“Social justice” is a loaded term. For liberals and progressives, it is a summative refrain containing their concerns for economic, gender, and racial equity, including much more governmental intervention righting historic wrongs. For conservatives, it has become a byword, representing ideologies and policies antithetical to human freedom and flourishing.
In these contentious days, it is hard for voices of sanity to be heard about the name-calling and ideological noise. In this four-part series, I want to present a new vision and voice for public dialogue that offers hope for both peaceful engagement and prudential solutions to our seemingly intractable problems.
We cannot make every cause our own. We can be well-informed on issues, but each of us must focus on the particular concerns we are equipped for. What areas of the common good are we called to influence? For some it is pro-life issues (yes, we must all care about this). For others, it is education, homelessness, employment, affordable housing, personal life-change, etc. If we each find our place, our community will flourish. If you are not sure, begin with where God has you today and allow your character, competencies, and charisms to bloom where you are planted.
In 1984, a Christian poet and dissident from the Soviet Union wrote a book, “Talking about God is Dangerous.” The wall has fallen – and our angry culture is building a new one. Freedom for one is liberty for all…let’s be civil and wise, but never give way to censorship of ideas. Disagreement is not intolerance and choosing moral and religious values does not make folks, “phobes.”
I hate intolerance. I hate classism, racism, intolerance, and sexism that prevents people from flourishing and making the world a better place. This said, expressing moral and religious convictions is not intolerance. Pointing out basic anthropology is not intolerance. Permitting a range of lifestyles does not mean I am compelled to promote every moral choice someone makes. I want for all others the rights I desire for myself.