When injustice becomes law

For broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 15 Sep 2013.

Former agricultural scientist Graeme Swincer wrote recently on how should we respond to what he calls “the legalised and socially ingrained injustice” promoted by our national leaders.  He says:

Jesus lived in an unjust society and his unpopularity with the leaders was in part due to his challenges to the status quo.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer was appalled at the pathetic response of the German state church to the injustices visited upon Jews by the Nazi regime.  Blind patriotism overrode ethical and spiritual integrity.  Bonhoeffer famously enumerated three possible ways in which the church can act towards the state:

(a) question the state regarding its actions and their legitimacy;
(b) aid the victims of state action, whether Christians or not;
(c) take action directly against the state to stop it from perpetrating evil.

This is the unfamiliar territory into which Australian Christians are increasingly being led in advocacy for asylum seekers.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.