Recently, I had the pleasure of video interviewing 11 leaders in the Christian field about a wide range of current issues. We asked them questions like “Do you call yourself a Christian?” and “What does the term progressive Christianity mean to you?” and “What are the most important aspects of the teachings of Jesus to you?” I thoroughly enjoyed each interview and was moved by their intelligent, thoughtful, and passionate responses. When I asked them about how their beliefs affect they way they behave in this world and if they believe that being a follower of Jesus meant doing social justice work, one common response was – though Jesus did teach about going within and about stillness, the most important part of his teachings referred to how we behave toward others. One person said, “What is the point of life if it’s just all about me? We have to be existing in this world in a way that decreases the suffering of human kind.” What is amazing is that through selfless action we are positively transformed- our lives have more meaning, we are able to see god within all and to have made a positive difference with our time on earth.
There is hardly anything more rewarding then practicing acts of kindness, or when standing up for something we believe in, especially when we are able to see the positive affects of those actions. Jesus was first and foremost a social activist. He saw inequalities and injustices around him and he spoke out against them. He called us to give up our possessions, to share our bounty, and to love our enemies.
As we continue on in our series on Personal and World Transformation, we asked our contributors to ponder the idea of Social Justice. We would love to hear your thoughts as well! As you read through these excellent articles, please take a moment to add your comment!
~Deshna
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