Ecumenical Faces of Faith for Justice

Remember a couple of months back, when Glenn Beck went over the edge - yet again - but this time about Christians who claim to do 'social justice'?

A few of those 'SJC's' - Social Justice Christians - got together and decided to put together some PSA's - Public Service Announcements - to try and counter Beck's dire warnings about the 'hidden agenda' behind the claim to 'do justice'.

The first was a short clip showing folks of all ages and from all walks of life who claimed to be a SJC.

This one highlights the Ecumenical Faces of Social Justice, including none other than George Regas, rector emeritus of All Saints', Pasadena.

Check out the web page for Faith for Justice, the organization that is producing this PSA's.

Here's how they define Social Justice:

Social justice is justice applied not just in individual relationships but across social systems. Social justice envisions a society in which every person is given an equal opportunity for a dignified human life. It’s about insisting on basic human rights and rectifying inequalities in society. From a religious point of view social justice is rooted in the notion that we are all created equal. According to some religions our equality in creation is based on being created in the image of God. It is this notion of a common human family that transcends barriers of nationality, race, gender and religion that binds us all together in pursuit of what is in the common good.

Beyond this, social justice is not only concerned with the human creation, but also the entire non-human creation as well. Therefore, as Buddhist monk Bhante Chao Chu says, “We must be mindful of the present and future impact of our actions.”

The concept of social justice is as old as history. Anytime injustice has prevailed there have been people and movements who have called for change; to bring about equity and justice for all people. In the Abrahamic tradition (Jews, Christians and Muslims) the notion of justice goes back to Moses and the Prophets.

Social justice is not tied to any one political ideology or party. Social justice is about people and our shared responsibility to care for one another and to be responsible citizens of the earth.

Finally, the impulse to create and sustain a just society is not limited to people of faith. Millions of people who consider themselves agnostic or athiest also share a vision for a just and equitable society and do remarkable work to that end. However, because of recent attacks on faith groups who speak about and work for social justice, our purpose has been to lift up the central role social justice plays in a variety of the world’s religions.

Sounds to my ears like they pretty much covered all the bases.

If you agree, please help spread the word.

Post this on your blog or FaceBook page.

Send the message that you stand and work for and believe in social justice.

And then, go out and do it.