Monday, August 12, 2013

Something to Consider

A week ago today, I turned in my Integrative paper for Biblical Foundations for Justice and Peacebuilding. In it, I wrote some about how I think Christians should respond to perpetrators of injustice, oppression, and violence.

These thoughts were prompted by 1) recently living near a registered sex offender and feeling God's compassion for that person, 2) IJM's approach that often doesn't deal with the perpetrator other than prosecution, and 3) a good friend who asked me to pray for those who commit violent crimes in a specific context.

This is what I wrote, and I'd be happy to hear your thoughts.


Applications for Addressing Perpetrators of Oppression and Violence
            I have put significant thought into the tension that exists for Christians to be peacemakers and to love enemies, yet to represent God’s justice-judgment in defense of the oppressed. Hay’s article “Violence in Defense of Justice” comes out very strongly on the side of loving enemies. “The Christian response to violence is modeled by the martyr Stephen, who in turn mirrors Jesus in his death by praying for the forgiveness of his enemies.”[1] We can apply this personally by blessing our persecutors in the “context of eschatological hope,” but how can it draw other people to Christ if they are suffering and Christians stand by watching, waiting for final judgment?[2] Conversely, the prophets were remorseless when it came to unveiling injustice and oppression.[3] Isaiah’s justice theme is unavoidable and cannot be easily dismissed. Gary Haugen, president and CEO of International Justice Mission, calls modern-day Christians to be witnesses primarily to the oppressed, sharing the love of Christ in an unjust world.[4] His definition of injustice is “when power is exercised in a way that violates [God’s] standards.”[5] It’s a problem to tell a woman who's being raped to turn the other cheek, whether she is a believer or not. What does the theopolitical nature of the gospel mean for justice work when it entails a violent offender and a defenseless victim?
The principles of Restorative Justice help me to answer many of these questions. “Justice dies when dehumanized, no matter how exactly it may be exercised. Justice dies when deified, for beyond all justice is God’s compassion. The logic of justice may seem impersonal, yet the concern for justice is an act of love.”[6] We must remember the suffering of victims AND “be guided by a vision of the redemption that will one day allow us to…become friends with the perpetrators who committed them.”[7] We represent Christ’s shalom to all people; therefore, we must show love to perpetrators.[8] Confronting the wrongdoer is the loving thing to do because they will be held responsible for their evil deeds. “The righteousness-justice of God in the OT does not distance God from humanity. It brings the Lord closer, a frightening experience for the oppressor or the arrogant.”[9] So we can utilize Restorative Justice philosophy to help victims, perpetrators, and the community.
We cannot minimize the victims and the validity of their traumas, but here I will focus more on how to apply justice-judgment to perpetrators of violence and injustice. The goal is not to punish or make an example of these wrongdoers, and too often the Christian community demonizes these real people. Perpetrator accountability is necessary; they must be confronted because allowing them to continue in their evil ways is condemnation. However, we do not go to war against the brothel-owners but instead use non-violent means of opposition to make clear to them the reality of their Sin. “Loving one’s enemy is the attempt to change the violent person into a child of God through a confrontation with the love of God.”[10] Here, it is crucial to pray for the offenders, that the Holy Spirit would soften their hearts and convict them. If their hearts are changed, we praise God, accept and re-integrate them, walk alongside of them to encourage and, on some level, to assess the authenticity of their transformation.
Those offenders who are not willing to change and would continue to oppress the vulnerable cannot be permitted to do so, like a child who misbehaves must be disciplined so as to avoid potential danger. While all Christians are to hate injustice, some individual believers are called to directly oppose those who perpetrate oppression. In the Body of Christ, some are called to minister to the victims and some to the perpetrators. It is easier to have compassion on those who have suffered violence, but those confronting criminals must also have a right heart attitude toward them. “We are God’s hands of mercy and love” to both victims and offenders.[11] Some force may be necessary to bring an end to corruption. Community pressure, legal proceedings, and even physical force (as in an arrest) may be acceptable, but it is hard to draw a clear line, especially regarding physical opposition. It is my opinion that physical force to prevent immediate harm to a victim is acceptable, so long as it affects minimal harm to the criminal. I acknowledge that to allow for any physical confrontation is a slippery slope, but it is the conclusion I reach when I consider what Jesus would do if he were to witness an attempted rape. He would not sit next to the victim and hold her hand but would stand to protect her and fight on her behalf, confronting the evil, praying “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34).


[1] Hays, “Violence,” 330.
[2] Hays, “Violence,” 338.
[3] Heschel, “Justice,” 204.
[4] Gary A. Haugen, Good News About Injustice: A Witness of Courage in a Hurting World, 2nd ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009), 49.
[5] Haugen, Good News, 85.
[6] Heschel, “Justice,” 201.
[7] Jones and Musekura, Forgiving, 96-97.
[8] Nation, “Repent and Believe in Me,” Lecture, May 29, 2013.
[9] Bruckner, “Justice,” 6.
[10] Swartley, “Relation of Justice,” 35. (quoting Luise Schottroff)
[11] Haugen, Good News, 112.

And to lighten things up, here is a picture of our lovely garden.

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