Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: kodak!swamps!hpcore!gerwitz@cs.rochester.edu (Paul Gerwitz) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Liberation Theology (was Re: A Dialogue with Rome: part I) Message-ID: Date: 8 Dec 89 08:09:38 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Eastman Kodak Co. Lines: 41 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , !hwt@bnr-fos.uucp (Henry Troup) writes: > > [other stuff deleted for brevity] > > I, at least, view religion as coming somewhere in 'self-actualization'. When > people are drowning, they have no time for worrying about food, and when > people are exploited they have little time for religion. Therefore, social > justice before salvation. > > Social justice may mean no more than the right to a living wage, and a union. > > I've tried to make two points - to encourage social justice is an obligation, > and it is one that churches have been rather poor at. > that churches have been poor I must take exception to Henry's statement about social justice before salvation. In my reading of the scriptures and experience, It is more important for people to have the gospel preached to them in their present condition, whether rich or poor. Trying to eleviate their condition first gives the impression of man's power to change things intsead of trusting in the power if God to deliver people. Jesus Great Command (Mt 28:19-20) was given to preach the gospel not to pull the poor from their poverty. Once people know Jesus and can live in the power of the Spirit, they can get on with their lives, despite their current condition. I sometimes wonder whether the Western Christian church's emphasis on social justice is more a way of getting people up to our standard of living or society because we are unwilling to say no to materialism, selfishness and humanism. Just think of where most of the historical thinking about social justice has come from (western academia and culture). Shouldn't we be basing social justice, (including our own cultural trends) on God's word ? Serving Christ right where I am.... +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Paul F Gerwitz WA2WPI | SMTP: gerwitz@kodak.com | | Eastman Kodak Co | UUCP: ..rutgers!rochester!kodak!eastman!gerwitz | +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+