This document discusses Christian involvement in politics and pursuing justice. It addresses who Christians should consider their neighbor and their duty to help others both locally and globally. While individuals and local charities have an important role, Christians should also engage with public policy and challenge systemic issues that cause problems like food insecurity. The document argues that pursuing personal acts of charity is not enough and that Christians must get involved at the public and political level if they want to effectively work for justice.

1. The search for justice: Christian
involvement in politics
Rob Parsons
January 2017

2. Politics
Distribution of power and resources
Robust
Our discussion here is not about religion in politics –
separation and secular power.
Rather it is about how to approach making decisions about
political issues.

3. Justice
Retributive / distributive
Biblical justice e.g. Amos 5.24, Micah 6.8
Justice in common discourse a fractured concept

4. Private and public

5. Who is my neighbour?

6. Who is my neighbour?
a) scope
b) duties
duty of rescue
duty of care
duty of prevention?
Social liturgy?
(moral distance, proximity)
(telescopic philanthropy)

7. Who is my neighbour?
Love thy neighbour as thyself
Do as you would be done by

8. Local and global
The powers that be would prefer us to be local
But our neighbours are global

9. Individual or system
The powers that be would prefer us to look at
individuals, and to apply sticking plasters, rather
than challenge the system. (Ref Good
Samaritan)

10. Duty to inform ourselves

11. Whose side do we take?

12. Examples

13. Food banks

local and personal response to systemic
problem

Publication “Feeding Britain” an example of
how not to take sides.
https://foodpovertyinquiry.files.wordpress.com/2014/12

14. Northern Ireland

Immensely complex

Immensely painful

Healing

Never perfect

15. Housing

Neighbours?

16. The future

Automation

Climate change

Resources

17. What should Christians do?
I have no magic bullet that will enable us as
Christians to make a difference.
But we will not make a difference if we do not get
involved at the public level as well as the
private.
As has been said by the feminist movement for
some time – the personal is political.

18. Notes
This presentation, with notes, will be available on
Slideshare, and there will be a blogpost with the
link at:
http://acomfortableplace.blogspot.co.uk
All pictures used in this presentation are CC0
licensed.