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chavos · 08-22-2003, 06:09 PM

This a paper i wrote recently, and thought i'd use it as philosophy fodder. There are many times when i'm asked to "prove" why i believe in God. http://tfproject.org/tfp/showthread....threadid=22685

Well...this be one of them. Lots of people think that helping poor people is good. This is the "why" in my mind...and part of the justice that i have come to worship through the Christian message. So, with apologies for the length, and without further ado...

The Chosen Fast: Social Justice and Atonement in Third Isaiah

As the Israelites made their return to Palestine under Cyrus’s decree, the prophetic message that focused on consolation and promise began to shift once again. Reprising the role of social critic, the writer of Third Isaiah used powerful imagery to convey how necessary righteousness was in return for the blessings that the people were given. In particular, chapter 58 makes an argument for why the faith of the community needed to radically shift in order to meet God’s demand for justice. Though this message was intended for the community of the Israelites in a moment of definition when they chose how to reconstruct their society, it contains a durable critique of all unjust nations across time and a call to action on the part of the faithful.

In its original context, this theology started with the question: “Is God with us?” The easy answer was manifestly affirmative because for the second time in their history, the people had been delivered from foreign captivity and given the land. This was seen as an overt action by God in history to show favor upon the Israelites in response to their prayers and lamentations. However, the prophet has a different answer. He points to the perceived emptiness of worship, noting the complaints of the people in verse 3: “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”

The unsettling conclusion is that God has withdrawn from the community, and the prophet explains that the root cause is the same insincerity and hypocrisy that doomed their ancestors to exile. No sooner than they have been rescued, they must be warned not to backslide again. They are chastised for using their religious life to quarrel, and to give themselves permission to disconnect their convictions from their daily lives. Isaiah is told to ask the Israelites:

“Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?” Isaiah 58:5

The answer is simple and powerful: God will not delight in the rituals of humility, but only the real enactment of the virtues that are called for in God’s people. What follows is the exposition of the actions that will provide the righteousness and justice that God seeks.

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Isaiah 58:6

With a sense of both the radical nature of these demands and the tradition that they are based in, these verses echo the themes of the 8th century prophets, while using a new vocabulary to express them. Beyond the traditional pleadings to provide for the widow and the orphan are broader calls to respond to need in whatever forms it appears. Most of all, it reminds them of the fullness of the relationship that the community is to have with those in need: they are kin to the poor, and are to act as the go’el, just as God has been the redeemer of the Israelites. Bound together in blood by the covenant, no person can act as a stranger to another among Israel, and no one can be turned away with out breaking the family that God is creating.

While other texts of the age, especially Jeremiah, stressed the private responsibility of sin, the author of Third Isaiah makes it clear that there are always public ramifications. The actions that are called for are primarily private virtues and charities, but the reward is national well-being.

Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. Isaiah 58:12

There can be no glory built upon a foundation of fractiousness or apathy, and the prophet makes sure that they are aware of the results of their actions upon those around them, and upon the future.

Thousands of years later, these words are still relevant. In an age where public religious life is criticized for being empty and God’s death has been proclaimed, these words seek out a new audience. Just as then, many have abandoned the demands of ethical monotheism, and we are faced with significant social problems. Unfortunately, many veins of religious thought drive people away from these messages. Many televangelists use wealth theology, teaching that God seeks to bring a person personal prosperity if they are righteous. Narrowly reading a select few New Testament passages, and distorting Deuteronomistic theology, they provide a formula for going from rags to riches on faith alone. This new legalism, often referred to as “the Gospel of Prosperity,” ignores what it means to righteous, focusing on personal morality to the exclusion of social justice.[1] It becomes more acceptable to ignore the suffering of the hungry and the homeless poor when income is thought to be a reflection of faith, witnessed by the claim that:

"You must realize that it is God's will for you to prosper. This is available to you, and frankly, it would be stupid of you not to partake of it."[2]

But how can we draw closer to God when such messages harden our hearts? Can such a faith be loyal to God? This is the challenge to the Israelites during their return, and of the Pharisees when Jesus repeated the themes of Isaiah 58 in his description of the judgment of the nations in the Gospel of Matthew, where there is outward observance with a lack of inward conviction. In this passage, the goats who are condemned insist that they serve God, but have done nothing for those who God loves.[3] As Jesus and the prophet note, there can be no right relation with God when there is no relation among humankind. As wisely noted by Irenaeus: “The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God.” The full life that we can lead is possible through God’s grace, but we must make our very lives and relations the vision of God for this to come to pass. This theology isn’t just about Sunday morning; it is about how we order our society.

