The Call For Social Justice - The Role Of The Church

Advocacy is at the core of the implementation of the Accra Confession which calls upon Reformed Christians around the world to engage injustices in the world as an integral part of their churches' witness and mission. Everyone has a voice but some voices are stronger and can support weaker voices, making it possible for the weaker voices to be heard. Excluding the poor, the vulnerable, and the whole of creation from the fullness of life is to defy God’s covenant.

“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns”” Psalm 12:5. The Lord Jesus in His manifesto in Luke 4:18 said ““The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed”. That is what He called the church to accomplish in our mission to fulfil the Great Commission, and requiring us to do so in the context of the Great Commandment to love one another as ourselves. Advocacy is to look beyond our own comfort to see the needs of others and actively seek ways to bring them relief, and doing so in a manner that is devoid of exploitation. At the heart of the Accra Confession is the call to uphold the principles of the sovereignty of God and the imperative to do justice.

Proverbs 31:8-9 tells us to "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice” (NLT). The activities of the powerful has silenced the voices of the poor and vulnerable. Corruption hurts the poor most as they need to pay to access basic services like water, electricity and education; opportunities that are naturally available to the elite in society. The poor need a voice. Empowering them to be heard will make the gospel even more relevant to them. The Accra Confession affirms that we deny ‘God’s call to life for all’ when inequality, extreme poverty, marginalization, exclusion are allowed to continue, and when the global systems defend and protect the interests of the powerful.

The economic and ecological injustices of today’s global economy requires our clear understanding and appropriate strategizing to ensure that our response brings the needed results. The integrity of the church and of our Christian faith is in the type and timeliness of our response to global issues, in our management of the estate entrusted into our hands by our Father in heaven, and as we work to create a more just world economy. Our commitment to ensuring a world that is sustainable will facilitate the spread of the gospel.

Indeed, the Belhar Confession is one of the most significant confessions to have ever come from the African soil, addressing issues of unity, racism, apartheid, oppression and dehumanisation that lead to people fighting their own kind, and is a call for public pastoral care (Nthakhe, 2017). From the Belhar Confession, unity is both a gift and an obligation for the church. The Theological justification of class, racism, ethnicity, and gender injustice require a confessional and ethical response from the church.

Advocacy becomes effective where there is internal unity in the church, as a testimony to the world that we are one in Christ. We all need to stand where God is standing. That is where the church must begin its work of advocacy that translates into effective mission work. There is a lot to be done within the church systems and in our world of greed and poor regard for human life and dignity. The mission of the church is a call to advocacy and justice; it is the church’s mandate.

From issues of ‘resource-driven wars’ that are claiming the lives of millions, to galamsey (small scale illegal mining) that destroys farmland, water bodies and poses a health threat, to climate change, election challenges, corruption, injustice in our court systems and so on, the church has an important role to play in calling on individuals, institutions, and even nations to reconsider their stand and stand for what is right. The Accra Confession (10) notes that the ‘powerful’ cannot be making the false promise that it can save the world through the creation of wealth and prosperity.

ADVOCACY

Advocacy is the effort to influence public policy and legislation on behalf of the church's mission, as we all envision a more just and compassionate society. Seeing others deprived of the opportunity to flourish calls on each of us to respond, in both charity and justice. Pleading for another, whether through intercessory prayer or political advocacy, is an expression of charity, the greatest of virtues (Gottemoeller, 2015). William Faulkner is right when he said “never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world, would do this, it would change the earth.”