SOCIAL JUSTICE
INTRODUCE READINGS
Having the two OT readings today – Isaiah 5 followed by the psalm. There’s a fascinating correlation between them!
Both talk about Israel as a vineyard that’s been planted and cared for by God.
In Isaiah it’s a love song of God for the vineyard, but God is turning his back and letting it go to ruin because of the behaviour and injustice of the people.
Then in the psalm we see it form the people’s point of view and they are crying out to God – why have you deserted us??!
Fascinating to have the two together.
Isaiah 5 is a fascinating reading – a love song for a vineyard!! Seems strange to me, but to middle eastern ears…? family vineyards ...
Starts with ambiguity, we’re not sure who the singer is, nor what the vineyard represents.
Then when we get to v.7 this is explained.
The singer is God and the vineyard is Israel and Judah ie the Israelite nation.
God has a complaint against his people whom he loves like a bride! He likens them to a vineyard that he has planted, watered, cared for, etc.
What starts with tender warmth turns to prophetic judgement – an anguished cry for those unjustly oppressed!
The rest of the chapter which we didn’t read is a series of 6 accusations and pronouncements of judgement. I’ll list these accusations:
- v.8 land-grabbing. i.e. injustice against the poor.
- v.11 wild living & gluttony
- v.18 scepticism and scoffing
- v.20 reversal of values, i.e. calling evil good (reading book yesterday that claimed what we used to call ‘sin’ we now call ‘choice’.)
- v.21 pride in your own thinking; puffed up in own importance.
- v.22 returns to injustice – the innocent are not protected!
The whole structure of society and the justice system which is supposed to provide an equal playing field for all and protect the innocent was being twisted so that the law had become an instrument of oppression.
So God turns his back on them and leaves then to their own devices, and they crumble.
In fact, worse than that, later the prophet says that God will actually actively work against them by using the Assyrians to punish them for their apostasy and injustice!
This is the common message of the prophets – warning the people to turn from their wickedness or else God will punish them.
I’m not too sure what to do with this when it comes to applying it today. We need to be quite careful about grabbing an OT text and applying it straight to today’s context. People have done that with AIDS, for instance, and seen it as God’s judgment. But this suggests that God has caused many innocent people to suffer horrific deaths. This is certainly not consistent with the God revealed by Jesus Christ.
None-the-less, the condemnation of injustice and apostasy is consistent throughout Scripture, and I couldn’t help but see parallels between this passage and Australia today. How do you think Australia fairs against these accusations made in Isaiah 5?
(Read the 6 points)
As I read and see news articles of other countries I come to the conclusion that Australia is one of the best countries in the world in regard to social justice, and yet I still don’t think we fair very well! It seems to me that our justice system all too often loses sight of the truth, and instead fulfils the letter of the law. And we seem to have a system for the rich and a system for the poor, which operates very much in favour of the rich!
I heard Professor Ronald Atkinson from the University of Tasmania speaking on ABC radio on Friday night. He was commenting on a recent study that expressed concern about the growing disparity between the rich and poor in Australia. Not only is the gap getting wider, but significantly there is reducing contact between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’.
When I was young Australia was proud of being a ‘classless society’. That is plainly not true any more! And in many ways the rich are getting richer at the expense of the poor. Perhaps I shouldn’t target the banks but it is hard not to be critical when the new CEO of Westpac is appointed on an annual package of $11 million. At the same time fees on small accounts have never been higher.
Listening to the ‘Conversation Hour’ on ABC radio on Friday, John Fain interviewed Thomas Homer-Dixon, author of a new book called, ‘The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity and the Renewal of Civilisation’. He likens Western civilisation today with the Roman Empire prior to its fall! He can see big changes happening in the not too distant future.
But back to the big picture. What can we do?
I want to give a response on two levels: (i) firstly, as a church, and (ii) secondly, on a personal level.
Firstly as a church.
(a) In Scripture the prophets took their message to the king and the people in power. Theirs was a political message about power and justice. I believe the church still has a role in public debate, however much politicians tell us to keep to religion! So long as politics has to do with the well being of people it overlaps with religion!
And our church leaders deserve our support when they make public comment. We may not agree with everything they say publicly on behalf of the church, but we should still stand in solidarity with them. Very often when they make public comment the most bitter criticism actually comes from within the church itself.
It was interesting talking with Gregor Henderson, our President, here in T’gon last Saturday. He indicated that a lot of the lobbying they do is actually behind the scenes, when meeting with politicians. In fact, he said that on some issues, such as aged care, they have an open door to the Minister. (He also said that relationships with John Howard and Alexander Downer have soured over more recent years since the Tampa and children overboard debacles.)
That’s one way the church can make a difference – as an advocate!
(b) The church also has a responsibility to model a different way of being. We live by Kingdom values, there are no first class seats in the church!! As we gather here we gather as equals, no matter if we’re millionaires in high standing in the community, or unemployed and homeless.
And we must welcome people accordingly. Every person that comes through that door deserves our best welcome! When rostered onto the newcomers table or to welcome on the door you have one of the most important jobs in the church – you model who we are! You’re not there to give out the news-letter, that’s only an excuse to be able to say to each person as they come in, “Welcome, God loves you, you are important in this place!”
So that’s my first response, (a) the prophetic voice of the church needs to be heard in the public forum, and (b) the church must model a different way of being!
My second response is on a personal level. Here I make 4 points:
- We are not to use the system to our advantage at the expense of someone else. Just because something is legal does not make it right. We live by Kingdom values 24/7! e.g. (i) Hazels taking land. (ii) Minister’s Benefit Acct.
- Just because everyone else is doing it does not make it right. Because society declares something ‘good’ doesn’t mean that it is so. (e.g. medical ethics, abortion)
- We all benefit greatly by human achievement and modern technology, but let us never forget who created us! We must always let God be God.
- Let us always stand up for the poor. The church and individual Christians have an advocacy role. We are to set an example in ethical living and we are to name wrong and injustice. However uncomfortable that may be for us is hardly the point!
In summary I would say that as Christians we march to the beat of a different drum. Jesus came declaring ‘the Kingdom of God is at hand’, and so we are to live Kingdom values here and now.
We have the example of many who have gone before us and done just this. So I finish by reading from Hebrews 11:32-37a, 12:1-2.
Traralgon 19th Aug 07
Isaiah 5:1-7 ; Ps 80:1-2, 8-19 |