Injustice, poverty, greed have no place with God

ACTION sponsored the clergy caucus to discuss ideas

By LINDA M. LINONIS

VINDICATOR RELIGION EDITOR

YOUNGSTOWN — “Be prayer conditioned,” the Rev. Lewis Macklin asked of 60-some clergy representing many denominations who attended a panel discussion on the “Theology of Social Justice.”

The event was Thursday afternoon in the community room at the Chevrolet Center, where the air-conditioning was amiss.

The Rev. Mr. Macklin is a board member of ACTION (Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing our Neighborhoods), the event sponsor.

He said ACTION is not a social service organization, but that the idea of social justice provided the theology context on which the group operated.

Panel members were Bishop George V. Murry of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of the Northeastern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Rev. Dr. Dan Schomer of the General Presbyter of the Eastminster Presbytery for the Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. Orlando Chaffee, superintendent for the United Methodist District of Mahoning Valley.

They were asked the two following questions:

How do you see justice as a component of faith? Is it absolute or contingent?

UBishop Murry: “This is at the heart of faith-based people,” he said. “The Catholic tradition is three-fold: Recognizing the power of the word of God, celebrating the sacraments, and transferring the word of God into the kingdom of God.” He said that task requires justice to make the equal opportunity to share possible. He referred to Pope Paul VI and a comment that it is not enough to state intentions, but personal responsibility to take effective action. “Social justice is a part of faith, you can’t separate them.”

UBishop Eaton: “The gospel is the center. It’s not what we earn or deserve,” she said. “We were helpless, estranged and God reconciled us.”

“We’re all in the same boat. No one is superior. Everyone stands in God’s bread line,” she said. “We received the gift of the Resurrection when we didn’t deserve it. But we must do good works because of the gift of grace that we received.”

UThe Rev. Mr. Schomer: “Justice is understood as a fabric of faith. It is not a concept but part of the nature of God,” he said. “The life and death of Jesus set a pattern for the church. The church is sensitive to the suffering of Jesus and that of all mankind. It’s up to us to follow Jesus ... acting to the world as Jesus has acted toward us.”

“Racial injustice, poverty and greed have no place in God’s kingdom, so they should have no place in our world.”

UThe Rev. Mr. Chaffee: “It’s up to us to take a forthright position and imitate Christ. It’s prayerful study called to practice,” he said. “The doing of justice is a primary expectation of God. What is greater ... mercy or justice of God? We have a different understanding of justice.”

“Some people have more access to goods and control more than others. And they think of it as rightly theirs. But they need to work on giving it back.”

How would you outline a faith that does justice? Specifically in the Christian tradition as it relates to the cross, the Resurrection and the Eucharist/Communion?

UMr. Schomer: “The cross shows us that things didn’t have to be the way they were, but the cross shows a different path. Jesus changed everything in his Resurrection,” he said. “Through the Resurrection, all can be made new. We can gather at the table as a family of faith and be fed by God,” he said.

UMr. Chaffee: “A theology-based ministry can support community-based action,” he said. “We have to put theology into action. But we have to figure out what and how to implement ... what resources are available.”

“We have to determine who is in need and what is needed. But we also need a plan and must limit ourselves in order to accomplish something.”

UBishop Eaton: “God displayed his strength in weakness [the cross],” she said. “We can’t analyze the power of the structure.”

She said it was society’s duty to attend to the weak and alienated.

UBishop Murry: “Working for justice now will be completed in the next life,” he said. “There are three areas — action, reflection and transformation. Action alleviates social injustice ... feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, providing shelter. We should reflect on the causes of the problems of hunger, poverty and homeless. Then there’s joining together to reform the world, transforming social structure to help people.”