05.03.05
Posted in faith, politics at 1:37 pm by
I’ve been thinking a little bit about justice. What I’ve been thinking about justice is that there are two sorts of it, one not so good sort and another fantastic sort.
In my thinking about justice, I’ve had a hard time with understanding both a just and merciful God. The two constructs–justice and mercy–seem to be odd bedfellows. But lately, I’ve begun to wonder if they’re not such an odd couple as I’d first imagined.
My understanding of justice is that there are two sorts of it: retributive and restorative. Retributive justice is the ‘payback’ kind of justice. It’s the justice you feel when you see a horrible tragedy and you’d love nothing more than for society to exact some excruciating revenge on that tragedy’s purpetrators. I feel it all the time, and I’m guessing you do, too. On the other hand, the other–probably more Biblically accurate–kind of justice is restorative justice. This justice acts out of an understanding that there is an imbalance. This justice seeks to right wrongs in a manner that restores the intended order of creation.
Then, I got to thinking, I wonder if the mainstream Church hasn’t switched the two up in their minds. For example, Greg, who has a great series about Salvation going on at his blog, has been talking about how the popular version of hell in Christian circles has all the non-Christians in the world falling into an inescapable deep fat fryer for all of eternity. Christians have transposed God’s justice sense according to what they believe about justice.
There’s nothing particularly restorative about the great big deep fat fryer of death. In fact, it could be argued that the eternal existence of hell would mean that the battle of good against evil has been won by evil…if good couldn’t completely stamp it out, that is.
Unfortunately, Christians have become fixated with retributive justice, in more arenas than just the metaphysical, salvation sorts of issues. Christians have become fixated with retributive justice when it comes to politics. For example, I’ve heard many a ‘biblical’ argument FOR the death penalty?!? I know, you’re not shocked because you’ve heard it, too.
Justice restores a sinful, broken place. Until Christians get used to the concept of restorative justice, rather than a vengful, venomous justice, justice and mercy will remain ungraspable. Futher, until mercy becomes the vehicle of restorative justice–Christianity will remain stagnant.
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Posted in faith, politics at 1:37 pm by
I’ve been thinking a little bit about justice. What I’ve been thinking about justice is that there are two sorts of it, one not so good sort and another fantastic sort.
In my thinking about justice, I’ve had a hard time with understanding both a just and merciful God. The two constructs–justice and mercy–seem to be odd bedfellows. But lately, I’ve begun to wonder if they’re not such an odd couple as I’d first imagined.
My understanding of justice is that there are two sorts of it: retributive and restorative. Retributive justice is the ‘payback’ kind of justice. It’s the justice you feel when you see a horrible tragedy and you’d love nothing more than for society to exact some excruciating revenge on that tragedy’s purpetrators. I feel it all the time, and I’m guessing you do, too. On the other hand, the other–probably more Biblically accurate–kind of justice is restorative justice. This justice acts out of an understanding that there is an imbalance. This justice seeks to right wrongs in a manner that restores the intended order of creation.
Then, I got to thinking, I wonder if the mainstream Church hasn’t switched the two up in their minds. For example, Greg, who has a great series about Salvation going on at his blog, has been talking about how the popular version of hell in Christian circles has all the non-Christians in the world falling into an inescapable deep fat fryer for all of eternity. Christians have transposed God’s justice sense according to what they believe about justice.
There’s nothing particularly restorative about the great big deep fat fryer of death. In fact, it could be argued that the eternal existence of hell would mean that the battle of good against evil has been won by evil…if good couldn’t completely stamp it out, that is.
Unfortunately, Christians have become fixated with retributive justice, in more arenas than just the metaphysical, salvation sorts of issues. Christians have become fixated with retributive justice when it comes to politics. For example, I’ve heard many a ‘biblical’ argument FOR the death penalty?!? I know, you’re not shocked because you’ve heard it, too.
Justice restores a sinful, broken place. Until Christians get used to the concept of restorative justice, rather than a vengful, venomous justice, justice and mercy will remain ungraspable. Futher, until mercy becomes the vehicle of restorative justice–Christianity will remain stagnant.
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rmiller said,
May 3, 2005 at 2:36 pm
I’m honestly struggling with the difference between the two in regards to an action…as I think about them, it seems that both are related to the motivation of the heart - which is either vengeance or restoration - and not any action - death penalty or life in prison. You use words like “feel” and “acts out of”. Is that accurate or am I missing it because I often am missing it.
