What does justice have to do with World Renew’s global ministry of poverty alleviation and disaster response?
Everything.
"Authentic mercy requires justice,” explains Ida Kaastra Mutoigo, the Director of World Renew Canada. “That is why World Renew considers justice and mercy to be inseparable for achieving the shalom that God intended for all relationships between people and God, their neighbours, and creation.”
The Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) formally acknowledges justice as an integral part of its mission and vision. As a CRC agency, World Renew shares in the calling seeks to mobilize congregations to faithfully and effectively pursue “God’s justice and peace in every area of life”.
A key aspect of mobilizing church members, however, is determining how they understand and live out justice. This was the purpose of a recent pilot research project entitled Justice and Faith: Mobilizing Christian Reformed Church Congregations for Justice.
The project was carried out collaboratively by the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC), the Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies, and the Centre for Community Based Research (CCBR). At its heart were the following questions:
- How and to what extent are CRC people presently engaging in matters of justice?
- What is enabling, and what is preventing CRC people from pursuing justice?
- What strategies would help CRC people to further engage in doing justice?
Over the last six months the research team reviewed a number of relevant CRC documents, and conducted key informant interviews and focus groups. The observations and opinons varied widely among participants.
Study participants observed that a majority of CRC people would understand justice to be a “second-tier concern,” something that God calls them to but that is less important than other aspects of Christian living.
A smaller proportion would see justice as a central concern of Christian faith and life, while others would see justice as a peripheral concern for Christians.
“This research report highlights one of our many collaborative efforts to address the systemic issues of justice with other agencies and congregations of the CRC,” says Mutoigo.
Everyone is an image bearer of God. We abhor injustice, so we strive to uphold the dignity and worth of all, upholding the rights of all persons and their communities…"
Some participants identified World Renew was as a key avenue for justice in that it is supported financially by churches, and provides opportunities for CRC people to become engaged in short or long-term development efforts worldwide. Several of the justice topics highlighted by participants were issues being addressed through World Renew’s ministry of community development disaster response and rehabilitation and advocacy. Some examples include environmental stewardship, poverty alleviation, and ministering to refugees.
Mutoigo—who served as one of the members of the project’s Research Steering Committee—believes the report will be a vital resource for World Renew as it engages God’s people in communities around the world.
“World Renew is committed to the value of Biblical Justice,” she says. “As our strategic plan notes: ‘Everyone is an image bearer of God. We abhor injustice, so we strive to uphold the dignity and worth of all, upholding the rights of all persons and their communities along with the personal gifts and natural resources God has given them. World Renew seeks to understand and address the structural root causes of poverty, including unjust power relationships based on gender, ethnicity, and religion. We engage our constituency in dialogue on these issues and encourage them to advocate accordingly.’”
With this in mind, World Renew works with communities and church partners to renew hope, reconcile lives, and restore relationships as it responds to poverty and disaster.
Numerous study participants indicated that this research project had encouraged them to reflect on how they understand and do justice, and had led to valuable conversations with others.
In partnership with the Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics and the Centre for Community Based Research, the CRC has been awarded a Partnership Development Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
This grant will help fund a larger, action-research project on the topic of justice and faith in the CRC.
For more information on this justice project, please see the full press release.
photo credit: Sean Hawkey