The Salvation The Salvation Army and Army and

Social JusticeSocial JusticeKaren ShakespeareKaren Shakespeare

January 2010January 2010

From the local worshipping From the local worshipping community to the international community to the international administration, social justice for administration, social justice for The Salvation Army The Salvation Army is rooted in faith, and is rooted in faith, and characterised by action, characterised by action, particularly particularly on on behalf of the behalf of the oppressed.oppressed.

Why social Why social justice ?justice ?

The Old Testament The Old Testament

Justice is the foundation of God’s Justice is the foundation of God’s character; a justice that is character; a justice that is revealed in love and mercy (Psalm revealed in love and mercy (Psalm 89:14). 89:14).

Human beings, who are created in Human beings, who are created in the image of God, should reflect the image of God, should reflect that character (Genesis 1:26-27).that character (Genesis 1:26-27).

The Old TestamentThe Old Testament

The separation from God that is caused The separation from God that is caused by human rebellion leads to injustice. by human rebellion leads to injustice. Healing can only come through Healing can only come through hesed,hesed, the relational, faithful and covenanted the relational, faithful and covenanted love of God (Isaiah 9:7, 1 John 1:9).love of God (Isaiah 9:7, 1 John 1:9).

The reign of God will bring reconciliation The reign of God will bring reconciliation and restoration to human community. and restoration to human community. Justice is a sign of God’s Kingdom. Justice is a sign of God’s Kingdom.

The New TestamentThe New Testament

The central theme of Jesus’ message is The central theme of Jesus’ message is the coming of the Kingdom of God.the coming of the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom will be inaugurated in The Kingdom will be inaugurated in Jesus and God’s justice will be re-Jesus and God’s justice will be re-asserted. asserted.

The redemption offered through Jesus The redemption offered through Jesus affects the whole of creation, including affects the whole of creation, including social structures (Colossians 1:20).social structures (Colossians 1:20).

The New TestamentThe New Testament

Justice is therefore not only social Justice is therefore not only social justice, but Kingdom justice. It is justice, but Kingdom justice. It is the manifestation of the Kingdom the manifestation of the Kingdom of God in human society.of God in human society.

The justice of the Kingdom is the The justice of the Kingdom is the outworking of God’s covenant love outworking of God’s covenant love for humanity. for humanity.

The church…..The church…..

……..must be a sign of God’s coming ..must be a sign of God’s coming KingdomKingdom

……..should speak about justice..should speak about justice

…….. should act prophetically to .. should act prophetically to bring about justice in a broken bring about justice in a broken world. world.

Think… Think…

When faced with a practical When faced with a practical situation, how do we discern situation, how do we discern what is justice in God’s eyes?what is justice in God’s eyes?

How do we know how to act How do we know how to act justly? justly?

How can we How can we work with other work with other

agencies?agencies?

The Salvation Army “at all times The Salvation Army “at all times will be overtly and explicitly will be overtly and explicitly Christian” (Shaw Clifton 2008), Christian” (Shaw Clifton 2008), but it is willing to engage in but it is willing to engage in intelligent and sensitive intelligent and sensitive networking with secular networking with secular agencies in the cause of social agencies in the cause of social justice. justice.

Human Rights Human Rights

The Universal The Universal Declaration Declaration of Human Rights of Human Rights provides a framework provides a framework for justice for the for justice for the philosophy of many philosophy of many agencies and agencies and organizations.organizations.

http://www.fanpop.com/spots/human-rights/images/

This statement resonates deeply This statement resonates deeply with a Christian understanding with a Christian understanding of the worth and dignity of every of the worth and dignity of every human being, creates common human being, creates common ground and makes space ground and makes space

for working together in for working together in

the cause of global the cause of global

social justice.social justice.

Are rights enough?Are rights enough?

Reinhold Niebuhr says that human Reinhold Niebuhr says that human justice will always be imperfect and justice will always be imperfect and that without the “grace” of love, that without the “grace” of love, justice is always diminished.justice is always diminished.

Thus Biblical justice is not Thus Biblical justice is not onlyonly an an issue of human rights, but also of issue of human rights, but also of grace. Often we need to go beyond grace. Often we need to go beyond the ‘rights’ of people if we are to the ‘rights’ of people if we are to give them Kingdom justice.give them Kingdom justice.

Read and Reflect…Read and Reflect…

Read Matthew 20: 1-16

Is this a story of fairness, or of grace?

Consider…Consider…

How might the Christian How might the Christian

concept of Kingdom justice concept of Kingdom justice which is motivated by love which is motivated by love influence The Salvation influence The Salvation Army’s work with secular Army’s work with secular agencies? agencies?