Brandon said,
May 3, 2005 at 2:43 pm
I think the difference is in the actions the two motivations inspire. I fail to see how the death penalty can be viewed restoratively. Taking a person’s life cannot ‘undo’ a crime they’ve committed, neither is it cheaper, nor particularly persuasive in preventing crime.
I hope to write a bit more about this tomorrow, too, but I need to collect my thoughts a bit. I’m just starting to get back into the ‘regular writer’ mode of thinking after a semester of hell.
rmiller said,
May 3, 2005 at 4:32 pm
I only use the death penalty because at some point in history God told his people to use it. That either means that God was not always restorative or that the death penalty can be when used in the correct motivation. I guess, obviously, you would pick option A and I might pick option B, but I haven’t really thought about it in those terms that much so maybe not. Good stuff. Look forward to what else you have to say.
Brandon said,
May 3, 2005 at 4:52 pm
A few things to consider about ‘God mandating the death penalty’.
1. Is this a literal understanding of scripture? If so, what is the basis for our interpreting it literally?
2. What was the culture in which such a mandate was deemed necessary?
3. In light of our current culture, should such a mandate be considered appropriate today?
Without knowing specific scriptural references, it’s hard to speculate. So I won’t.
Thanks for the conversation, though, rmiller.
rmiller said,
May 3, 2005 at 5:12 pm
I definitely don’t want to argue the death penalty in today’s society - sorry for that misunderstanding. Given Exodus 21:12-24, to me, it seems that God encouraged something pretty close to the death penalty for that society and culture and time - that’s why I brought up option A and B above. But, I guess you do bring up an option C - God never encouraged the death penalty. Alright, fair enough.
Summer said,
May 3, 2005 at 5:38 pm
Exodus 21:12-24 does set up th death penalty for certain crimes, yes. But the bet din — the Jewish courts who decided capital cases(which, admittedly, were not set up until the Second Temple period) had much stricter requirements in terms of witnesses and evidence than we have today. And any court who executed someone more often than every seventh year was called a “bloody court” and was looked upon as out of control.
Kirala said,
May 3, 2005 at 5:58 pm
I’ve never thought about it that way before, but you’ve hit the nail right on the head as far as I’m concerned.
Fortunately for us, God goes beyond both retributive and restorative justice. If I stole $50,000, retributive justice might deserve a hand and restorative justice might demand I pay it back. But if I don’t have it… in God’s system, he steps in to pay for me.
Life gets a bit more complicated from there. But I like the mix of mercy and justice inherent in the divine plan.
LAmom said,
May 4, 2005 at 12:39 am
Since Old Testament Israel was an actual theocracy, with a connection to God that was proven through notable miracles, I see their use of the death penalty as consistent with my belief that only God has the right to end someone’s life.
If Dubya ever parts the Red Sea, I’ll recognize his right to administer capital punishment. Otherwise, I’ll look to the example of Jesus, who did not demand that the adulterous woman suffer physical death, but rather that she die to her sins and go and sin no more.
ryan king said,
May 4, 2005 at 3:14 am
I think you’re on to something with the difference between the types of justice. One observation I’d like to make is that it seems that conservative christians may be reluctant to embrace restorative justice, because its implementations often sound pretty ‘liberal.’
zalm said,
May 4, 2005 at 5:54 am
I’m with you on this, Brandon, and I’m interested to see where you take this in future posts.
I find it interesting that when we talk about retributive justice in either the church or in politics, the real operational power is not so much in the act but in the threat. Death penalty proponents argue for its deterrent power. But what they’re really arguing is that the threat of the death penalty is the deterrent. Same with the church. A lot of Christians use the threat of hellfire as a primary motivator.
With restorative justice, it seems that the power is in the act itself. Where retributive justice is an end, restorative justice is more a means to an end.
But what does it mean for us to seek restorative justice? And what does God’s restorative justice look like? Does God’s mercy and love mean that Godly restorative justice isn’t punitive? Or is God’s mercy displayed simply in that God chooses restorative justice where he had every right to choose retributive justice?
More questions than answers at this point, perhaps….
Brandon said,
May 4, 2005 at 9:55 am
All good questions, Zalm. They’ve got me thinking, I’ll try to get something up today!.