Do Christians hate justice?
Posted on 1 Jun 2008
Whenever I encounter personal or systemic injustice my least favorite response is of the ilk: ‘we are depraved’, ‘we are all hypocrites’, or ‘we live by grace’. As the language suggests, this self-effacing and perverse hamartiology comes from within the Christian community and it makes me ill (just imagine city council excusing unjust behavior by calling all humanity screw-ups). It is the same platitude that many clergy/theologians used to belittle the Civil Rights Movement: of course the system is broken but things will be right in Heaven, don’t expect too much here in the fallen world, cheer up we’re all sinners. At first it appears to be a humble assessment of our shortcomings, but once you’ve made such a claim you have actually mocked those who are crying injustice and denied them the opportunity to name a greater hope. This just won’t do. And when such sentiment is served as an apology it should be named for what it really is–justification for the status quo and a detachment from the matters at hand.
I believe theological notions of grace/depravity/fallenness/perfection should rather inspire the Christian towards contrition, gratitude, and dependence on God’s forgiveness, not used as carte blanche or a shield from our earthly responsibilities to seek justice. Grace is a reason to say we are sorry with presence and care and take action to make things right, not excuse ourselves as pathetic Sons/Daughters of Adam; to know eternal forgiveness and extend it towards others as we fumble towards the realization of an earthly kingdom.
If I were an aphorist: Hope is not a blind idealism towards utopia, but earnestly seeking greatness.
“The church isn’t perfect, Zadok.”
“Oh, it isn’t? What was I thinking. I’ll go hope for greater things somewhere else.”
(And I have.)
Greg
2 Jun 2008 (09:17)
Do people really take such positions? If so, I really admire your cogent, humble and compassionate retort.
Zadok
2 Jun 2008 (11:07)
Sure, it was a pastor’s blog of this exact nature that spurred the post.
Matt Chism
2 Jun 2008 (12:25)
I don’t think we hate justice… but I think we get confused about our role in the process of justice. Your post made me immediately recall a period of time where I was studying Slave and Slaveholder theologies, and holding a similar disgusted position of “how could you possibly justify this action (slavery) with scripture?”, which was positively at odds with the simple yet powerful freedom-yearning messages of “slave” churches; these messages did not focus on difficult hermeneutics or an exegetical study of Greek, but rather on the simple liberating message of Christ, and a deep identification with the Israelite plight in the OT. Simply, we are all in bondage of some kind, and Christ offers freedom, and commends us to free others. William Wilberforce got it. MLK got it. Many nameless other saints get it. I think about this right now, wearing clothing that quite possibly wasn’t made with living standards in mind for the laborers, typing on a laptop that probably (damn you steve jobs….) caused someone a lung, and as I prepare to apply to jobs that I may get because I fit a profile rather than qualifications. Your point is sharp- and it sticks me in the eye; instead of apologizing and admitting the ever-presence of sin, we should get mad and understand that the Gospel is supposed to blow shit up. And…now my thoughts turn to Screwtape, and the constant western urge to distract ourselves and fill up our time with inconsequentials. How many times have I turned away from blowing shit up with what I know because I wasn’t comfortable?
Man… I need a sandwich, and a diaper change.
Zadok
2 Jun 2008 (12:46)
Matt, you drop scripture here–apocryphal but good news nonetheless. May I encourage you to avoid the inconsequentials and hope for greater things my friend.
kay
3 Jun 2008 (10:51)
Hey Zadok, since the chiz mentions MLK, Jr, it directly calls to mind something that I read from his Letter from a Birmingham Jail. In fact, it’s prompted me to web search it and thankfully, I’ve found this excerpt that I want to post here if you don’t mind. Despite its length, I just think it’s worth reading over and over again:
“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Councilor or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can’t agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically feels that he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advised the Negro to wait until a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”
and a bit later…
“Things are different now. The contemporary church is often a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. It is so often the arch-supporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church’s silent and often vocal sanction of things as they are.
But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If the church of today does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authentic ring, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. I am meeting young people every day whose disappointment with the church has risen to outright disgust.
Maybe again, I have been too optimistic. Is organized religion too inextricably bound to the status quo to save our nation and the world? Maybe I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ecclesia and the hope of the world.”
Peace to you, Zadok…. Thanks for keeping one such as me on my toes….
eugenecho
4 Jun 2008 (15:56)
z:
i wrote this in response:
zadok: good thoughts.
if “depraved and live by grace” is the only answer, then i think it’s an excuse that continues with status quo and is pretty lame.
for me, it’s intended to say that we can’t do it alone. we need help. we need community. we need grace from others. and lastly, we need God’s help in helping usher in a new work…
if it’s a stand alone statement, it’s dangerous. but if it’s part of the larger narrative story of:
god’s creation.
imago dei
sin, rebellion and depravity
incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection
restoration, redemption, and reconciliation
then, i believe it’s a very important admission.
unfortunately, people, including me, can abuse that to be the excuse that exculpates us from action and responsibility.
my classic example is when i tell my wife in response to my selfishness or wickedness: “but i’m not perfect…”
which is another way of saying, “I’m depraved…”
lame.
Jessica
5 Jun 2008 (17:38)
Ahhh..Zadok, my favorite topic..especially fitting for my day since I spent 2 hours with 30 high school kids that have been kicked out of high school -i got to be in conversation with them about racial justice. they grieved more about the inequalities then I have seen most white Christians grieve and I heard a 15 year Latino boy preach the gospel stronger than any pastor who uses gospel “words” to preach the gospel and he never once used a Christian language. and it is because his heart sang the truth…the truth that the gospel sings that we, me—a Christian enmeshed with empire ethos-can not hear any more…i love the church and yet i am finding the Gospel more outside of the church these days in those that Christ calls “the least of these..” and as a Latina woman…I must repent of my own desperateness for power…because I am reluctant to grieve my powerlessness.
Zadok
7 Jun 2008 (08:08)
Kay,
oh yes, that time in Birmingham and the fallout afterwards are exactly the story that I thought of. sad and heavy thoughts indeed.
Eugene,
thanks so much for the clarification. it does need to be stated within that larger story and I appreciate your humility to stand for the admission of guilt and need for others. not easy to do.
Jessica,
the gospel in new words is probably my favorite topic. would love to hear how it went down my friend.
much luv yallz.
SuJ'n
8 Jun 2008 (08:48)
something from church last night (a bit of a paraphrase here):
a man was sharing about when he was called to serve in a church. he struggled and angsted (i know, not a word) about his fitfulness for leadership because he was flawed, sinful, and on and on. so he went to a mentor about it, and yabbered on about his angst, and the mentor quoted Jesus in these five essential words:
“Go and sin no more.”
no cheap grace, but truly gracious. and simple.
Anonymous
31 Jul 2008 (11:37)
you’re good.