I grew up at a time when the Church played a significant role in the life of a local community and in the personal lives of many people. Even among the non-religious, churches and clergy were respected and their pronouncements listened to on matters of justice, morality and ethics. The Christian narrative was still a vibrant influence in shaping institutions and society’s norms and expectations. There were critics, yet the culture provided space and opportunity at all levels for the Church’s voice to be heard and acknowledged, for its engagement with society.
Since the 1960’s times have changed. Mainstream media, writers and commentators often seek to marginalise the voice of the Church unless it is controversial or about scandal in its own life. Much of the reporting on religious matters is negative, with little if any understanding of the historical role Christian faith has played in positively informing and shaping Australian society. Discussion of moral and justice issues is often superficial.
The Church, of course, is a diverse body and its life and mission is expressed through local parishes, schools, welfare agencies, mission societies and religious orders. In recent years the reputation of the Church has been tarnished by its own failures in areas of morality, its lack of consensus on matters affecting the life of communities, and its self-interest and privilege, perceived or otherwise. New voices claiming to represent the Church have gained the attention of the media and politicians in recent times. They express what they claim to be the view of Christians on matters of justice and ethics, but their approach offers little if any opportunity for dialogue and discussion on key justice issues.
Of course, the Church is not alone in coming under increased scrutiny. Most of our other institutions are also held in less regard than in previous years. Suspicion and lack of trust by the electorate have created a political context where visionary and courageous leadership is rare. Day by day the media, which seldom critique themselves, tell of the failures of both individuals and institutions. How can the Christian faith in today’s post-modern world give voice to the scriptural principles of justice in this hostile environment?
The challenge for those who are members of mainstream denominations is that we appear to be often in a state of denial about our own mistakes and failures, our lack of transparency and integrity, and about the changing face of the society in which we live. While critical of others for a lack of integrity, moral behaviour, transparency, compassion and forgiveness, we continue to practise broken table fellowship and exclude others. Our treatment of those who have been hurt or rejected by the Church remains a festering sore.
We live in an increasingly fragile world. Leadership at all levels of government, community and commerce appears overwhelmed by the issues confronting the global community including climate change, the global economy and the developing world. As Wes Howard-Brook and Anthony Gwyther say in Unveiling Empire Reading Revelation Then and Now (1999), global capital has become the ‘empire’ that dominates our world today at the expense of national governments, gender roles, values and care for the creation. Social programs, education, housing, transport and social security are now viewed in terms of their contribution to economic growth and not their intrinsic social value. The owners of global capital have replaced the authority of national governments. David Koten, Harvard Graduate School and former adviser to the United States government on international development, says: “The process of economic globalisation…is shifting power away from governments responsible for the public good and towards a handful of corporations and financial institutions.”
Historians would probably say has the world ever been any different? It may be simply that, as the world’s population continues to grow rapidly, the challenges facing the globe have become more immediate and the power of the media and modern communication has brought them to our attention. Despite the enormous progress in technology and knowledge, we continue to live in a world scarred by injustice and moral imperatives.
Poverty and disadvantage are not accidents of history. There are certainly occasions and actions whereby individuals may create disadvantage for themselves by poor personal choices, but overwhelmingly it is unjust systems and structures and exploitation by those who exercise political and economic leadership that create and perpetuate poverty. The unemployed do not create unemployment. On a recent visit to the United States of America, I visited a number of homeless shelters. Each of them was doing good works, but why are such places needed? What are the causes of homelessness? The same question can be asked of global hunger; hospitality for asylum seekers and refugees; child abuse or depression. Christian leaders who stand on the side of the poor are often admired, but are viewed with hostility and anger when calling for structural reform. Feeding the hungry is a noble act, but challenging the causes viewed with suspicion.
To embody a just society, politics is necessary. The biblical witness of God is not just a God of kindness and charity, but also a God of justice. As Jim Wallace says in Sojourners (November, 2011), “The most common objects of the prophets’ judgement are the kings, rulers, judges, employers, the rich and powerful in charge of the world’s governments, courts, economic systems and structures.”
At the heart of the gospel, at the centre of the ministry of Jesus and the voice of the prophets is God’s love for the created order and for our relationships with one another. Relationships are central. As God loves us, we are called to love one another. Faith in God is not a private affair. It embraces a communal dimension. The pursuit of justice is a spiritual movement as much as a practical expression of God’s love. It involves listening to the cries of the oppressed, the marginalised and the outcast. This is the challenge of the prophets of the Old Testament. This is the same message found in the final judgement passage of Matthew’s gospel, where Jesus says that unless the least of his brothers and sisters are cared for and helped, our capacity for redemption falters and is at risk.
From the stable to the cross, Jesus engaged in the struggle for liberty and justice, challenging the powerful, supporting the weak. He challenged the temple authorities, naming their privilege as an affront to God. Jesus embroiled himself in the politics of the times and expounded the principles of justice as they derive from the creator’s identity and purpose. They are encountered in the parables of the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the sermons in Matthew’s and Luke’s gospels. At the core of the mission of Jesus and the Church’s commitment to justice is what Nicholas Sagovsky calls, in Christian Tradition and the Practice of Justice (2008), the divine initiative, the creative energy and passion of God, reflective of God’s own being as generous, hospitable, compassionate and just. This same imperative is to be present in the Church’s own life and witness. Sagovsky argues further that the divine initiative or warrant for justice exists from the beginning, precedes the narrative of scripture and is embedded in the creation itself as recorded in the prologue to John’s gospel. Out of love God creates, and this creative act of love is the spirit and essence of God’s justice. This is why faith cannot be a private affair and must have a pastoral, prophetic and political connection to the world and its people. The spiritual and the political cannot be separated if we are to fully engage in a partnership with God for the building of the Kingdom.
Jesus practised what he preached. He sought out the rejected, engaged ordinary people, healed the sick and reminded the leaders of the day not only of their responsibilities, but also their obligation to the community. He stands as the fulfilment of the prophetic tradition of Israel. Following in the footsteps of Jesus is the profound call to discipleship for all people of faith. Our response to the ongoing brokenness and lack of hope for millions of the world’s population is not only to provide practical support, but also to advocate against the principalities and powers of our times that destroy and corrupt. Justice for our time can be achieved by a commitment on our part to name the challenges of today, to be a voice for the voiceless and to end all forms of discrimination within the Church’s own life and the wider society.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu puts it this way:
"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality."
Today most of us are conscious of the brokenness that we see all around us and yet struggle to see how we can change the world. The call to God’s justice is a call to let go of the mind-set that nothing can be done and to reinvigorate the Church and ourselves to see that the dream of God’s creation is possible.
