Social Justice & Media Misunderstandings

It's been a week now since Glenn Beck compared a church's emphasis on "social justice" as a code name for communism and nazism. And since the United Methodist Church has a strong history of providing "social justice" ministries, I feel the need to offer some thoughts on Beck's comments.

First thought - Let's remember that Beck is in a business that is all about ratings. If the ratings aren't there, people turn the channel and the show ends. So when he holds up poster boards that have symbols of communism and nazism on his show, you have to give the producers credit. It gets our attention.

When I was serving a church in Toledo, Ohio, the newspaper ran an article about "The Confessing Movement" which was basically a conservative/evangelical call directed toward United Methodist pastors and churches. The paper included quotes from two United Methodist pastors, one of whom is a good friend of mine.

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The one pastor was very much in agreement with "The Confessing Movement" and my friend's quotes in the article indicated that he was against it. When I asked my friend about his comments the next day, he said that the reporter had called him on the phone to ask for his opinions. My friend said, "All I told the reporter was that I had heard about "The Confessing Movement" but hadn't really looked into it yet." With that comment, the paper made it appear that my friend was against it!

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Polarization is a great way to sell papers and have people watch TV shows. But it's not a great way to get at the truth.

Second thought - Forgetting Beck's polarization technique for the moment, does he have a point? Should churches refrain from emphasizing social justice ministries? What exactly are social justice ministries anyway?

Social justice is a phrase that reminds us of two central biblical motifs that run throughout the bible. The word "social" refers to the bible's emphasis upon community. God creates Eve because Adam was without a partner. God calls Abraham to become the father of many people who will in turn become a blessing to the world. Jesus calls 12 disciples. The word, church, (ekklesia) literally means an "assembly." It's really difficult to speak biblically and theologically without using the word "social" or "community."

The word, "justice" is another huge biblical word which is really at the heart of the biblical message. Justice refers to what the world would look like if God was running the show. Justice is when all of God's creation have the basic necessities of life. The prophets continually remind us of this central biblical doctrine. Jesus continued this emphasis on justice in his life and ministry. Here are just a few biblical examples:

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Amos 5:24

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and the break every yoke?
Isaiah 58:6

Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness?...He judged the cause of the poor and needy…Is not this to know me? says the Lord.
Jeremiah 22:15-16

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.
Matthew 23:23

And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your god?
Micah 6:8

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And this leads me to a third and concluding thought - The whole point of the biblical message is not primarily about "how can we get to heaven when we die?" although our eternal salvation is an important part of the good news of our faith. The bigger issue is that one day God's justice and glory will fill creation and until that time comes, we as God's people are called upon to work toward this end.

And this is why the United Methodist Church has a resource called, "The Book of Resolutions" which contains our stance on almost 400 social issues facing our world today. In addition to offering ways for churches to be involved in social justice ministries directly, it also offers ways for churches to be an advocate for social justice through the political process as well.

For Christians who are uneasy about mixing religion and politics, think of William Wilberforce, (ending England's slave trade) Bishop Desmond Tutu, (ending apartheid) and think of the biblical understanding of "social justice."