And or then? Religion and Justice

Religion cannot be easily define. It might tacitly known but hard to explain. Ancient people may not thinking of the word 'religion' itself, as religion is very close, and merging intimately in their daily life. There is no wall between what is sacred and profane. The sacred world is always underneath the natural and vica versa. Nowadays, people tend to bifurcate those dimension. The lost of transcendence narrative in modern mindset since enlightenment create pervasive consequences until now. Religion often viewed as a place for finding peace, a drug to get us away from the insanity of the world. Irrational but quite effective. However, this is not what religion is, in the fullest sense of the word. John F Haught in his book What is Religion? said that religion provide reassurance mystery, moral, and adventure. Although those elements are important, however Haught misses the most important element of religion, which will helps people to see the convergence between the sacred and profane, as it used to be in the past. And that is what we call religion as the instrument of justice. Morality could actually overlapping with the discussion of justice but at the bottom line, they are completely different. Morality deal with the right and wrong whereas Justice is related to equality and fairness. The oppression of poor and unequal distribution is notorious, especially in Asia context. However, the dimension of social-justice seems to be faded in the religion nowadays, as the religion of today seems to move into the spirit-driven expression, like what Harvey Cox have been predicted. Religion is getting more and more focusing toward self, whether of knowledge but mostly devotion. 

The religion, so to speak Christianity, should never forget about the justice concern. For instance, In the Old Testament, Amos 5:34 put it very clearly what God expect of the world, "but let justice roll down as waters.." God expect human to established justice rather than devotional ecstasy. In the history of the early church itself, the main activity of the church beside sharing the gospel, was to care for the poor and distributing food to them continuously. Catholic often criticized by Protestant because of their mixed doctrine (scripture & church tradition) however, we cannot deny in the area of justice, Catholic is the champion as they had published the foundational documents for establishing justice globally (for instance: Gaudium et Spes). Christianity specifically, in the protestant circle, the issue of justice may be secondary, for the primary is doctrine. However, the doctrine cannot be just a merely stop in head knowledge, but should moves to a concrete act, the hand. It is time to put the justice not in the second place, but also in the first place together in line with doctrine. It is not 'doctrine then justice' but also 'doctrine and justice.' The sin does not destroy human nature, but it also destroy social order which often lead to grinding poverty. As Christ already established His kingdom in our heart, He uses us also to established His kingdom in the world. The hope of Christ in the future, is the hope that we could realize partially now in the world, through our new nature by promoting justice.  

Brian Matz argues, justice is not always related to law-code, it is a manner on which we live, about our contribution toward social life as a whole. It is true, by not exercising favoritism at home, provide the fair education and food to our kids is also a form of exercising justice but, we need to do more than just that. To willingly established justice outside our relational zone. Yet firstly, it only can be happened when we think not 'doctrine then justice' but 'doctrine and justice'. By doing that, we can be said as the true participant of God's Kingdom, who create what Matz said as "an in-breaking future city of justice and peace", so that through our acts empowered by the spirit of God, many (poor) people could enjoy what the future city would be like in the glimpse of the present moment.