Considering Social Justice

Glenn Beck has spread lots of heat, but not much light, on the issue of social justice.  The topic is confusing, particularly since people mean different things by the term.  But the Bible clearly teaches that God is concerned about social justice (just read the Minor Prophets) and that we should be too (try Isaiah too).

Social Justice is a slogan that has been co-opted by any number of groups.  What Beck is afraid of is the kind that is preached by politicians.  Politicians often take the duty of the church and apply it to the state in an effort to get people dependent upon the state (since they don’t believe there is a God anyway).

Some theologians have separated social justice from the gospel.  I don’t mean we are nice to people so we can preach the gospel to them.  I mean that social justice flows out of the gospel.

That means that as the work of Christ is applied to me by the Spirit, I become more like Christ in my character and concerns.  I will act justly and love mercy (Micah 6), as I walk humbly with my God.

This means that social justice is also an expression of the gospel.  It is a foretaste of the new heavens and new earth.  It reveals something (not everything) of God’s heart.

There have been a number of books that have recently come out concerned with social justice.  I haven’t read any of them, but some guys I read have.

Kevin DeYoung really wants to like The Hole in Our Gospel.  He affirms our call to care for the poor, but struggles with Stearns’ de-emphasis of justification.  When your go-to guy on economics is Jimmy Carter, you are in trouble.  And that is the other major weakness that DeYoung mentions.

Tim Challies takes a look at The Humanitarian Jesus: Social Justice and the Cross.  He really likes the first part of the book which develops a sound biblical theology to support social justice.  The second part was not as helpful for him.  It is a series of interviews with men like Ron Sider, Tony Campolo, Francis Chan and Mark Batterson.  That is an interesting spectrum.  And some of these men would appear to have abandoned the biblical theology of social justice.  Those men have lapsed into more of a social gospel.

One book that is on my list to read is When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor and Yourself.  Bearing endorsements from such people as Bryan Chapell, Steve Childers, Randy Nabors and …. Ron Sider, it should prove interesting.  It also made Kevin DeYoung’s Top Ten for 2009.  His review is in three parts (one, two, three).  Tim Challies also reviews the book.

Harvie Conn also has a book on the subject- Evangelism: Doing Justice and Preaching Grace which obviously tries to connect the two.  He sees the two as working hand in hand, justice & mercy can often remove some of the hindrances to the gospel.

The church needs to work through these issues.  Some of our answers have left plenty to be desired.  Some of us haven’t even bothered to try (which is even worse, perhaps).  It is not just about poverty, but alleviating the misery caused by sin, and addressing sinful structures as well.  Where the Church has seen this as a vibrant result of the gospel it has flourished.  But where this supplants the gospel, the Church has floundered.