Social and biblical justice can sometimes fall victim to the separation of church and state. For the latter two, this separation is necessary, however it is irrefutable that believers cannot separate biblical and social justice. The founders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church practiced this integration with radical faith, setting a standard that we as the modern church can continue.This episode of ANN InDepth explores the history and legacy of social justice in the church, with host Jennifer Stymiest, Orlan Johnson, the director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for the Adventist Church in North America and David Trim, the director of Archives, Statistics and Research for the Seventh-day Adventist World Church.
Believers may profess that involvement in social justice is unbiblical, or that it deals with political issues which are outside of Christian responsibility. The early Adventist church disproved this. Early Adventists were documented abolitionists according to Trim, many of whom were frustrated that Lincoln did not emancipate them sooner. Even after the Civil War, Seventh-day Adventists were at the forefront of racial equality and representation through employment, education, and church leadership. Missionaries within and outside the US provided an education that was meant to challenge colonistic oppression tactics. Trim provides examples of this with former slaves and Native Americans, explaining that many would be forced into indentured servitude through documents they could not read, and years of service they couldn’t calculate. “To be teaching recently enslaved and deeply oppressed African Americans to read is controversial because you're enabling them to resist oppression.” Trim explains. The temperance movement, which meant to encourage the public to abstain from alcohol, was also a powerful tool for biblical justice. Alcohol was used by colonizers as a means to weaken the threat of Native Americans by causing addiction. Trim recounts that the Adventist temperance movement was a means to remove that oppression and provide support.
Early Adventism did not run away from, or even passively entertain, social justice but saw that social issues could be confronted with solutions founded in biblical truth. Trim goes as far as saying that social activism is at the heart of our movement, “It's interwoven into our theology and into our eschatology, the very heart of Adventism. Our beliefs about how the world will end slavery, was a crucial part of that an opposition to slavery.” Adventists church members were radical for their times, defying legislation that challenged the God given value in humans, no matter their race or religion. Even in this they were active forerunners of abolitionism in North America, bringing the movement to every corner of the world through missionaries who saw social justice as a natural result of living the gospel. Through their avid study of the bible, they recognized that living for a radical gospel, required radical action. Their actions were not self serving, but defending those who were abused, oppressed, and minorities.
So how do we as Adventists in the 21st century, live up to this legacy? Johnson is quick to clarify that “you can't separate the public affairs side of the business from the religious liberty side of the business.” Though the pulpit is not a political platform, it is not a space that is free from social responsibilities that come with being a believer. In a polarized society that is defining itself by political extremes, we believe that any vocalization on social justice is an attempt at a political stance. Here is where the problems lie. We forget the bible is not a book of politics but a book of belief, guiding and directing our choices. As summarized by Johnson, “We must allow our faith to shape our politics, and not allow our politics to shape our faith.” Two often, the bible is used, on all sides of the political spectrum, as a shield for political beliefs. We use the bible to substantiate our political claims, dismissing anything contradicting our views. In reality, we must become so immersed in God’s truths that everything we do is in accordance with His truth.
The bible is dense with examples of God’s people becoming advocates for social/biblical justice. Esther, Moses, Joshua, Daniel, Shadrach, Michach, Abednego, Joseph, Paul, and of course Jesus Christ, all are just some examples of individuals that lived their lives so in tune with the spirit that they could not allow their brothers or sisters to be neglected in a sinful world. Many will claim this argument for aggressive and extremist purposes, however the central question that must be asked before any radical action is: is this glorifying my Lord? Biblical truth warped to justify selfish action is not glorification, but blasphemy. As with every action in our life, biblical justice is meant as a form of worship, an outpouring of loyalty to God and our siblings in Christ, a cycle of love from God to us, and us to others, expanding the reach of His mercy through advocacy and justice.