Choosing Justice from the Inside Out
Gandi once said, “My life is my message.” Mahatma Gandi, Indian political and spiritual leader, (1869 - 1948)
Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer had a choice to remain safe and challenge injustice from the outside; the secure periphery of the conflict and ultimate danger. Yet he chose to return home to Germany against his friends' advice, to work for justice and freedom from within the ravages of World War II. A choice that would see him executed just days before the allied troops, and ultimate freedom, arrived.
Why did he take such a risk? The answer is quite simple. He chose to return saying, “I cannot participate in the reconstruction of Germany if I am not suffering with the people during the conflict.” For Bonhoeffer, justice began from the inside out, and was not an optional extra to be picked up or put down at will or enacted from a comfortable distance.
Bonhoeffer's most well known book is ‘The Cost of Discipleship’. Not for the faint hearted, this book is an in-depth analysis and interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount. In this book Bonhoeffer's main concern is what he terms ‘cheap grace’. Cheap grace: that is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. Bonhoeffer was adamant that true grace meant action - action that has a personal cost. “Faith can no longer mean sitting still and waiting, the Christian must rise and follow Christ.”
The Rev. Martin Luther King put it strongly when he said, “I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.” Challenging words for all of us! Can we identify and subscribe to a concept of justice where the first step in change begins with us? Where we work from the discomfort of within the struggle rather than safely comment from the outside?
Acting justly is a directive from Christ and none of us are exempt! As part of the Anglican Communion the fourth Mark of Mission expresses our common understanding of and commitment to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation.
Injustice does not occur from a distance. Rather it occurs when good people, often unthinkingly, do little to effect change. So the question and the challenge for us today is, will we simply pray and walk away? Or, pray and stay, and above all act?
This September our Diocese will be actively involved in confronting and challenging inequality and discrimination that adversely affects so many people living in Aotearoa today. This won’t be a ‘tick the box’ exercise, or ‘just another sermon’, but rather positive action that focusses on injustice from the inside out and our role within it.
Firstly the Modern Slavery and Labour Exploitation Advisory group, which is facilitated by our Diocese and chaired by Rev. Chris Frazer, Deacon for Social Justice, will be releasing its yearly publication, which will be hosted on our site and widely distributed within Aotearoa and overseas.
Our theme this year is ‘DO NO HARM’, we want to know that our actions are contributing to a fair world where people are treated with respect and dignity. The articles make for challenging reading and have been submitted by such organisations as ECPAT (End Child Prostitution and Trafficking), BE SLAVERY FREE, Australia, MBIE (Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment) and MERF (Migrant Exploitation Relief Fund).
Adopting the same theme as the upcoming newsletter, the Wellington Cathedral of St. Paul is focussing the month on issues of injustice within our city and beyond. With the cathedral’s nearest neighbours being our parliament as well as such embassies as the British High Commission and the US Consulate we have a mandate as followers of Christ to actively engage beyond the cathedral’s doors. Here is the outline for the month. More information will follow!
September 4, The Revd. Chris Frazer, assistant Deacon, Wellington Cathedral and Deacon for Social Justice
September 11, The Revd. Alex Brunt, Deputy Chief Executive of the Social Wellbeing Agency
September 18, Murray Edridge, City Commissioner, Wellington City Mission
September 25, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment staff members, who will be presenting on Modern Slavery and Labour Exploitation as it is happening within our country today.
We strongly encourage our Diocesan whanau to take note of these services, to spread the word and invite people you know to attend.
Rev. Chris Frazer, chrisf@anglicanmovement.nz, phone 027 442 5065.
