Younger Looking Skin

Full Story

Justice And Peace: The Bedrock Of Peaceful Co-Existence

Being a paper presented by the Provincial Coordinator, Justice, Development and Peace/Caritas (JDPC), Very Rev. Fr. Fidelis Oriabure Arhedo on the occasion of this year World Day of Justice and Peace, organised by the Uromi Diocese of the Catholic Church, at the Catholic Chancery, Uromi, recently.

JUSTICE AND RELIGION
Religion without Justice is counterfeit or fable religion. We are all Christians so we fall back on worlds on the operation of man in the social order that is manifested in social justice and social charity of humanity. It is on this perspective that Prophet Amos prophesy in the name of God says that prayers and sacrifices are useless when the people concerned have no regard for the poor and the needy. Amos says that those who practice Justice are condemned since God will not accept worship and sacrifice. Amos declared God’s voice thus; “I (God) hate, I scorn your festivals, I take no pleasure in solemn assemblies, When you bring me burnt offerings, your oblations, I do not accept them and I also do not look at your communion sacrifices and fat cattle. Spare me the din of your chanting. Let me hear none of your strumming on lyres, but let justice flow like water and uprightness like a never failing stream” (Amos 5:21-24)

It is very clear that Christians have to give justice a high place in their lives and worship. The church teaches justice primarily not just by proclamation of the list of principles rather it lives it out in witness to its beliefs, its values and its opinion. The church proclamation of the principles of social justice as echoed in the attitudinal disposition of Christian community and its leaders in relation to the church members, and in its relation to others. To be more realistic, the synod document of 1971, synod of Bishops in Rome declares this striking passage on justice in the world from auto-perspective. While the church is bound to give witness to justice, it recognizes that anyone who ventures to speak to people about justice must first be just in their eyes. Therefore, we must undertake an examination of the modes of acting and of the possession and life-style within the church itself.
To be more authentic, we must abide by the requirement of Jesus Christ in his teachings, such as, Happy are those who hunger and thirst for what is right; they shall be satisfied (Mathew 5:6). Seek first the kingdom of God and his Justice (Mathew 6:33), the most striking is the passage of Jesus teaching that says “Happy are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God (Mathew 5:9). To be a Peacemaker, one does not only love peace but one must try hard to make peace. To make Peace one must love justice and promote justice, “without justice there is no true Peace.

PEACE
According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, Peace is “a situation or a period of time in which there is no war or violence in a country or an area. Secondly, Peace is the state of being calm or quite. Peace is also the state of living in friendship with some body without arguing.

These are three dimensions on the holistic understanding of peace; Peace within the Social Justice does not really connote the first understanding rather, it implies the last two definitions. We shall look at peace from the Biblical perspectives as the basic of Social Justice. The scripture says, the “Lord is peace” (Judges 6:24). Look at the creation is true reflection of the nature of God which unfolds the divine glory that aspires to peace. The created order exists in harmonious process (Gen. 1:14, 10, 18, 21, 25, 31). Peace has been established on the primary relationship that exists between every human being and God Himself, a relationship marked by righteousness (Gen. 17:1). Problem emerged when man violates this Divine order, in which the world experience its primordial shedding of blood and division. Violence made its appearance in interpersonal relationship (Gen. 4: 1-6) and in social relationship (Gen. 11:1-9). It follows therefore that peace and violence cannot dwell together, and where there is violence, God cannot be present since God is love (1 John 4:7).

Secondly, from the Biblical perspective, peace goes beyond mere absence of war because it represents the fullness of life. (Mal. 2:5). Peace is God’s gift to all human beings which requires obedience of human person to the divine plan. Peace is the manifestation of God’s blessings upon his people. “The Lord to lift up his countenance upon you, and give you his peace” (Num. 6: 26). This peace produces fruitfulness (Is. 48:19), well-being (cf ….. 48: 18), Prosperity (cf Is. 54: 13), absence of fear (cf Lev. 26: 6) and profound joy (cf Prov. 12: 20).

The goal of life in society is peace which is revealed in Messianic vision of peace, so that all people will go to the Lord’s house. Then all people will be taught by him about peace and walk on the way of peace (cf Is. 12: 2-5). The messiah Himself is called, “Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:5). Jesus is our peace. The messianic kingdom made known is the kingdom of peace (cf Job 25:2, Ps 29:11, 37:11. etc) Jesus came and reconciles man with God and with man himself. By this, He broke down walls of hostility among people (Eph. 2:14-16). To be a Christian is to seal with peace and so every Christian has a mission to be a disciple of peace in the world which cannot give peace. “Peace I leave with you: my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you” (Jn 14:27). The peace of Jesus recommended all to God the father on the first place while on the second he reconciles man with one another. And living in peace as Beatitudes revealed, one becomes a child of God. ‘Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called children of God (Mt. 5:9). So working for peace, one cannot separate from announcing the “good news of peace” (Act 10:36).

