03.14.10
Social justice. Economic justice. Practiced here.
A message to Mr. Glenn Beck. We believe that social justice and economic justice are not, as you claim, “perversions” of the Gospel of Jesus, but are at the heart of that Gospel.
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church is a community of Christians serving God and serving our sisters and brothers as we grow into our baptismal promises which include our vow to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being.”
We believe that social justice and economic justice are not code words for communism or nazism but are at the heart of the Gospel of Jesus.
Jesus said:
Truly I tell you, as you do to the least of these, my family, you do to me. (Matthew 25:40)
And
‘The Spirit of God is upon me,
because God has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free.’ (Luke 4:18—Jesus paraphrasing from Isaiah 58:6 and 61:1-2)
And
Jesus said to Peter the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’ (John 21:17)
This is the Jesus to whom we turn and whom we accept as our Savior—the Jesus in whose grace and love we put our whole trust—the Jesus whom we promise to follow and obey as Lord (Book of Common Prayer, page 302).
So let me say it one more time, loudly and clearly: social justice; economic justice.
As the ancient prophets of Israel challenged us:
Let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:24)
And
God has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does God require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8).
Social justice, brother Glenn, economic justice.
Amen.