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One of the greatest needs in the church today is to embrace a biblical view of justice, which is rooted in the sacred Scriptures. It comes from rediscovering the intrinsic connection between liturgy and justice. The Scriptures make justice a mandate of faith and a fundamental expression of Christian discipleship, worship, and mission.

The attention that justice has received in recent years is not a trend, but it can be traced to the pages of the Bible. Justice is grounded in the love of a triune God who time and time again shows his love and compassion for the poor, the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised. Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” In the New Testament, we see that Jesus defends the oppressed, loves the outcast and the sinner, and calls on the rich to give to the poor and take care of the needs of the helpless.

A close look at the New Testament reveals there is a close relationship between worship and social justice. Early Christians took seriously the social implications of worship, especially in the Eucharist, which may also be called the eucharistic community. Sri Lankan theologian Tissa Balasuriya commented on the early church’s understanding of the Eucharist in her book The Eucharist and Human Liberation:

The early Christians thus understood the deep meaning of the symbol instituted by Jesus. Its social impact was the main criterion of its value and credibility. That is why early Christians were so acceptable to many, especially the poor, and so detested by some of the powerful, particularly the exploiters. Christianity was then a dynamic movement of human liberation from selfishness and exploitation. All were to be equal in the believing community and this was symbolized by the eucharistic meal.

Today, justice reminds us that orthodoxy is not enough; we must also have orthopraxy. Catholic theologian Gustavo Gutiérrez points out in his book, A Theology of Liberation, that the church has too often “focused on orthodoxy and left orthopraxis in the hands of nonmembers and nonbelievers.” The church is called to not only stand for correct doctrine (orthodoxy), but for redemptive practices as well (orthopraxy). For this reason, the church is called to “struggle against oppressive structures and to construct a more just society.” In other words, we are not called to simply be armchair theologians who inhabit ivory towers, but we are called to live out our faith in the real world and fight for justice everywhere.

So why should we link liturgy and justice? The simple reason is because they belong together. There is an intrinsic relationship between liturgy, justice, mission, and discipleship. Gospel-centered liturgy can and should form us for justice and mission to the world. In her book Liturgy and Justice Anne Y. Koester reminds us that,

“Liturgical celebrations and the work of justice are tightly woven threads of the same cloth. In other words, gathering to worship and striving for justice are not separate compartments or unrelated endeavors in the Christian life; rather, liturgy and justice together are constitutive of and expressive of the church itself. Quite simply, authentic discipleship demands that the already existing relationship between our liturgy and our mission as ministers of justice be lived.”

To divide liturgy from justice is to create a false dichotomy. Liturgy encourages a holistic approach, marrying the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual into one. Rejecting the bifurcation of heart from mind and body, as well as from private and social, many Christians are seeking ways to unite these, and liturgy offers us help. The liturgy naturally ties the spiritual to the social, reminding us that God’s work is not limited to one or the other, but consists of both working together. This unity, a reintegration of spiritual and social, cannot help but lead to a renewed awareness of the need for social justice. Again, a sacramental understanding of the faith fosters this integration. The Word of the Lord commissions us not only to save souls, but to care for those around us who cannot care for themselves or do not have a voice of their own. Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). As we have already seen, we are not only called to preach the gospel, but to share in word and deed.

Liturgy reminds us of our social responsibility to be agents of God’s justice in the world today. The words that we pray in the liturgy on Sunday form us for mission the other six days of the week. Justice reminds us of the true meaning of the word “liturgy” as the “work of the people,” which includes fighting injustice of every kind and seeking to do good to all.

Before I became a liturgical Christian, I simply viewed mission primarily as proclamation, having little time for justice or social action. However, it wasn’t until I embraced liturgy that my eyes were opened to the need for justice in our day. It was the power of coming to the Eucharist each week and by praying the Prayers of the People, found in The Book of Common Prayer, that my heart slowly became aware of the needs of others around me and to the injustices in the world. In the words of Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, my heart began to “be broken for the things that break the heart of God.”

This is why justice and liturgy belong together: every time we worship God, we should be reminded that we have to fight for human rights, and that every human life is sacred and matters regardless of the color of his or her skin. Every single one of us matters.

Liturgy alone will not produce the justice that is needed in the world, but it is a powerful place to start. Prayer and liturgies can address a variety of justice issues such as racism, women’s rights, treatment of refugees, wealth and poverty, deforestation, militarization, climate change, and more. 

The church of the past can speak to the present, while the church of the present can reach into the future with a faith that is rooted and grounded in Christ in a dynamic way. I desire to paint a vision for the future of the church that is neither fundamentalist nor progressive—one that is historically rooted and modern; orthodox and gracious; unified and diverse; liturgical and open to the spontaneity of the Spirit; catholic and evangelical; and finally sacramental and missional. I don’t believe that I am alone. 

Adapted from Liturgical Mission by Winfield Bevins. Copyright (c) 2022 by Winfield Bevins. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com

Winfield Bevins
Winfield Bevinshttp://winfieldbevins.com/

Winfield Bevins serves as the director of church planting at Asbury Seminary and as canon for church planting for the Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas, director of re-missioning for Fresh Expressions US, and director of the New Room Regional Network.