(W)Riting Injustice

 

Picture Credit: Pixabay 

Last week was the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WPCU), which traditionally falls between 18th to 25th January. This year it took as its theme; Be-Longing: Praying for Unity amidst Injustice. I was privileged to conduct one of the short worship services for WPCU in a local Anglican church and in my reflection focused on how the words “Justice” and Injustice”, can have many different interpretations depending on the context of how and where they are used. That reflection is the basis for this month’s More than Writers blog.

 According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word Justice has four specific meanings firstly; it is behaviour or treatment that is morally right or fair, secondly; the quality of being right and fair, thirdly; the administration of the law in a way that is fair and morally right and lastly; to describe a judge or magistrate. Injustice is defined as being a lack of justice or fairness and secondly, an unjust act or occurrence. But who decides on what is a just or unjust act simply based on the above definitions and what impact does this have both as Christians and as human beings? I used a couple of scenarios which depending on context could be considered both just and unjust and asked those present for their views.

 The first example was the employee who steals from their employer and is subsequently dismissed. Most who were present thought it was just. But when the caveat was added of the company then prosecuting the former employee to recover their losses, an action which could potentially lead to that person being left bankrupt or destitute, opinion was divided. Likewise, the case of an employee who had been given a second chance by their employer if they agreed to undertake another thirteen-week probation process so their performance could be properly and fairly assessed. In the event they failed to achieve the standard required, and the consensus of those in authority was that their services should be terminated. Again this was considered just. However, when told that this occurred two days before Christmas and there was a young family involved, opinion was once more divided.

Determining who should be classed as the Deserving and Undeserving Poor also divides opinion. There are those, many in Church circles, who feel there should be no differentiation between those who strive to do their best honestly and by claiming only what they are entitled to, and those who sit around taking little or no responsibility for themselves and take anything going free. Paul in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 verses 10-12 says, “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” Of course, Paul did not mean for people to starve or become destitute, but instead issued to us a reminder that we should if we are able to earn our own living rather than reap the benefits of the efforts of others. It is hard to be objective sometimes when putting across the arguments in support of either viewpoint, it is easy to get emotive, yet we must also acknowledge that the Lord has placed these people before us, and we are commanded to love and serve these neighbours as ourselves.

 St Paul’s writings not only zealously proclaim the Gospel of Christ but also challenged those who read or listened to his letters on the subject of human relationships not only with God, but with each other and the wider world. In Colossians 2:20 he writes that “If you give your life to Christ why do you live as if you belonged to the world?” “Why do you submit to regulations?” Why do we as professed followers of Christ so willingly accept much of the status quo in our society? Why do we choose to remain part of the silent majority – with a few honourable exceptions – when we see so much economic and social injustice even within our own communities? Robert Tressell perhaps came closest to answering this perennial question in his magnificent commentary on the condition of the working classes, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. On page 618 he writes, “Under the present system many men and women capable of great works are prevented from giving expression to their powers by poverty and lack of opportunity; and later, “Under the present system there are men at the head of affairs whose only object is the accumulation of money.” It would appear very little has changed.

  Writers of all genres have challenged injustice in the past and still do today. We all have our own favourite examples, and we won’t always agree on causes and outcomes as the examples above illustrate. What we can do is practice our own form of what Pope Francis called Reconciled Diversity, described as “The beauty of a people in which no one had to give up being who they were, yet who could walk together in a common path.”[1] In other words regardless of denomination or genre, as writers we should seek to be mediators in raising awareness of and tackling blatant injustice, however fraught the challenge.

 Injustice takes many forms; social, economic, educational, racial, religious, cultural etc. Our response as Christians first and foremost is to keep praying for the spirit to guide us and give us the courage to challenge those in authority to tackle these evils and take them to task when they fail. Jesus left us with two commandments: love of God and love of neighbour. As writers, we achieve our own unity by demonstrating both at all times.

 

 Michael Cronogue originally from London now resides in Walsall in West Midlands region of UK. Writer and blogger discussing matters of faith and theology on his website www.michaelcronogue.com He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Queen’s Foundation Birmingham (Newman University) where he was Secretary to the Queen’s Social Justice Action Group. He is also a Methodist Local Preacher and serves as a volunteer Chaplain with the West Midlands Police Service.  

 

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[1] A. Ivereigh, The Great Reformer: Francis and the making of a Radical Pope (New York, Picador, 2014) p.293