Social Justice Matters! More on Glenn Beck
On March 2, 2010, Glenn Beck said,
As a way clarifying his point, Beck points out that the churches in mind are those which share the similar views on “social justice” and “economic justice” as Jeremiah Wright. This point, however, lacks important theological nuances, and the problem with Wright is not a commitment his commitment to social and economic justice per se. Wright errors in embracing liberation theology, which interprets faith through the lens of class struggle between oppressor and oppressed. According to this theological perspective, Christ embodies the oppressed; sin is redefined one man’s inhumanity towards other man, and salvation as deliverance from such injustice.
The liberation theology approach to understanding faith through the lens of oppressed and oppressor ultimately misses the message of the Scriptures. The reality of the situation is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the poorness of the poor makes them no more righteous than the rich. One’s ethnicity and sex determines might determine their “pecking” order in the kingdom of darkness; however, the fact remains that whether one is at the top or the bottom, everyone in the kingdom of darkness is lost and in need of a Savior. The Marxist lens of oppressed and oppressor is simply untrue.
God’s Word still has much to say about social justice. Yahweh informed Moses that they were not to mistreat non-Israelites, widows, or orphans, and if they did oppress them, His anger would be turned against them (Exod. 22:21-24). The Lord raised up Isaiah to prophesy against sinful Israel, and the prophet called the people to “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow” (Isa. 1:16-17). Micah also prophesied, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, But to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Mic. 6:8).
Jesus in the New Testament condemned the Pharisees leaders because their self-righteous religious traditions led them to break the Law of Moses, namely the command to honor one’s father and mother. Their religious tradition told them they could dedicate their money as “Corban,” which created a legal technicality that allowed them to forgo the burden of helping their parents in need, but ultimately violated the very Law of Moses (Mark 7:1-13). James, likewise, taught the church that “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27).
The New Testament does teach that God incarnated Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, who died upon the cross to save sinners, and rose again to be the first among many to have resurrection life; however, this salvation is unto good works. Those who have new spiritual life and the blessed hope of the resurrection can walk in newness of life. So the person who once stole from others is to stop stealing and start working, so that he can have something to give to the one who is in need (Eph. 4:28).
Those who have been saved by God’s grace have the spiritual resources to address the most pressing social issues of their day. Martin Luther’s understanding of the justification by faith ultimately led him to challenge the abusive system of indulges taught by the Roman Catholic Church, which unjustly extracted wealth from peasants under the false pretense that money given to the church could reduce the time their deceased loved ones spent in the flames of purgatory. Politician William Wilberforce’s conversion to Christianity gave him the spiritual foundations, which ultimately led him to champion the abolition of slavery in Great Britain. Christianity has much to say about social justice, and Beck’s call for Christians to leave churches that advertise a commitment to social justice is convoluted, and creates more problems than anything else.
1. “Glenn Beck:” The Roots of Social Justice, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,593177,00.html
I beg you, look for the words “social justice” or “economic justice” on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now…the idea…am I advising people to leave their church? Yes! If I’m going to Jeremiah’s Wright’s church? Yes! Leave your church. Social justice and economic justice. They are code words. If you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish. Go alert your bishop and tell them, “Excuse me are you down with this whole social justice thing?” I don’t care what the church is. If it’s my church, I’m alerting the church authorities: “Excuse me, what’s this social justice thing?” And if they say, “Yeah, we’re all in that social justice thing,” I’m in the wrong place.Beck’s statement generated heated debate from various social media venues, and rightly so, since his statement appears to communicate that the criteria for leaving a church in this day and age is whether or not it advertises any involvement in activities related to “social justice” or “economic justice.” The controversial Mormon FOX News personality is misleading, and offers bad advice on breaking fellowship.
As a way clarifying his point, Beck points out that the churches in mind are those which share the similar views on “social justice” and “economic justice” as Jeremiah Wright. This point, however, lacks important theological nuances, and the problem with Wright is not a commitment his commitment to social and economic justice per se. Wright errors in embracing liberation theology, which interprets faith through the lens of class struggle between oppressor and oppressed. According to this theological perspective, Christ embodies the oppressed; sin is redefined one man’s inhumanity towards other man, and salvation as deliverance from such injustice.
The liberation theology approach to understanding faith through the lens of oppressed and oppressor ultimately misses the message of the Scriptures. The reality of the situation is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the poorness of the poor makes them no more righteous than the rich. One’s ethnicity and sex determines might determine their “pecking” order in the kingdom of darkness; however, the fact remains that whether one is at the top or the bottom, everyone in the kingdom of darkness is lost and in need of a Savior. The Marxist lens of oppressed and oppressor is simply untrue.
God’s Word still has much to say about social justice. Yahweh informed Moses that they were not to mistreat non-Israelites, widows, or orphans, and if they did oppress them, His anger would be turned against them (Exod. 22:21-24). The Lord raised up Isaiah to prophesy against sinful Israel, and the prophet called the people to “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow” (Isa. 1:16-17). Micah also prophesied, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, But to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Mic. 6:8).
Jesus in the New Testament condemned the Pharisees leaders because their self-righteous religious traditions led them to break the Law of Moses, namely the command to honor one’s father and mother. Their religious tradition told them they could dedicate their money as “Corban,” which created a legal technicality that allowed them to forgo the burden of helping their parents in need, but ultimately violated the very Law of Moses (Mark 7:1-13). James, likewise, taught the church that “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27).
The New Testament does teach that God incarnated Himself in the person of Jesus Christ, who died upon the cross to save sinners, and rose again to be the first among many to have resurrection life; however, this salvation is unto good works. Those who have new spiritual life and the blessed hope of the resurrection can walk in newness of life. So the person who once stole from others is to stop stealing and start working, so that he can have something to give to the one who is in need (Eph. 4:28).
Those who have been saved by God’s grace have the spiritual resources to address the most pressing social issues of their day. Martin Luther’s understanding of the justification by faith ultimately led him to challenge the abusive system of indulges taught by the Roman Catholic Church, which unjustly extracted wealth from peasants under the false pretense that money given to the church could reduce the time their deceased loved ones spent in the flames of purgatory. Politician William Wilberforce’s conversion to Christianity gave him the spiritual foundations, which ultimately led him to champion the abolition of slavery in Great Britain. Christianity has much to say about social justice, and Beck’s call for Christians to leave churches that advertise a commitment to social justice is convoluted, and creates more problems than anything else.
1. “Glenn Beck:” The Roots of Social Justice, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,593177,00.html
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