The Republican Governor of Alabama Bob Riley, has proposed a reform of the state’s deeply regressive tax structure that would shift the burden away from the poor and towards the wealthy. This has been met with deep opposition from many Christian organizations.[4] It is called socialism and forced charity, even by those who claim that God has a significant role in public policy. Defending his plan, Riley has stated, "According to our Christian ethics, we're supposed to love God, love each other and help take care of the poor. It is immoral to charge somebody making $5,000 an income tax." Without these changes, the state will be forced to reduce services for the elderly, deny those without money to pay medical care, cease giving medication to the mentally ill, and cut school funding.[5] This tragedy is the fruits of the personalized Gospel that has abandoned the prophetic tradition and the instruction we are given to love our neighbors. The blessing of true prosperity cannot be achieved by individuals, only in community. The prophet Isaiah knew this, and outlines how God blesses nations.[6] For the foundations of future generations to be laid, the breach of the wall to be repaired, and the streets made livable, the yoke of injustice must be broken and the needs of the afflicted met. This is radical common sense. At heart, we know that we cannot build ourselves fortresses to keep the pain of life out, and we must set out to participate in God’s healing work.[7] But we seem to forget that the lives we lead cannot be separated from the words we speak.[8] If we want to seek God, we must choose the fast that God desires us to give.

All Biblical citations are NRSV.

[1] The Watchman Expositor. “How the Health and Wealth Gospel Twists Scripture.” http://www.watchman.org/reltop/health$.htm

[2] Kenneth Copeland. Qtd. The Watchman Expositor. “How the Health and Wealth Gospel Twists Scripture.” http://www.watchman.org/reltop/health$.htm

[3] Matthew 25:44-45

[4] Alabama Christian Coalition. http://www.ccbama.org/Taxes/BoardResolution.htm

[5] Phillip Rawls. “Ala. Gov.: Christian Duty to Boost Taxes.” AP Newswire. Jul. 29, 2003. http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/6411135.htm

[6] Isaiah 58:9-12

[7] Sirach 38:8

[8] Paul Wellstone.

