Column on charity, justice, the church and VP debate

Lately in Wednesday morning Bible Study, we have been working on the book of Amos. It is not on many people’s favorite books of the bible list. Part of the reason is that it is unfamiliar, not read in church very much on Sunday. Much of the reason is its subject matter: justice. I do think that the Christian churches are very good at charity. How many countless soup kitchens, clothing drives, and other helps are provided by churches? Mission trips are almost always providing medical, construction, or other aid to the physical needs of a community. The famous parable of Mt. 25 on offering corporate works of mercy animates so many Christian responses to those touched by injustice. The church is less successful on justice. Amos envisions a world where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. Amos imagines a new world order where charity would not be needed, as people will be safe, sound, and secure. In American churches, most of us are uncomfortable with that vision, let alone ways to reach it. For years, the American church has emphasized a change in heart, in mindset, of individuals. Justice is a structural concept, a public concept, and so a natural tension, even chasm exists between the charity of individuals and the justice in society. Ensconced in American individualism, out churches have a hard time even trying to translate the biblical call of justice to our attention, let alone action. Even when the churches pursue a justice agenda , we disagree about both means and ends. The religious right tends to look at justice issues as a result of individual sins. the small segment of the religious left tends to look at social sin but is often clueless abut means. it tends to revert to charity programs or assume that criticizing the lack of a policy or program is “social action.” We see this gap in our political culture as well. In last night’s debate, Rep. Ryan constantly sees the private individual as the unit of analysis and the model of action. When he spoke of Gov. Romney’s infamous 47% crack, Rep. Ryan reverted to a story about individual charity. Vice President Biden tends to think in terms of social, political, public programs. His closing image of an America where people get a fair shake, a more level playing filed live sin the world of justice. At this point, I try to hold charity and justice in each hand, at least personally. Almost every day, people come seeking some sort of help at our door. I have gotten to the point where we will get food and some drink to those who ask, but the please are ever-escalating and sometimes large sums of money beyond what personal funds or even a small account can handle. I realize full well that helping out someone can be enabling. I shudder to think of what the God of justice says in light of how we fail to treat so many mentally ill people in our community. At the same time, I struggle to find both areas for church awareness of justice and language and means for the church to respond. I know that it is usually a mistake for the church to fall into lockstep with the political parties. I would like us to work through how we can apply our moral sense of issues along with a more social analysis apart from faith commitments. Sadly the latter is our usual stance. It is insufficient to afflict the comfortable but for us to seek ways to ease the afflictions we all face such as the specter of cancer or the countless threats to the environment. My prayer is that we can find ways to provide help for basic human needs but continue to strive for a world where this land has fewer basic needs crying out for relief.