Why Justice Matters

                                                  Sermon by Pastor Dan Wilkie

                                       First Congregational United Church of Christ

                                                     Grand Junction, Colorado

                                                             January 15, 2012

 

                                                         Scriptures:  Various

 

 

            With today being Martin Luther King Jr. Sunday, and tomorrow being Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and with one of the most important goals as faithful Christians being the work for justice, I thought today would be a perfect day to talk about justice and why it matters.  It is important here to clarify, that I will be talking about social justice, not criminal justice, although reforms of the latter could be a part of social justice.

            For those of you, who really do not understand what social justice stands for, or have perhaps some very negative connotations of social justice from things you have heard in the media, I hope that when I am finished today, you may have some answers or different perspectives. 

            First, the concept of social justice has its basis in the earliest of Christian teachings as Jesus preached and taught the disciples. The concept of Social Justice is also a part of the teachings of other faith traditions such as Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism.

The term Social Justice was first coined by Jesuit Luigi Taparelli in 1840 based on the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas, and given further exposure in 1848 by Antonio Rosmini-Serbati,  these concepts were further elaborated on by the moral theologian, John A.,Ryan, who initiated the concept of a living wage.  Father Coughlin also used the term in his publications in the 1930’s and 1940’s.  It is an important part of Catholic social teaching, the Episcopalian Social Gospel, and is one of the “Four Pillars of the Green Party” upheld worldwide[1].  In the interest of fairness, however, I must mention there are many secular understandings of similar meanings.

            The concepts are based on human rights, equality, and certain social understandings such as fairness and kindness.  Martin Luther King Jr. while primarily leading the Civil Rights movement here had a pretty clear vision of what social justice meant.  In a quote from his last book, “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?” (1968) he writes “We have inherited a large house, a great “world house” in which we have to live together, black and white, Easterner and Westerner, Gentile, and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Muslim and Hindu, a family unduly separated in ideas, culture, and interest, who, because we can never again live apart, must learn somehow to live with each other in peace.”

            I found this quote profound because all one has to do is turn on the television, look at the news on one’s computer, read the news and see all of the issues here in this country and around the world whose roots lie in the omission of some part of social justice teachings.  These are issues such as the economy, immigration, marriage equality, health care reform, the fractured nature of governmental relationships, or internationally the human rights protests in the Middle East, wars, abuse of women and other minorities including attacks on various religious minorities.

            I find it especially reprehensible when many of the people responsible for the behavior behind these issues call themselves people of faith.  And, I want to assure you that no one political party, personal viewpoint, attitude, faith community, gender, or orientation is above the other, it seems that persons of all types have been partly responsible. 

            Any time, that one idea, one person, one group, one religious understanding, or any other process is promoted as being better, more correct, or more honest….the potential for abuse of another exists, not because the idea itself may be wrong, but because we as human beings dig in our heels, and lose our inability to be flexible, objective, and listen to other viewpoints beside our own.  

            Truly seeking justice and walking humbly with God, as the prophet Micah suggests, means:  Respecting the views of others, they may indeed have valid points, even if they say things that are uncomfortable to hear; respecting the dignity of the other person even if you may not fully agree with or understand their behavior; being respected for who you are, we do not have to tolerate abuse ourselves; being able, as the scripture passage from Luke suggests, to “Turn the other cheek”; and lastly, focusing on the greater good of all, not just for the benefit of ourselves. 

            Unfortunately for us however, the entire concept of Social Justice goes against the culture of consumerism and capitalism in this country.  Instead of the measure of our lives being a reflection of our work on the part of others, our kindness, or our humbleness; all too often, it is the size of our bank accounts, the size of our house, the cars we drive, the number of toys we have, or the power and prestige of certain careers. 

            Yet from a Christian perspective, there are questions that need to be answered: Why, is it that it is so easy for us to get caught up in some of the worldly ideals, or get lost in perspectives that go totally against the lessons that Christ taught us, or that some of the prophets shared? 

            Perhaps what is required of us is to look at some of the issues we face through different lenses, lenses for instance that don’t reflect fear, or lenses that don’t mirror wealth and power.  Perhaps what is asked of us is to try listening to the plaintive cries of others, not with hardened hearts, but rather with hearts filled with compassion, respect, and an understanding of what they must be going through.

            After all, why should a family from Mexico, tired of drug violence, unable to find work, or unable to grow crops on their small acreage, who seeks the comfort and sanctity of the United States be criminalized, there needs to be a better way than what we have.  What would happen if we looked at this from a different perspective or through different lenses?

            Why shouldn’t a same sex loving couple, committed to honor each other and respect each other, have an opportunity to share a full relationship together with the same rights as any other couple?  Why can’t we look at this differently just as communities have looked at other faith and civil issues throughout our history, allowing these couples the ability to share in committed lives either in a Civil ceremony or in churches that recognize such relationships and have these relationships honored and respected, and why would doing so somehow alter how others believe?  Think about it, it would not change one bit, how another person believes, or their relationship with God, or their faith, they could still believe as they do, just the relationship would be treated the same as any other relationship?

            Why shouldn’t the unemployed or underemployed couple with the small children, or the homeless man on the street have the opportunity to have the same health care as the business CEO?  Why do we see the only answer as being private enterprise when perhaps the real answer lies somewhere with governments and private companies working together, not trying to control each other when there is more than enough profits to make this happen?

            Why should companies pay CEO’s millions of dollars in bonuses and stock options, when investors are often paid minimally for their investments and employees of these same companies are paid in many cases as little as possible while their benefits are cut or their jobs are moved overseas?

            Why do we corporations close here, and move to other parts of the world to take care of cheap labor and minimal or non-existent environmental regulations? What if government and business could work together to find ways to bridge this gap without sacrificing either the environment or adequate compensation?

            These are the reasons justice is necessary, we are all created in God’s image as the passage from Genesis suggests, no one better or worse, or more valuable than another, so when one person anywhere is treated unfairly, all of humanity suffers and we are diminished as God’s people.  We must constantly strive to take the moral ground.  Gandhi, in an interview before his death said it this way “As soon as we lose the moral basis, we cease to be religious.  There is no such thing as religion over-riding morality.  Man, for instance, cannot be untruthful, cruel, or incontinent and claim to have God on his side.” 

            So as people of faith what can one do to make a difference?  Study the issues you read about, look at them not from simply your perspective and what you might want to get from them, but look at them from the point of view of someone who might be affected either by the change or the lack of change, if possible meet some of these real people, this makes it harder just to see them as a nameless part of an issue.  Spend some time today after church in the discussion group talking about fairness and kindness in our church and community.  Write letters, send emails, or if possible meet and talk with governmental leaders voicing your concerns about injustices and the real live people who are will be harmed by such efforts.   Join or support groups that are working to end injustice.  Speak up for others when they are treated unfairly. 

            Now I know that many of these things may be difficult to do, but injustice, oppression, violence and intolerance will not change, until people are willing to work for fairness and kindness in all things.

            In a quote from President Kennedy’s speech at the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, he summed up not only the crisis he had just been through; but many of the other issues that faced this country, “In the final analysis, our problems are created by man and can therefore be solved by Man”. 

            So as we leave this place, let us leave as enlightened, empowered, ready to make a difference in our world through our words, our actions, and our prayers.

 

Amen.