Part 361. Love your neighbour is all the theology you need.

The sentiment expressed in the statement 'the moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members'  has been uttered by many.  For followers of Jesus it is an expression couched in social justice language of the injunction to love your neighbour. A long line of theologians and Christian activists has espoused the social gospel including Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jurgen Moltmann, Martin Luther King Jnr, Leonardo Boff, Oscar Romeo, Gustavo Gutierrez and Desmond Tutu.  Doubtless dear reader you can name others.

It simply is not enough to assist vulnerable individuals at point of need, vital though this is. It is essental to discern the causes of vulnerability, propose solutions and then campaign for change. In other words to achieve social justice through systemic change. I have assisted and campaigned for over thirty years in the course of which I have met many people committed to helping others in whatever way they can. There are many battles fought and many still to be won.

Understanding, assisting and campaigning to help our neighbour is more important to me than discussing bible inerrancy, the nature of god, the existence of heaven or hell, or the need for salvation to protect us after death.  For me what is important is how we make the concept of heaven on earth a reality.