Thoughts on Justice: Submitted by Brian McLaren
1. We need to understand the difference between mercy and justice (see Micah 6:8). Mercy means relieving the suffering of people who are victims of injustice. Justice means addressing the systemic abuses of power that plunge people into suffering.
2. Both are important. But if we only do mercy, we end up assisting those who perpetrate injustice by “cleaning up the mess” that they create.
3. For Americans (and other Westerners), we can do mercy by giving money, etc. Justice is often more costly for us, but it is often the place where we can have the most impact.
4. Many of the systemic injustices that plunge Africans into suffering arise in the West. For example,
a) Unjust trade policies in the West keep Africans from being able to compete in world economic markets. Bread for the World has excellent information on this kind of injustice - especially relating to the U.S. Farm Bill, which subsidizes US farmers (of cotton, for example) in ways that hurt African farmers.
b) When the US government supports dictators (in “the war on terror” for example), it hurts Africans who suffer under their regimes.
c) When the West ignores Africa - as it did in Rwanda in 1994 and is still doing in Sudan and Congo today - it aids and abets those doing injustice.
d) When the West elects candidates without vetting them for their commitment to Africa, it perpetuates an elitism that hurts Africans.
5. One of the ways Westerners can make a big difference is through fair trade. This involves seeing every dollar we spend as a vote for a “candidate company.” When we spend money on careless companies, we vote for injustice. When we spend money with companies who deal fairly with Africans, we vote for justice.
6. One of the most important things we can do is educate ourselves for sustained action over the long term. If people want to learn more about these issues, my book Everything Must Change could be of help, along with everythingmustchange.org.
7. We in the amahoro community need to develop a list of key organizations that are doing holistic ministry in Africa - And my guess is that new ministries need to be started - addressing issues like national debt, weapons dealing, free press and just journalism, land reform and land ownership for landless people, improving access to international markets, etc.
June 7th, 2008 at 3:55 am
thanks Brian you can work with Samputu he has the same vision.His ministry is doing what you are suggesting here(HOLISTIC).mAY THE LoRD BLESS YOU AND YOUR’S.
Ntaganzwa Albert
June 7th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Yes, thanks for the thoughts, Brian, as always provokative and helpful. In line with your last point, “The Foundation for Church Led Restitution”, mainly based in Cape Town, but affecting other places around South Africa is doing a lot in terms of reconciliation and restitution in this country. We are in the former “Transkei” seeking to help some of those “forgotten” people.
June 7th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Thanks, Brian. Seven great points. And, as always, you have a clear and concise way of communicating what often seems so much more complicated. Fair trade practices are extremely important, and they don’t even have to cost the end consumer any more. In fact, they can often cost less by eliminating some of the middle people. And from an economic standpoint there’s probably nothing that would make a bigger difference for Africa than the elimination of farm subsidies in the US. That is an unpopular position for politicians from farm states to take (one that our two current candidates for president could not afford to do politically). Perhaps with a renewed focus on Africa following the November election (which I think we could have if my favorite candidate wins), we’ll have a better shot at having this conversation.
Jeff