Christians and Social Justice Part One: What the Church Does

Today I am beginning a three part series on what justice looks like in the church. Often justice is made out to be a political issue, when really it is just as much a spiritual one.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8 NIV

Social Justice means many different things to many different people. For now I’m broadly defining it as undoing the work of oppression, working to make a world of equality, and respecting and advocating for all those made in God’s image – every man, woman, and child on Earth.

Justness, being a quality of God, is important to Christ’s followers. We can see evidence of this today by taking a look at the many charitable organizations founded by Christians. World Vision, the Red Cross, International Justice Mission, Food for the Hungry, Love146 – to name just a few. There’s a difference between charity and justice, of course. I’ve heard a charity – it was Food for the Hungry, I think* – describe itself as being there to give people a ‘hand up’ instead of a ‘handout.’ That’s what I’m calling the difference between justice and charity. Charity is good – it’s giving a starving man a fish, as it were; justice is teaching him how to fish so that he can stand proudly by the other fishermen, and it is also making sure that no one is hoarding the pond for themselves.

At my church, donating money to charities that promote justice is fairly common. The leadership staff facilitate one or two giving campaigns each year. Our donations have helped to repair a building in eastern Europe and renovate it into a rehabilitation facility. They’ve built a well in a small community in the heart of Africa. As I said earlier, it is an act that brings justice, not just charity, when we work alongside the ones we want to help and equip them with the tools they need to become self-sustaining and independent. Injustice is at the root of much of the world’s poverty; justice is restored when we undo the work of oppression. Sponsoring children is another common and excellent way to do this. I think it pleases God to see His children giving to each other. The beauty of sponsoring a child is that – even if the child is on the other side of the world – it’s not just a distant and anonymous act of charity; it’s something you can see the tangible results of in another person’s life. Who doesn’t love bringing joy to a child?

Inviting speakers from Christian, cause-oriented organizations is another popular way that churches engage in conversations about justice. I remember attending an event at my church years ago to hear a speaker from the International Justice Mission, and I’m sure there have been many other events like that. Along the same line, another popular tool is showing documentaries – in youth group as a teenager, we spent one Friday night watching Invisible Children (the original Invisible Children, made long before the Kony 2012 craze). I always enjoy attending events such as the IJM presentation, and watching Invisible Children became part of an experience that was a major milestone for me on my spiritual journey. These events are good because they can be a catalyst for advocation and support, financial and otherwise, to worthy organizations for just causes. I worry sometimes that these events can all too often be used as talking points, rather than acting points. I highly encourage every Christian to attend events hosting cause-oriented speakers and documentary screenings — you may find your heart on fire for a cause you never knew about! You may find the way your individual talents and passions can perfectly fill and soothe the needs and aches of the world.

Another excellent thing churches do is send teams of people on mission trips. Mission trips, particularly short term missions trips, are often used by the church to spread the gospel and to help our less fortunate brothers and sisters around the globe. Some missions trips like these are also efforts at restoring justice. Many missions trips involve projects for the team such as building a well, or a school, or teaching life skills such as agriculture, farming livestock, and making jewelry. These acts, which undo the work of oppression by giving people new opportunities, help to restore balance and equality to the world. Even better, the privileged meet the oppressed, and maybe bonds of love will form. And maybe, with the right education and mindset, the privileged will see what needs to be changed (and what they can change!) so that oppression will be dismantled.

This concludes Part 1 of the justice series. I hope something from it stuck with you, and that you will stick around to build the conversation. What are ways that your church or Christians you know contribute to the cause of justice? What are your thoughts on the matter, and what would you like to see more of?

*Apparently everyone uses this quote now. Funnily enough, FH might be one of the ones that doesn’t, although they do subscribe to a philosophy of “walking with” rather than “doing for.” (http://www.fhcanada.org/About/)