor of an inner-city church.

Today, Brooks dedicates his time and energy toward helping the clients of the Methodist Justice Ministry; all net proceeds from the sale of “No Mercy, No Justice,” as well as all speaking honorariums, will directly benefit the ministry.

To learn more, visit www.revbrooksharrington.com, or attend Rev. Harrington’s first book signing scheduled for Sunday, March 31, 2019, 9:00 am – noon in the Garden. “No Mercy, No Justice: The Dominant Narrative of America versus The Counter-Narrative of Jesus’ Parables” is available via the publisher and Amazon.

Click here for more about Rev. Brooks Harrington. To learn how to request Rev. Harrington as a speaker at your church or event, please click here. To join the conversation, visit Twitter and Facebook.