Justice

(Page 32)

Justice As a Virtue

Justice

•The moral and cardinal virtue by which we give God and our neighbor what is their due by right.

Four types of Justice•Commutative •Distributive•Legal•Social

Commutative Justice•The justice of exchange•Simply, you get what you pay for. It also obliges that you pay for what you get.

Commutative Justice•Based on the principle of equality between what is given and what is received

Commutative Justice•Without it a society could not function

Distributive Justice•Justice that guarantees the common welfare. •Involves sharing

Distributive Justice•See to just distribution of the goods of creation that God intends for us all to use and share

Distributive Justice•Because we belong to communities, to whom do pass on the our the responsibility to meet everyone’s basic needs?•Governmental Authorities

Legal Justice•Flip side of distributive justice•Legal justice relates to citizen’s obligations toward the larger society and government•Requires we obey the law of society

Social Justice•Applies the Gospel message of Jesus to the structures, systems, and laws of society in order to guarantee the rights of individuals.

Social Justice•Demands that everyone has a right to a fair say in the social, political, and economic institutions of society.

Social Justice•It also is called contributive justice. •Why do you think this is?

Social Justice•Governments that do not allow people to participate according to their abilities are…•UNJUST!

(Pg 35)

THE BIBLE ON JUSTICE

The Bible on Justice•Presents justice as a burning concern of God.•The Biblical idea of justice involves fidelity to what relationships require.•God is always faithful

Justice in the O.T.•Covenant between God and Abraham•Covenant—An open-ended contract of love between God and His people. It involves promises and duty to be faithful to the promises

Justice in the O.T.•God promises that He would be faithful to Abraham•Children•Land•Descendants

Justice in the O.T.•Abraham and his people were to be faithful to the covenant, to obey God by living upright, just lives

Justice in the O.T.•How does God prove himself?•Keep all his promises•Moreover, he defends them by rescuing them from slavery•Frees them from indignity and suffering

Justice in the O.T.•God also gives them the 10 commandments to help them live out their part of the covenant •A steady guide to help them live as God’s people, a holy people

Justice in the O.T.•Biblical justice is fidelity to God, neighbor, and to God’s created goods.

Justice in the O.T.•The Chosen people•Were unfaithful to God time and time again•Worshipped false gods•Acted selfishly towards foreigners and the weak

Justice in the O.T.•They broke their side of the covenant, how does God react?•God does not abandon them

•God sends prophets to hand out his justice

Justice in the O.T.

Example from Isaiah

Justice in the N.T.•Does God ever give up on his people?•No•He makes a new covenant with his people

Justice in the N.T.•Jesus!•His life and death exemplify perfect fidelity •He reveals justice-in-the-flesh

Justice in the N.T.• In His words and actions, what does Jesus reveal about God?•God’s true nature•Love and compassion•These are the marks of God’s kingdom as well

Justice in the N.T.• In the N.T., what does Jesus reveal to us:•Love for God and neighbor•What did Jesus teach us was the greatest commandment?•Love of God and Love of neighbor as oneself

Justice in the N.T.• In the N.T., what does Jesus reveal to us:•Love for God and neighbor•What did Jesus teach us was the greatest commandment?•Love of God and Love of neighbor as oneself

Justice in the N.T.• In the N.T., what does Jesus reveal to us:•The Beatitudes

Justice in the N.T.• In the N.T., what does Jesus reveal to us:•Respond to the least ones•Learn our judgment is based on how we respond to the need of the least in our midst

Justice in the N.T.• In the N.T., what does Jesus reveal to us:•Embrace Everyone•Good Samaritan•Jesus teaches us that our neighbor is everyone

Justice in the N.T.• In the N.T., what does Jesus reveal to us:•Be Compassionate—parable of the day laborers•God treats us different than the world does•They are paid according to what they need•God values people, not what they produce

Justice in the N.T.• Jesus’ actions show us how to be just loving people. •His passion death and resurrection demonstrated in the most graphic way how God loves. •With arms outstretched on a cross, dying next to criminals, He embraces everyone

Justice in the N.T.•There are no conditions to Jesus love, because God doesn’t have conditions• Jesus self-gift on the cross is a great act of justification; it saves us; it puts us in right relationship with God and others

Justice in the N.T.•Was it enough for Jesus just to show us through his actions?•No•So what did he form in order to help us?•Formed a just community to carry on his work

Justice in the N.T.•The key to working for justice is to serve as Jesus served.

Justice in the N.T.•We must do so on a number of levels:•Interpersonal•Groups to which we belong•Neighborhood, state, city, nation•International

Justice in the N.T.•When we serve the cause of justice, we are faithful to our relationships.•In doing so we are true disciples of Christ

Justice in the N.T.•“God does not ask me to be successful, but to be faithful”

–Mother Teresa

Catholic Social Teaching on Justice (pg 38)

C.S.T. on Justice•Early Church took Jesus words to relate to others as brothers and sisters very seriously

C.S.T. on Justice•It was because of the Church’s compassion that many were attracted to Christ and converted

C.S.T. on Justice•The Church has not ceased working for justice•Throughout the ages we have had great saints and writers who have called us back to justice

C.S.T. on Justice•Saint Augustine of Hippo•Saint Ambrose •Saint Francis of Assisi

C.S.T. on Justice•As the Church became more organized, the Church established the following:

C.S.T. on Justice•Hospitals•Homes for battered woman•orphanages

C.S.T. on Justice•A school system to educate the poor•Homes for the aged and dying•And countless other institutions

C.S.T. on Justice•In fact, many of our contemporary human service agencies have their roots in the Church’s mission to serve the needy.