Part 158. Is it lack of confidence?

As our starting point here are four èxamples of the theology of social justice.

Thomas Horrocks:

Loving our neighbours means dismantling the systems that oppress them.

Leonardo Boff:

The eternal destiny of human beings will be measured by how much or how little solidarity we have displayed with the hungry, the thirsty,  the naked and the oppressed. In the end we judged in terms of love.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we have to drive a spike into the wheel itself.

Gustavo Gutierrez:

The poverty of the poor is not a call to generous relief action, but a demand that we go and build a different social order.

We could add statements by Oscar Romero, Pope Francis,  Martin Luther King Jnr, Desmond Tutu and many more.  The message is clear: Christians are to seek to change society to raise up the poor, the deprived, the repressed, the marginalised,  the discriminated against.  

Desmond Tutu:

There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river.  We need to go upstream and find out why they are falling in.

I have lost count of the number of reports, research projects, discussion papers  conferences and seminars setting out facts and proposing solutions. It is an industry producing copious volumes of good intentions but to little effect. Sometimes there is short term amelioration in a particular instance but sadly the initiatives come to an end when enthusiasm wanes or funding is pulled.

We know why people are falling into the river but still we are pulling them out. As a society we are failing to make the structural changes to stop them falling in. That requires costly long term investment.  Instead we provide bandages and rely on voluntary secular and faith organisations to provide relief.

Christians are failing to campaign in any meaningful or sustained way for the changes needed. A few letters and sermons will not influence the policy decision makers. Sustained campaigning, mobilising church members  is imperative. Why is this not happening? Do churches lack the confidence or skills to challenge policy makers?