Conclusively therefore, Pope John Paul II (1986) says Peace is value and while Pope Paul (IV) (1969) seen Peace as a universal duty which is founded on a rational and moral order of society that has its roots in God himself, “the first source of being, the essential truth and the supreme good (John Paul II (1982) He continues that peace is founded on a correct understanding of the human person which calls for the enablement of an order based on Justice and Charity so, peace is not just absence of war or maintenance of a balance of power between enemies. Pope Paul IV (1972) declares that peace is the fount of Justice (cf Is. 32:17) reveals in wider sense as respect for the equilibrium of every dimension of the human person. So peace is often threatened when human person denied of his or her due and human dignity is not respected which lead to the violation of human rights.

So, there is call to prevent conflicts and violence that will absolutely understand peace which will spread to every family and associations within a society as well as political community. Pope John Paul II (1997) declares that it is a climate permeated with human and respect for Justice; authentic culture of peace can develop and will provide the entire international community. There is universal call for solidarity for greater peace that guarantee the welfare of man as well as sharing freely with one another the riches and wealth of their mind and talents. This now bring us to the evolution of social Justice in the church.

THE EVOLUTION OF JUSTICE AND PEACE
In this evolution of Justice and Peace, it is vital to recognize the teaching and attitude of the leaders of the church, and all their contributions to the formative influences of this agenda of Social Justice in the Church.

First, there were industrial actions by the industrial workers employed in the factories and mines in the part of Europe and North America. In responding to this action, Pope Leo XIII issued the primordial social encyclical, Rerum Novarum (Modern situation) in 1891 (Donal 1991). This centered on the just wage for workers in all ramification.

Secondly, there was great revolution in Europe. This experience of revolution led to very severe disruption of society which led Pope Leo XIII to conclude that protest against unjust activities of the government is very legitimate especially when it was not violent. While Pope Pius XI recommended that it must be lawful.

Thirdly, the church authorities and theologians developed their social teaching reacted greatly to the errors and aberration of Western Political Philosophers’ postulates that the National Socialism (the Nazi Philosophy) as well as fundamental error as communism and socialism. The church leaders although were concerned with different trends which are rightly described as left-wing and right-wing due to extreme anarchism to mild versions of socialism and political individualism respectively. The regime of left-wing and right- wing according to leaders of the church could be guilty of state absolutism and so they must be rejected.

Fourthly, church responded to the crisis of capitalism, classism, fascism and Marxism. The error of capitalism is associated with major injustice in society which deceives poor rights.

Fifthly, the church through Pope John XXIII made serious effort to re-examine the role of the church with new thinking and horizon. This has greatly impact on church’s social teachings which focus on Social Justice. Then he issued an encyclical mater et magistra (Mother and teacher) due to his openness to the Holy Spirit and understanding of the gospel from this perspective. He discovered that there was something wrong with their social teaching that place precedence of rights of property owners over the poor and concern for stability of government over concern for Justice (Donal 1991). The right-wing Catholics were not too comfortable with encyclical letter and so summed up their attitude in the phase: Mater si Magistra no (Mother yes, teacher no). The new encyclical letter brought about a profound significant change in the perception of the position of the official church.
This new understanding flow through Vatican II document entitled Gaudium et Spes (the Church in the modern world) on the issues of Justice and Peace.

The goods of the earth are destined by God not only for all people but also for all people (Gs 69.1) which addressed major issues of a just international economic order, and providing a solid theological teaching on Social Justice (GS 85). The Gaudium et Spes established solid linked the political issues of a just of peace between nations to the issue of a just international economic order (Gs 83-7). In noticeable development of the council was the concept of human development which laid the foundation of present Catholic Social teaching in contemporary world. This found the basis of Pope Paul’s encyclical populurum progression (on the Development of peoples) manifested the new understanding of international social Justice. This led Pope Paul IV to established Vatican Justice and Peace Office in connection with the council document and his encyclical letter. In this populurum Progression carefully established theology of development not merely economic development rather focus on social, political and cultural aspects. He actually condemned economic domination of poorer countries by so called neo-colonialism as well as involved a new international economic order.

Further more, Pope Paul VI issues another document called Octogesima Adveniens to mark the eightieth anniversary of Leo XIII’s original social encyclical Rerum Novarum, which contributed greatly to the teaching of the Catholic Church on matters of Social Justice. Again, the third important document after Vatican II which came from the synod of bishops, which took place in Rome in 1971 called Justice in the world. This emphasized the relationship between Christian faith and action of Justice in the primordial issues of action on behalf of Justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel.(No. 6)

The final document of Pope Paul issued in 1975 made valuable contribution to the social teaching of the Catholic Church entitled: Evangeli Nuutiandi (Evangelization in the modern world). This document accepts the careful comprehensive account of the meaning of that word.

