Social justice, political differences & the church

At a recent event, I was accosted by a younger Christian who spoke to me of the challenge of being an ethnic minority in her church.

In our conversation, she mentioned that recently she had had a conversation with a fellow church member who'd said to her something to the effect that "social justice" was a product of people with a lasting sense of victimhood, and that they were glad of more recent developments in politics and culture.

It seems as though there is a turning tide on the idea of “social justice” being a positive thing.

'Woke'

It feels similar to how people now use the word “woke”—a word that originated in 1930s and 40s African-American vernacular English to highlight racial prejudice and injustice. The word “woke” played a part in the Civil Rights movement, in moving a once-oppressed people group towards having equal rights to vote, work and education.

This word has now been taken by many to mean “any radical progressive idea that originates from the political Left”.

Can you see the distortion of what was once a product of common grace? Of what was once a powerful rallying cry towards God-pleasing justice?

Is the tide turning on 'social justice'?

In the light of recent political developments, which include the rise of the mainstream right-wing political party Reform, and the use of the English and British flag to assert a not-clearly-defined national identity, what I am hearing, as a person who has mixed cultures and tries to see both sides, is that “the social justice trend has had its day”.

What I think is really being communicated is that in recent times, it’s possible that white people feel as though they have been made to “feel guilty just for existing”.

This, paired with an exploding birth rate of particular immigrant cultures since the early 2000s, means that they feel it is important to “reclaim Britain”, implementing an alternative version of justice.

With these new developments, majority cultures in Britain, including within the church, have started to speak with increasing derision and dismissiveness about the term “social justice”.

Both sides seek justice, however. They just approach the subject differently.

Christianity and justice

We should know that Christians must not stop supporting justice. The Bible reminds us of God’s desire for justice, even in the setting up of His new nation, Israel (Exodus 23v1–13).

At the same time, we need to regularly remember that we live in a world that desires God-pleasing justice but chooses to live in rebellion against Him. In Britain, this means that we have cultures that exist next to each other and people in our churches who come from both ends of the spectrum increasingly rub shoulders.

Some come from a place where pride and guilt play a great part in their cultural heritage. Others come from a place where historical marginalisation has shaped their identities. Our priority therefore must be to try to understand where our loved ones—whether friends, relatives or fellow church members—are coming from, and to call our friends and family from all political and cultural persuasions to repeatedly turn back towards the glorious God of care and hope.

He is the God who designed justice, promising in the beginning to send Jesus to crush the head of the Serpent who deceived our shared ancestors into the rebellion in which we live.

He cares for the oppressed and the ignored.

He understands the human heart and is working to make it whole.

If we in the church have the right priorities—that God cares about all people and sent Jesus the Serpent Crusher to reverse the curse that divided us—we will be much better suited to welcome one another across our diverse positions on social justice and immigration. We will be less likely to dismiss voters with different ideas to our own and also the “social justice warriors”.

We will be better able to listen well, to not close conversations and avoid one another.

We will be more likely to use our voices, be they in pulpits or social media platforms, to display understanding and hope, rather than dismissing each other’s points of view.