Faith & Economics
NUMBER 78, Fall 2021
The Lost Sheep, God’s Body and Housing – Renewing Hearts and Minds into Renewed Communities
Virginia Beard
Hope College
Abstract: Home is part of what it means to be human. Current land use regulations and social attitudes often prohibit access to spaces of home. Aspects of zoning and land use regulations perpetuate the power of certain ideas over others, by defining what makes a good community. These ideas have consequences. Beliefs and ensuing policies divide, exclude, and suppress the full expression of God’s body by limiting the supply of housing, determining the type of housing that is acceptable, and establishing who is able to access communities through housing. They account for laws that prop up overly-expensive housing. This exclusion of the economic least-of-these in communities around the country not only harms these individuals and families, but also the entire body of Christ. Christians must work to create space at the table of our communities for everyone who would join us. This opening up creates a flourishing body and affirms the dignity of each individual. There are many other factors that affect community access that we cannot control. However, through renewed hearts and minds we can design laws that enable people to have a home.