Conclusion: Seek Social Justice

[Part 6 of 6 in my review of the Seek Social Justice study from the Heritage Foundation and WORLD Magazine]

This section is about how all the previous parts of the puzzle fit together. The crucial point is made that it doesn’t work to seek social justice in abstract generalities, opposing “injustice� and on the side of “the poor.� Rather, social justice is about specific people, specific events, and specific actions. They translate this to mean that casting blame on “structures� doesn’t solve our neighbors’ needs. This is partly true; expecting a focus on abstract oppressive “structures� to produce justice is certainly naïve. But behind structures are real people making real decisions that have real ramifications for real people. To ignore structures and pretend that being a good neighbor to the person next door will solve everything is equally naïve, in my opinion.

Again, I’m in agreement with what they hammer home over and over again in this concluding section, the idea of concentric circles: the closer you are the better you understand the person and the issues they face, and the better equipped you are to respond compassionately and appropriately. I definitely think that grassroots efforts in most cases are smarter and more effective than bloated top-down ones. And as is pointed out, love isn’t something the government can offer - it’s something people extend to other people in a mutually enriching way.

One of the contributors cites Mother Teresa, who said that if you look at many, you won’t act. If you look at one, however, you will. Now, I have a world of respect for Mother Teresa and I think the way she lived her life looked a lot like Jesus.  But the fact is, while much of the time we can indeed be faithful Christians by loving the neighbor and the enemy immediately around us, I think there does come a time to set our sights higher - without disregarding those fundamental parts of the Christian life. When injustices are ingrained in society and protected by law, followers of Christ can’t be content to allow the “structures� to remain untouched. We can thank God that spiritual giants like William Wilberforce and William Carey, among countless others, didn’t settle for the unjust structures in their day. They were undoubtedly committed to loving their immediate neighbors in great and small ways, but it didn't end there for them. [Interestingly, in the recommended resources at the end of the study, a book about Wilberforce is recommended, but how his life example supports their framework is left to the imagination.]

If we’re truly concerned about social justice in a real, lasting way, libertarian “hands off� values alone won’t get us there, and it’s at this point, I suppose, that I part ways with the makers of this study.  Of course, digging in and figuring out why crimes like sex trafficking and economic exploitation continue unabated is no substitute for small acts of love. If we had to choose between addressing oppressive structures and loving our neighbors, I’d choose loving neighbors in a heartbeat. But that’s a false choice. We don’t have to choose, and indeed, we can’t afford to.

So we come to the end of the study, and as I reflect on it as a whole, I suspect that one of the goals behind it was to redefine “social justice� for an audience not necessarily predisposed very favorably towards the term. The cynic in me worries that it’s merely an attempt to co-opt the word, to cheapen it. The optimist in me - who I diligently try to pay more attention to - is hopeful that it will serve to get more people talking about these substantial things and in turn, more people will be getting their hands dirty in the hard and important work of seeking social justice. God knows we need all the help we can get.

One thing remains clear. Seeking social justice will not be easy. It will take all of us making sacrifices, getting personally involved, crossing boundaries we haven’t dared to cross before. I’ve affirmed much of the study’s message, and I’ve voiced my concerns. But whatever you take away from the series, disagreements aside, however you decide to seek social justice, please…

Make it real.

Make it personal.

Join others.

Allow the process to transform you.

And don’t be afraid of what might happen next.