The church has a choice: keep the peace, or make it. In this episode, co-hosts Dilys Brooks and Nathan Brown sit down with theologian Dr. Zdravko Plantak — author of The Silent Church — and young adult Ezekiel Teo to ask the question that has never been more urgent: why is the church so often silent in the face of injustice, and what will it take to finally speak up?
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro & Theme Music
1:00 Host Welcome & Episode Overview
3:00 Personal Connection to JustLove's Mission
5:00 Guest Introductions — Dr. Zdravko Plantak & Ezekiel Teo
7:00 The Story Behind The Silent Church — London, Homelessness & Phil Collins
12:00 How the Book Was Received by the Church
16:00 Ezekiel's Discovery of the Book & Its Continued Relevance
20:00 The Kingdom of God: Now and Not Yet
25:00 What Do We Mean by "Church"? Corporate vs. Local Community
29:00 The Church's Official Statements — More Active in the 80s and 90s
33:00 Peacemakers vs. Peacekeepers — A Word for Church Leaders
38:00 Zach's Hopeful Vision: Students Carrying the Mantle Forward
42:00 Closing — A Church That Acts, Not Just Speaks
44:00 Host Sign-Off & Episode Credits
Featured Book
The Silent Church: Human Rights and Adventist Social Ethics — Dr. Zdravko Plantak (Macmillan Press, 1998)
People & Works Referenced This Episode
Jürgen Moltmann — Theology of Hope
John Brunt — Now and Not Yet (Kingdom of God concept)
Dietrich Bonhoeffer — "Who is Jesus Christ for us today?"
Phil Collins — "Another Day in Paradise" (cultural prophets)
Bob Dylan — "Blowin' in the Wind"
Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles) — Social loneliness and community
Ellen White — Kingdom of Grace and Kingdom of Glory
Proverbs 31 — Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves
Luke 4 — Jesus' Nazareth Manifesto
Matthew 24–25 — Signs of the times and caring for the least
Chuck Scriven, Roy Branson, Doug Morgan — Adventist justice scholars
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — The Danger of a Single Story (referenced by Dilys)
CALL TO ACTION
This Week's Challenge
Ask yourself: Is my church keeping the peace or making it? Then identify one issue in your local community where your faith community could move from silence to action — and take one step toward making that happen, however small.
Book Recommendation
Read The Silent Church by Dr. Zdravko Plantak — and ask what has changed since 1998, and what hasn't.
EPISODE CREDITS
Dilys Brooks — Co-Host & Content Producer
Nathan Brown — Co-Host & Editorial Feedback
Beverly Maravilla Jaramillo — Scheduling Coordination & Guest Confirmations
Sam Gungaloo — Audio Engineer Web Content Manager
Corban Rosspencer — Mix & Master
Music
Lumber Down — Intro Music, licensed via Riverside FM
Palms Down — Outro Music, licensed via Riverside FM
The JustCoz is a podcast of JustLove Collective.