08-22-2003, 06:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
chavos Banned Location: St. Paul, MN	Religion and Social Justice This a paper i wrote recently, and thought i'd use it as philosophy fodder. There are many times when i'm asked to "prove" why i believe in God. http://tfproject.org/tfp/showthread....threadid=22685 Well...this be one of them. Lots of people think that helping poor people is good. This is the "why" in my mind...and part of the justice that i have come to worship through the Christian message. So, with apologies for the length, and without further ado... The Chosen Fast: Social Justice and Atonement in Third Isaiah As the Israelites made their return to Palestine under Cyrus’s decree, the prophetic message that focused on consolation and promise began to shift once again. Reprising the role of social critic, the writer of Third Isaiah used powerful imagery to convey how necessary righteousness was in return for the blessings that the people were given. In particular, chapter 58 makes an argument for why the faith of the community needed to radically shift in order to meet God’s demand for justice. Though this message was intended for the community of the Israelites in a moment of definition when they chose how to reconstruct their society, it contains a durable critique of all unjust nations across time and a call to action on the part of the faithful. In its original context, this theology started with the question: “Is God with us?” The easy answer was manifestly affirmative because for the second time in their history, the people had been delivered from foreign captivity and given the land. This was seen as an overt action by God in history to show favor upon the Israelites in response to their prayers and lamentations. However, the prophet has a different answer. He points to the perceived emptiness of worship, noting the complaints of the people in verse 3: “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” The unsettling conclusion is that God has withdrawn from the community, and the prophet explains that the root cause is the same insincerity and hypocrisy that doomed their ancestors to exile. No sooner than they have been rescued, they must be warned not to backslide again. They are chastised for using their religious life to quarrel, and to give themselves permission to disconnect their convictions from their daily lives. Isaiah is told to ask the Israelites: “Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush, and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?” Isaiah 58:5 The answer is simple and powerful: God will not delight in the rituals of humility, but only the real enactment of the virtues that are called for in God’s people. What follows is the exposition of the actions that will provide the righteousness and justice that God seeks. Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Isaiah 58:6 With a sense of both the radical nature of these demands and the tradition that they are based in, these verses echo the themes of the 8th century prophets, while using a new vocabulary to express them. Beyond the traditional pleadings to provide for the widow and the orphan are broader calls to respond to need in whatever forms it appears. Most of all, it reminds them of the fullness of the relationship that the community is to have with those in need: they are kin to the poor, and are to act as the go’el, just as God has been the redeemer of the Israelites. Bound together in blood by the covenant, no person can act as a stranger to another among Israel, and no one can be turned away with out breaking the family that God is creating. While other texts of the age, especially Jeremiah, stressed the private responsibility of sin, the author of Third Isaiah makes it clear that there are always public ramifications. The actions that are called for are primarily private virtues and charities, but the reward is national well-being. Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in. Isaiah 58:12 There can be no glory built upon a foundation of fractiousness or apathy, and the prophet makes sure that they are aware of the results of their actions upon those around them, and upon the future. Thousands of years later, these words are still relevant. In an age where public religious life is criticized for being empty and God’s death has been proclaimed, these words seek out a new audience. Just as then, many have abandoned the demands of ethical monotheism, and we are faced with significant social problems. Unfortunately, many veins of religious thought drive people away from these messages. Many televangelists use wealth theology, teaching that God seeks to bring a person personal prosperity if they are righteous. Narrowly reading a select few New Testament passages, and distorting Deuteronomistic theology, they provide a formula for going from rags to riches on faith alone. This new legalism, often referred to as “the Gospel of Prosperity,” ignores what it means to righteous, focusing on personal morality to the exclusion of social justice.[1] It becomes more acceptable to ignore the suffering of the hungry and the homeless poor when income is thought to be a reflection of faith, witnessed by the claim that: "You must realize that it is God's will for you to prosper. This is available to you, and frankly, it would be stupid of you not to partake of it."[2] But how can we draw closer to God when such messages harden our hearts? Can such a faith be loyal to God? This is the challenge to the Israelites during their return, and of the Pharisees when Jesus repeated the themes of Isaiah 58 in his description of the judgment of the nations in the Gospel of Matthew, where there is outward observance with a lack of inward conviction. In this passage, the goats who are condemned insist that they serve God, but have done nothing for those who God loves.[3] As Jesus and the prophet note, there can be no right relation with God when there is no relation among humankind. As wisely noted by Irenaeus: “The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God.” The full life that we can lead is possible through God’s grace, but we must make our very lives and relations the vision of God for this to come to pass. This theology isn’t just about Sunday morning; it is about how we order our society. The Republican Governor of Alabama Bob Riley, has proposed a reform of the state’s deeply regressive tax structure that would shift the burden away from the poor and towards the wealthy. This has been met with deep opposition from many Christian organizations.[4] It is called socialism and forced charity, even by those who claim that God has a significant role in public policy. Defending his plan, Riley has stated, "According to our Christian ethics, we're supposed to love God, love each other and help take care of the poor. It is immoral to charge somebody making $5,000 an income tax." Without these changes, the state will be forced to reduce services for the elderly, deny those without money to pay medical care, cease giving medication to the mentally ill, and cut school funding.[5] This tragedy is the fruits of the personalized Gospel that has abandoned the prophetic tradition and the instruction we are given to love our neighbors. The blessing of true prosperity cannot be achieved by individuals, only in community. The prophet Isaiah knew this, and outlines how God blesses nations.[6] For the foundations of future generations to be laid, the breach of the wall to be repaired, and the streets made livable, the yoke of injustice must be broken and the needs of the afflicted met. This is radical common sense. At heart, we know that we cannot build ourselves fortresses to keep the pain of life out, and we must set out to participate in God’s healing work.[7] But we seem to forget that the lives we lead cannot be separated from the words we speak.[8] If we want to seek God, we must choose the fast that God desires us to give. All Biblical citations are NRSV. [1] The Watchman Expositor. “How the Health and Wealth Gospel Twists Scripture.” http://www.watchman.org/reltop/health$.htm [2] Kenneth Copeland. Qtd. The Watchman Expositor. “How the Health and Wealth Gospel Twists Scripture.” http://www.watchman.org/reltop/health$.htm [3] Matthew 25:44-45 [4] Alabama Christian Coalition. http://www.ccbama.org/Taxes/BoardResolution.htm [5] Phillip Rawls. “Ala. Gov.: Christian Duty to Boost Taxes.” AP Newswire. Jul. 29, 2003. http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/6411135.htm [6] Isaiah 58:9-12 [7] Sirach 38:8 [8] Paul Wellstone.