Like our Patristic and Puritan forebears, many modern American Christians have sought to apply justice to all aspects of life. While our Roman Catholic[1] and Orthodox[2] brothers and sisters are often known for their pursuits of justice, evangelicals have long been recognized as activists[3], holding a deep commitment to put one’s faith into practice, obeying the commands of scripture in all aspects of life.
Just as those who have come before us sought to apply justice to the issues that they faced in their day, so too many modern evangelicals are stepping up and striving to be faithful in our time, seeking to apply biblical justice to issues such as Nationalism[4], Abortion and Adoption[5], Immigration, Policing[6], Racism[7], Violence and Warfare[8].
One of the foundational modern treatments of the evangelical commitment to justice is part of the Lausanne movement. In 1982, under the leadership of Rev. John Stott, members of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization produced a paper on the social responsibility of the church, stating
We affirm that God is both the Creator and the Judge of all men. We therefore should share his concern for justice and reconciliation throughout human society and for the liberation of men from every kind of oppression. Because mankind is made in the image of God, every person, regardless of race, religion, colour, culture, class, sex or age, has an intrinsic dignity because of which he should be respected and served, not exploited. Here too we express penitence both for our neglect and for having sometimes regarded evangelism and social concern as mutually exclusive. Although reconciliation with man is not reconciliation with God, nor is social action evangelism, nor is political liberation salvation, nevertheless we affirm that evangelism and socio-political involvement are both part of our Christian duty. For both are necessary expressions of our doctrines of God and man, our love for our neighbour and our obedience to Jesus Christ. The message of salvation implies also a message of judgment upon every form of alienation, oppression and discrimination, and we should not be afraid to denounce evil and injustice wherever they exist. When people receive Christ they are born again into his kingdom and must seek not only to exhibit but also to spread its righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous world. The salvation we claim should be transforming us in the totality of our personal and social responsibilities. Faith without works is dead.[9]
Instead of pitting biblical justice against evangelism, these evangelical leaders recognize that practicing biblical justice is not only a moral imperative, but also a crucial component of effective evangelism. I believe the Lausanne position provides a helpful corrective for modern evangelicals who would seek to disassociate justice from the gospel.
In contemporary American evangelicalism, it has become fashionable for conservative, ‘bible believing’ leaders to downplay the pursuit of justice within our society[10]. Adherents to this position often use rhetoric such as “just preach the gospel”, an approach that effectively neuters the very gospel they are trying to protect.
The good news that Jesus proclaimed was not only about ‘souls being saved,’ but about lives being transformed and the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God in the here and now!
The good news that Jesus proclaimed is truly good news for the poor, the prisoner, the infirmed and the oppressed (Luke 4:18). In a world suffering rampant and unchecked injustice at the hands of the Kingdoms of this World, a “good news” without justice is not good news at all.
Instead of investing precious resources into radically pursuing justice in our communities, many evangelical leaders are creating an unhealthy distraction from the primary mission of the church. While claiming to be protecting the church from ungodly ideologies, they are in fact marring the witness of the church as our community listens to evangelicals publicly debating about whether a Christian should care about justice.
We are called to be ambassadors of the Kingdom of God (2 Cor 5:20), not culture warriors fending off Marxism, Critical Theories, liberals or whatever new boogeyman is lurking around the corner. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a lived reality, a truth that transforms people in such a way that they intentionally seek to live out the character of God in their communities[11].
As followers of Jesus pursue biblical justice in all aspects of life, people will be drawn to Jesus (1 Pet 3:15), find healing (Matt 11:5) and reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18) by the power of his Spirit, and glorify God on the day he visits us (1 Pet 2:12).
Intro: Justice For All
Part I: Justice in Scripture
Part II: Justice in Church History – St. Basil
Part III: Justice in Church History – The Puritans
Part IV: Justice in Church History – Modern Evangelicals
[1] Novak, Social Justice, 15
[2] “For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church” goarch.org, https://www.goarch.org/social-ethos-executive-summary
[3] Mark Noll, David Bebbington and George Marsden. Evangelicals: Who They Have Been, Are Now, and Could Be (United States, Eerdmans, 2019), 6
[4] Tremper Longman III, The Bible and The Ballot (Michigan, Eerdmans, 2020), 81.
[5] Michael Wear, Chris Butler and Justine Giboney, Compassion (&) Conviction: The AND Campaign’s Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement (United States: InterVarsity Press, 2020), 86.
[6] Esau McCaulley, Reading While Black (Illinois, InterVarsity Press, 2020), 35
[7] Willie James Jennings, The Christian Imagination (United States, Yale, 2010).
[8] Walter Wink, The Powers that Be (New York, Doubleday 1998), 82.
[9] John Stott, Billy Graham, Making Christ Known: Historic Mission Documents from the Lausanne Movement, 1974-1989. (United States, W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 1997), 177-178.
[10] “The statement on Social Justice and the Gospel,” SJ&G, https://Thestatementonsocialjustice.com
[11] Alec Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction & Commentary (United States, InterVarsity, 2015), 471.