Again, Pope John Paul II made great contributions to the social agenda by adding new dimensions in order to offer coherent and rounded framework for social ethics. He also included an integral Christian-humanistic vision of the development of the notion of solidarity which enables people to summit distrusts and enable the promotion of International Justice and peace on document entitle: Solicitudo Rei-socialis (on social concern)
Further more, Pope John Paul II contributed greatly by paying special attention to the issues of Justice for women. In his 1988 encyclical titled: Mulieris Dignitaten (the Dignity and vocation of women) where he unfolds a significant and meaningful way, the dignity and vocation of women within the context of the Bible expressed the true equality between women and men. In this perspective therefore, wife is subject to her husband just as husband is subject to her, so each is called to the service of each other. Unfortunately, on the equality the humanity Pope John Paul II made strong stance against the ordination of women which the document was not highly appreciated feminists for denying women of priestly ordination. The Vatican maintains that this is not fundamental human rights of humanity to support the Pope.

Finally, over the years John Paul II made other great contributions to social Justice in other areas by establishing close link between Peace, Justice and ecology on his message on World Day of Peace on 1st January 1990. This he emphatically declares thus:

“World peace is threatened not only by the arms race regional conflicts and continues injustice among peoples and nations, but also by lack of due respect for nature, by the floundering of natural resources and by a progressive decline in equality of life”

He calls on all peoples to avoid the destruction of the natural heritage by which people are to desist from deforestation of forest in uncontrolled way as well as environmental pollution and reckless exploitation of natural resources which are ultimately to the disadvantage of human kind. All these call for the respect for integrity of creation and failure to do this is tantamount to the rejection of God’s plan for creation and ultimate an attack on human persons. It seems not to be clear whether human beings are bound to respect the right of non-human life and nature itself on the basis of their intrinsic harmony and order is nature.

CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES OF JUSTICE AND PEACE
Despite the Divine invitation for all peoples to live at peace with one another since human persons received the image of God as expressed in various church teachings and the universal Declaration on Human Right 1948 in the preamble, which state emphatically “whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, Justice and Peace in the world”. This Declaration was followed by the adoption of two important international covenants namely: Civil and Political Rights (adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nation in 1966) and the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (adopted also by UN in 1966) both of which recognized the inherent dignity and the equal in alienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundations of freedom, Justice and peace in the world.’’

This fact has since formed the focal point around which the constitutions of virtually all countries revolves, hence provides international standard against which such conditions are tested for legitimacy and validity. It followed therefore that on the basis of the internationalization of human right that there seems to be no equivocation and remain the greatest achievement of the world community. Let us now look at the challenges of Justice and Peace in the world

International Debt: It is rather unfortunate that church remains rather powerless in this regard. Besides, the church contribute great deal by her leaders to carry a campaign to encourage people about “usury” i.e. the practice of lending money to people at unfairly high rates of interest which the interest is higher than the original loan. This act of continue demand for high interest in this regard makes it grossly unjust. Since such loan cannot be easily pay back.

JUSTICE FOR WOMEN
Women in Africa continent are greatly discriminated against in the politics and political life of the state which is emanating from African cultural background that places women on the non involvement in active politics i.e. partisan and political apathy.

Secondly, in the area of educating female children; this calls for equal opportunity in educational sectors and other sectors in life. The position of ordination of women and sexist language that we should rely on the church to lead as mother and teacher. The church has given women their divine rightful positions in the church as they respond to their vocation and dignity (John Paul 1988). The church is committed to the education of both sexes to any degree.

Racism
It is observed that the colour of the skin sometimes play a major role in decision making both in the church and the society. Although, this is very silence in the church but sometime surfaces. Donal (1991) holds that “despite their multi-cultural and multi-racial composition, the major international churches are structured and organised in a very traditional European manner with little influence from other cultures.

OPPRESSION AND LIBERATION: There is still oppression in the world so the church leaders and local churches through out the world are concerned with the liberation of the poor. The church and various churches of the world have already demonstrated remarkable contribution to the promotion of integral human liberation. There are still so many oppressed waiting for Justice.

POPULATION EXPLOSION: there is problem of over population in every part of the world. The church has already addressed this problem by emphasizing the need of responsible parenthood in order to have population control without the use of contraceptives which is inimical to the art of co-creative with God in the part of human person. The issue of poverty could be related to the effect of population explosion. There is need for a common moral agreement realistically among stakeholders on the controversial aspects of birth control.

ECOLOGY: There has being a violation on the relation of plants and living creatures to each other and their environment by humans’ exploitation of the natural resource. This is causing disorder in the peace order of natural environment through oil pollution, air pollution and deforestation. Although, church leaders are making major contributions in this regard both on the local and international level. The problem is still very strong which resulting in climate change and global warming that has become the major concern in present today’s society.

UNEMPLOYMENT: - The issue of unemployment has become a global issue due to economic meltdown and bad leadership in the developed and developing nations respectively. So, there are many needy brothers and sisters who are waiting for help, so, many who are unemployed are in need of a job; as a result of this they lack access to basic medical care and denied decent living (CSDC). How this issue of unemployment is being addressed globally and locally posed a big problem that has not been resolved.