1. The May-June Peaceable Table Is Now Online
Contents:
To read in this issue, go to http://www.vegetarianfriends.net/issue161.html
Toward the Peaceable Kingdom,
Gracia Fay Ellwood
Editor
2. Justice part 4: Justification by Faith
Because of the human tendency to sin, many people believe that we cannot “earn” a spot in heaven through good behavior, i.e., “justification by works.” A popular alternate theory is that people are justified by having faith in Christ. There are some problems with this theory.
Justification by faith seems very unfair to children raised in a non-Christian household because children tend to adopt the same religion of their parents. Justification by faith also seems very unfair to those who have suffered great tragedy or abuse. It is difficult for a person to believe in Christ if it seems that God has abandoned that person. Indeed, “justification by faith” actually requires work – the act of choosing to have faith in Christ. Some people, particularly those who have been badly hurt, find this act impossible.
Some hold that faith in Christ is a gift from God, and we humans cannot understand God’s reasons for giving this gift to some and not to others. If this were the case, one would not expect the gift of faith to be concentrated in families. Also, if the ways of God were totally mysterious to humans, then we would find it difficult, if not impossible, to discern how to live.
A final general concern related to focusing on what it takes to get to heaven is that this tends to distract people from real suffering and injustice on earth. Perhaps there is a different way to understand passages that have often been translated as “faith in Christ” – a way that might lead to personal and communal salvation. If so, it might offer hope for the realm of God “on earth as in heaven.” I will start to explore this next week.
Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.
3. All-Creatures.org Ministry