I don’t listen to Glenn Beck every day. I couldn’t do it. I probably wouldn’t sleep at night I would be so worked up about the end of America coming any day. However, I do like to tune in for a little while a couple of afternoons a week to see what he’s talking about. Just to see if he’s on a different kick for the week. I must admit, he does his homework.
I’ve been a little miffed about the social justice issue…and the warning that if your church is talking about it or if it is in their mission statements or on their church websites, “look out because they are code words,” and other such admonitions. I know “social justice” per se is not in the Bible, and I know we tend to invent terms that fit the times we live in, but I don’t think our intent is either to be politically correct or culturally savvy, nor do we intend to innocently take terms from twisted oppressive history and make them our new religious policy or our political religion. Sometimes all we are trying to do [as Christians] is to say we have tons of social problems and the way to show justice and mercy is to pay attention, steward our resources wisely, and investigate ways to help fix broken systems. Maybe some of us don’t see the implications of using such terms, and even to get a warning from Beck doesn’t make me want to stop using it.
As a matter of fact, one of the speakers at a conference I attended in February, Dr. Anthony Bradley, was referenced in a DVD series my husband and I purchased and enjoyed from the Heritage Foundation, Seek Social Justice. On May 6, I sent an email to Glenn Beck at Fox News recommending Dr. Anthony Bradley as a contributor (he contributes regularly to CNN) and referenced a recent article on social justice in World magazine (http://online.worldmag.com/
Imagine my surprise when Dr. Bradley announced that he was on Beck’s show yesterday (July 13)! I watched the clip, and do you know, Beck explained the gospel of grace perfectly! I’m not taking credit…but it does make me wonder…
(Check out Anthony Bradley’s blog, The Institute. You can find the link over on the right.)
I can see this concern about "social justice" from both sides. It can be a loaded term or code word or it may be used quite innocently. In order to determine which it is necessary to look at the user's definition of the terms and what is advocated in the name of social justice.
ReplyDeleteI can see how the term may be used to fool people into supporting their own enslavement or to support the enforcement of voluntary contract.
There are many like terms such as "sustainability" "freedom" and "society".
Yahweh demands that His people use words that illuminate reality. He hates deceitful speech.
Say what you mean.
One of the definitions of social — of or pertaining to human society, esp. as a body divided into classes according to status.
ReplyDeleteSome definitions of justice--
1. the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness: to uphold the justice of a cause.
2. rightfulness or lawfulness, as of a claim or title; justness of ground or reason: to complain with justice.
3. the moral principle determining just conduct. [my note: determining my own conduct in relationship to society]
4. conformity to this principle, as manifested in conduct; just conduct, dealing, or treatment.
Within these definitions—I (at least :-)) mean what I say. I’m fine with the term.
I should clear up what I meant by "say what you mean". It should have been preceded by a colon maybe. It was not addressing you but rather a re-stating of the impersonal observations already made.
ReplyDeleteI understand! Consequently I would recommend Will's blog post referencing Robert Jimenez's discussion: "Just how useful is "Inerrancy"? How many definitions are there? Now that's a word the likes of which churches need to be sure they mean what they say and say what they mean...
ReplyDeletePerhaps this should be a post rather than a comment but a discussion of "social justice" seems to be such a great segway.
ReplyDeleteIf you will indulge me I would like to start a discussion of different definitions of this term.
I will begin by giving you my working definition of what I mean by social justice.
EACH PERSON RECEIVES WHAT THEY ARE DUE.