I had a friend post something on Facebook today saying (and keep in mind, per usual, I’m paraphrasing here) that she had people questioning how her Christian faith and her liberally-oriented political stances could rightly coexist. Liberal equaling progressive, feminist, etc. Her initial post answered the query and followed up with a question of her own: “ I am not conflicted at all by my faith in God and my love for humanity. In fact my faith feeds my passion for social justice. So my question this morning to you is can a Christian be a liberal?”

 

Hellllll yessssss! I mean, c’mon, Jesus literally flips tables (Matthew 21). He gets into situations and effs people up when they’re being jerks. In a very Jesus-like way, of course.

 

He loved the unlovable, touched the untouchables, forgave the jerks, taught the dumb, and served even those who didn’t believe he was who he said he was.

 

Even if you don’t believe that Jesus was God with a capital G and just a great leader, then right on, look at the example he set!

 

Jesus not only hung out with all the people most others shunned, he called us to action (SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTION) time and time again!

 

Faith equaled love in action!

 

Faith wasn’t sitting back in your fluffy chair celebrating how you’re better than others. It was getting out there and being in it, whatever the it of life was.

 

In this day and age, our social justice efforts are still very much geared toward helping those who most others don’t think need or deserve help (in all the meanings of that word).

 

Does it boil down to love your God and love your neighbor? If so, what are we arguing about here with liberal vs conservative? Social justice, whether executed by supposed liberals or conservatives, is the right thing to strive for. Isn’t it?

 

Yet, unfortunately, social justice continues to be inherently political because its very need results from the differences between those who hold power and those who don’t, and how that power is used.