Social Justice

A friend recently lamented that the Church should be at the fore of the social justice movement. He suggests that even the basic notion of "social justice" is and should be inseparable from the mission of Christ's Body. Here's his succinct statement:

"Christians should redeem the concept of "social justice". After all TRUE social justice is essentially the work of those who are the Righteousness of God. Don't agree? Talk to Moses, Amos, Isaiah, James, and Jesus."

What struck me was his use of the word "redeem". Is he saying that Social Justice is a Christian concept? Is he saying that leftist liberals weren't the originators of helping the needy? Yes he is.

(Continue Reading...)

And I completely agree. I was so compelled by my friend's simple statement; it really turns the political paradigm on its head. The term "social justice" has become unnecessarily loaded in recent years due to certain political parties and their nefarious affiliations. "The friend of my enemy, must also be my enemy." For example, it's no wonder that Christians, who rightly oppose all forms of abortion/murder, would distance themselves from a political party that traditionally endorses such barbarism. Thus, if that same political party is affiliated with groups who use the term "social justice", Christians begin to question that concept as well.

But by using the word "redeem", my friend points out that the concept is ours, not anyone else's.

So, what do I mean by social justice? I'll let my friend answer:

"Justice for the orphan, widow, alien, poor, sick, etc."

There. It's not complex.We care for those have trouble caring for themselves. Now, am I advocating a wide array of taxation and benefit programs meted out by our esteemed government? Not necessarily. What I advocate is bound up in that great little word, "redeem". Let the Church locally administer social justice, and you'll see a worldwide redemption of both souls and hungry mouths. That's a social justice program I can get behind.

In regard to the inevitable political questions this issue raises, I would love to see the day when a journalist asks a Christian what he thinks about some new benefits program from the Feds, and he answers:

"Who cares. Let the nut-jobs in Washington work that out. My Church is actively meeting those needs already."