Overview

“Building deeply-rooted and sustainable neighborhoods requires capacity building within communities and ourselves. Blosser invites us to make material change, not as charity, but as a reconciling and liberating commitment to people and planet.” —Rev. Dr. Patrick B. Reyes author, The Purpose Gap and Nobody Cries When We Die

“Brilliantly weaving together stories, strategic insight, and theological reflection, this beautiful and important book is at once challenging and inviting, radical and practical.” —Rev. T. Wilson Dickinson director, doctor of ministry program, Lexington Theological Seminary

“Joe Blosser challenges us to remember that neighbor-love requires justice. Through story-telling, compassion, and deep engagement with the radical message of the gospel, his vision of hope and courage is pragmatic and imminently doable.” —Rebecca Todd Peters professor, religious studies, Elon University

“What a radical concept! Churches talking about ending poverty rather than mitigating it. Joe Blosser invites us to see a whole new world. Loving as if the gospel is true.” —Rev. Michael Mather Asset-Based Community Development Institute, DePaul University

“A radical call to transforming the forces and values that determine whether our neighbors are valued or imperiled.” —Wesley Granberg-Michaelson global ecumenical leader, author, Future Faith

In a world where “neighbor” has become as meaningless as a “friend” or “follower” online, this book shows how true neighbor love is the long-term work of forming and maintaining more just communities.

In To Love Our Neighbors activist and ethicist Joe Blosser weaves together resources in theology, community development, economics, anti-racism, and environmental sustainability to help community leaders, organizations, students, churches, and neighborhoods embrace solidarity for change. Even with the best intentions many current practices of loving our neighbors often do more harm than good.

Offering new practices of neighbor love, Blosser guides us to live in solidarity with others across our differences, exercise sufficiency in our economic lives, and care for the sustainability of our planet and communities. When we engage in these practices, we foster the shared sense of common good, mutual responsibility, and interconnectedness that Jesus intended.

Joe Blosser is a community builder and ethicist whose work drives at the intersections of faith, economics, and social change. He previously served as an associate professor of religion and philosophy and director of a university-based center for community engagement. Now he focuses on place-based social change and serves as the chief impact officer for a family foundation. He holds a PhD from the University of Chicago, an MDiv from Vanderbilt University, a BS from Texas Christian University, and is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

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