PEACE & JUSTICE
Frien...@gmail.com
PEACE & JUSTICE
A Perspective From The Community of Christ.
All persons are of great worth in the sight of God.
There can be no exceptions anywhere, at anytime.
WHAT IS PEACE & JUSTICE?
The Hebrew tradition, the deep taproot of our movement illuminated
further by the life of Jesus, helps us define the words peace and
justice.
Defining Peace
Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.--Psalm 34:14 NRSV
The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. Shalom is rich in meaning. It is
a comprehensive concept that means wholeness, peace, joy, freedom,
reconciliation, community,
harmony of all creation--both physical and spiritual, righteousness,
truth,
justice, communication, humanity.
Shalom is holistic and embraces all persons and all creation in
reconciliation
and harmony.
When Jesus taught about peace, he was using the word shalom in all its
richness. Jesus, when teaching the Beatitudes, really said, "Blessed
are the shalom-makers."
The New Testament was written in Greek and "eirene" was the word used
to translate shalom.
Perhaps the best English word to translate shalom is not "peace" but
the word "Zion."
Defining Justice
Justice and only justice, you shall pursue...--Deuteronomy 16:20 NRSV
One word for justice in Hebrew is zedakah. The concept of justice in
Judaism is
different from Greek-Western views of this concept.
The emphasis is not on "retribution" (punishment) or
"distribution" (fair shares for all). It is more what human living
should be like. That is why the word zedakah is not only translated
into English as justice but also as
righteousness, which means living a just life personally.
Also "justice" (zedakah) is consistently paired with "mercy" or
"grace" (hesed)
in the Hebrew scriptures.
Jesus put them together in the Beatitudes:
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they
will be
filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.--Matthew 5:6-7
NRSV
In the church seal, the lamb can represent mercy and the lion justice.
The two work together for the blessing of children and bringing peace.
The Worth of Persons
Peace and justice making also come together and are rooted in the
worth of persons:
Remember the worth of persons is great in the sight of God; for I, the
Lord your
Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore I, God, suffered the
pain of
all, that all might repent and come to me.
And I, God, have risen again from the dead, that I might bring all to
me on
conditions of repentance. And how great is my joy in the person that
repents.
Therefore you are called to cry repentance to this people.--(Doctrine
& Covenants 16: 3c-e, adapted)
There Are No Exceptions !
Doctrine and Covenants Section 16 was given in June 1829, about nine
months before the church was organized. It is prior to and
foundational to the whole Restoration movement.
For the church the worth of persons is rooted in incarnation and
atonement, in
God becoming human and suffering with us and for us. The worth of
persons for us cannot be an option.
Whatever the culture, times, or surrounding ideologies, the church
must be
consistently committed to the worth of all because God in Christ is.
Each person can repent. Zion is a state of justice where culture,
institutions,
and personal relationships all honor the worth of persons and the
restoration of
the worth of all.
Community of Christ Official Homepage
=======