“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your might
and love your neighbor as yourself.”
This is Jesus’ answer to the lawyer who asks, “How shall I inherit eternal life?” Jesus responds with the words of the Shemah. The Shemah is offered as the fulfillment of God’s Law—a divine Law of love steeped in justice and tempered with mercy. It is a way of life that proclaims love of God, self and neighbor and honors and values the image of God in ALL people.
Eighteen months ago, my Journey Group on Social Justice began with the question, “What is social justice?” Our collaborative learning led us to the conclusion that the church is the home of justice. But what does this mean? Specifically, what does this look like for congregations within the Reformed Church in America (RCA)?
For Christian congregations, acts of justice and mercy consist of many types of ministry: from operating soup kitchens & clothing drives to meeting needs within local communities through church community development organizations. The former would be considered relief-based ministry while the latter is development-based ministry.
But whatever the specific acts, often these conduits of justice and mercy lack an ever-deepening love of God, self and neighbor. As Elizabeth O’Conner says in her book, Journey Inward, Journey Outward, an inward journey toward God is manifested in an outward journey towards those in need around us. The inward journey cannot be sacrificed for the outward journey and vice versa. Deep, meaningful and transformational acts of justice are only possible while we drink from the fountain of sanctification—that ongoing transformation of being made more and more into Christ’s likeness and image. The move toward God leads to a deeper awareness of who we are in Christ and to tangible manifestations of changed realities in our surrounding communities. For me, this is the intersection of faith and justice.
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Deep, meaningful and transformational acts of justice are only possible while we drink from the fountain of sanctification – that ongoing transformation of being made more and more into Christ’s likeness and image.
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One of the ways the RCA is helping its congregations to live out faith and justice is through its newly launched advocacy network, AMPLIFY Your Voice! This is a network dedicated to making a difference through advocacy. Network members determine the issues about which they advocate. AMPLIFY has three major groups of participants:
- Congregations, which are, represented by an “advocacy champion” who informs the congregation and helps organize periodic congregational advocacy events.
- Teens and youth groups.
- RCA colleges and college and seminary students.
AMPLIFY Your Voice! assists advocates by equipping and educating them on issues of importance to their congregations and youth groups as well as teaching effective methods for advocating advocacy. Network members connect to share stories, inspire and equip one another, and collaborate on advocacy actions. The network also helps identify and promote best practices regarding advocacy.
AMPLIFY is one of many new resources offered to RCA members that promotes faithful and fruitful impact in tangible ways. However, it is also coupled with opportunities to nurture deeper forms of discipleship in the life of individuals in the church.
There is an intersection of faith and justice, and its home is the church. It is here that acts of mercy and compassion flow out of a deepening awareness of God’s love within that, in turn, gives birth to a deeper awareness of the needs of our neighbors.
AUTHOR BIO: Rev. Kenita Ruth Harris has served in the Reformed Church of America’s Office of Multiracial Initiative and Social Justice. She has served as support to the RCA’s Commission on Christian Action & Belhar Confession Implementation Task Force. She is a member of Highbridge Community Church in Bronx, NY.
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