Justice Matters:  Exploring the meaning of “justice”

The word “justice” can be confusing!   So often we view “justice” from a legal or disciplinary viewpoint of retribution and punishment, and then justice is the expected response to crime. What is climate justice?  What is restorative justice?

See     Climate justice: as we now often hear, rightly if sadly, the countries that did least to cause the climate emergency have been the ones who suffer most. At COP two of the early speeches called us to choose blessings instead of curse. Al Gore opened the current COP with this succinct summary. Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados eloquently called for action with justice: “the global south remains at the mercy of the global north”. She promoted a “Loss and damage”  fund to help peoples suffering from climate catastrophes.  This should be created in part from the profits of fossil fuel companies, in part from the countries that have been responsible for the climate change.

Such a fund would be an example of “restorative justice”.  Other examples might arise from our own context  - we are in a city that benefitted from wealth generated through slavery.   Also, Palestinian refugees, currently denied by Israel the right of return which the UN affirms, would be another prominent example.

Restorative justice is often spoken of in legal circles: it is to do not with retribution, but restoring the victim after an injustice.

Reflect     One of the definitions of “justice” I was given by a wise guide some years ago was on the lines of  “there is justice when things are as God intends” –  when a person acts with creativity and integrity and relates with love;  when flowers blooms in healthy soil; when the web of life is alive and flourishing.  Justice is seen when politics seeks the good of all regardless of colour, race or creed; when those in poverty are prioritised and can share at the table of the Earth’s bounty.

Justice is what happens when harm, something that breaks right relationships (i.e. sin), is transformed into community – and so it flows from the heart of what it is to be a Christian, seeking to be open to the power of the resurrection, open to Christ in all people and things.  When seen in this way, justice connects us with the deepest part of ourselves and is why the real leaders in work for justice – such as Tutu - were/are so often also contemplatives.

Act     You might wish to explore the links above, and notice if any ideas particularly strike you.

We work for justice when raising awareness of injustice, when seeking transformation – not of everything that is wrong (that way lies burnout and disappointment) but of something.  That leads us, also, to connect activism and contemplation and discernment – we may notice, “what, in my circumstances, do I feel called to help to change?”  Acting based in discernment leads to hope – that faced with huge problems in the world, when prompted by the Spirit, the loaves and fishes we offer can make a difference. It might lead to acting together – not just for mutual support, but because “where 2 or more gathered together there am I”. With such ideas in mind, the SEECAT Justice and Peace group meets on Wednesday 23rd November at 7pm at St Barnabas to plan how we can support our SEECAT churches in their actions to create a just world. Do join us!    

 Mike Mineter