What can we What can we learn from learn from history?history?

History demonstrates that the History demonstrates that the relationship of the church to the relationship of the church to the socio-political context has often socio-political context has often shaped its response to society. shaped its response to society.

During the earliest days the Church During the earliest days the Church was outside the structures of society, was outside the structures of society, but eventually it became but eventually it became ‘respectable’, and in some cases an ‘respectable’, and in some cases an institution of society.institution of society.

Success and failure…Success and failure…

Despite considerable influence for Despite considerable influence for good, the close relationship between good, the close relationship between church and state has sometimes church and state has sometimes compromised the Church’s ability, or compromised the Church’s ability, or motivation, to work for social justice motivation, to work for social justice and social reform. Like the ‘court and social reform. Like the ‘court prophets’ of the Old Testament who prophets’ of the Old Testament who tempered their prophecy to suit the tempered their prophecy to suit the mood of the time (Jeremiah 14:13), the mood of the time (Jeremiah 14:13), the church has failed to critique the church has failed to critique the prevailing wisdom.prevailing wisdom.

The Salvation Army The Salvation Army

Two of The Salvation Army Two of The Salvation Army traditions that have shaped our traditions that have shaped our self-understanding and theology self-understanding and theology are particularly relevant to the are particularly relevant to the area of social justice- area of social justice-

a call to the marginalizeda call to the marginalizeda culture of activism. a culture of activism.

The roots of the movement in the East The roots of the movement in the East End of Victorian London, coupled withEnd of Victorian London, coupled withthe social awareness of William and the social awareness of William and Catherine Booth, have ensured a Catherine Booth, have ensured a historical commitment to the poor and historical commitment to the poor and marginalised throughout our history. marginalised throughout our history.

The pursuit of social The pursuit of social justicejustice became a became a feature of the Army’s feature of the Army’s response to societal need. response to societal need.

A challenge….A challenge….

We need to acknowledge that aWe need to acknowledge that as The s The Salvation Army has become more Salvation Army has become more established, and in some countries, established, and in some countries, integrated into the fabric of society, we integrated into the fabric of society, we have sometimes preferred to work within have sometimes preferred to work within the established norms of the culture, the established norms of the culture, engaging in social service rather than engaging in social service rather than speakingspeaking prophetically against the root prophetically against the root causes of social injustice. causes of social injustice.

To consider….To consider….

Has The Salvation Army’s a-Has The Salvation Army’s a-political policy, or acceptance of political policy, or acceptance of public funding affected our public funding affected our willingness to become involved willingness to become involved in social justice issues?in social justice issues?

Is it ever right not to pursue Is it ever right not to pursue social justice? Can it be more social justice? Can it be more costly to speak out than to costly to speak out than to remain silent? remain silent?

What should What should be the Army’s be the Army’s

response in the response in the 2121stst century? century?

A re-exploration of a rich A re-exploration of a rich heritage and an honest appraisal heritage and an honest appraisal of the demands of true of the demands of true discipleship are resulting in a discipleship are resulting in a resurgence of interest in issues resurgence of interest in issues of social justice at all levels of of social justice at all levels of The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army.

When does social justice begin? When does social justice begin? When individuals take responsibility When individuals take responsibility

for living differently, offering a new for living differently, offering a new model of being human as citizens of model of being human as citizens of God’s Kingdom. God’s Kingdom.

When the church lives justly, creating When the church lives justly, creating an inclusive, counter-cultural society an inclusive, counter-cultural society in which all are offered a place and in which all are offered a place and none are marginalized. none are marginalized.

Think, reflect and act… Think, reflect and act…

What are the opportunities What are the opportunities

and challenges in your and challenges in your context?context?

Isaiah 1:17 reads Isaiah 1:17 reads

‘‘Seek justice, encourage the Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.’oppressed.’

Throughout its history The Throughout its history The Salvation Army has ‘encouraged' Salvation Army has ‘encouraged' and provided for the oppressed. and provided for the oppressed.

An alternative reading of Isaiah An alternative reading of Isaiah 1:17 says 1:17 says

‘ ‘Seek Justice, I rebuke the Seek Justice, I rebuke the oppressor.’ oppressor.’

The role of the prophet, as one who The role of the prophet, as one who speaks forth the word of God, is speaks forth the word of God, is therefore to challenge those therefore to challenge those structures which lead to structures which lead to oppression, marginalisation and oppression, marginalisation and poverty. poverty.

How should The How should The Salvation Army Salvation Army live out its live out its prophetic calling prophetic calling in the 21in the 21stst century? century?