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Hi all, for some time I have been playing with the
thought of replacing 'social justice' with 'social grace', to reflect the
possibility that people require support within our society not because they are
entitled to it so much, as that a society finds it necessary to act in a caring
way, with 'grace'. My reading of the scriptures, both Hebrew and Greek, suggest
that the premise is 'in as much you have received, ensure others receive'.
Of course, if society encourages people to think they never receive anything,
but only get what each 'deserves' through competitive effort, social grace
is a dud. I also worry that people might confuse it with what some
perceive as a church of England (not Anglican, of course) approach to
salvation, namely through good manners...
Louis van Laar
Minister, Footscray Central Uniting Church in Australia |
