At the Lott Carey annual Spring Missions Conference held on April 18-19, Rev. Dr. Christophe Ringer, associate professor of Theological Ethics and Society at Chicago Theological Seminary, delivered a presentation on the impact of public policy on society. His talk, titled “How Public Policy Impacts People,” was his second presentation at the conference and offered reflections on social problems and challenges.
Dr. Ringer presented a framework for thinking about public policy, focusing on four critical aspects: benefits, fairness, fidelity, and legitimacy. He emphasized that effective policies must not only provide tangible benefits but also uphold fairness, remain faithful to the community’s trust, and maintain legitimacy in the eyes of those they serve.
Reflecting on the recent influx of Venezuelan asylum seekers in Chicago since August 2022, Dr. Ringer discussed the resulting social crisis and its implications for public theology. He highlighted the resistance from the local community, which stems from a history of school closures and unfulfilled promises by city officials. This situation has prompted a reevaluation of the role of place in public theology.
Dr. Ringer shed light on the campaign to end cash bail in Illinois, underscoring the criminalization of poverty and the racial disparities in the jail population. He stressed the importance of public awareness regarding the presumption of innocence and the communal harms inflicted by the inability to afford bail. The story of Lavette Days, an early leader in the movement to end cash bail, was shared to illustrate the campaign’s significance.
The summary of Dr. Ringer’s presentation delved into the role of public theology in tackling societal issues such as the elimination of cash bail, the rise of nationalist movements, and the misconstrued concept of “black on black violence.” He called for the construction of community networks to resolve disputes and highlighted the success of the movement against cash bail, which led to a reduction in jail populations.
Dr. Ringer also emphasized the importance of coalition-building and maintaining trust within movements, particularly in the context of rising nationalist sentiments. He challenged the term “black on black violence,” advocating for a reevaluation of public theology to address stereotypes and assumptions about black communities.
Dr. Ringer underscored the critical role of public theology in shaping public policies and addressing social problems.
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