FAQ: The Deacon and Social Justice
How do deacons raise awareness and inspire action in the area of Social Justice?
Most of us are familiar with the saying, “Give someone a fish and they have food for a day. Teach them to fish and they have food for a lifetime.” Engaging in community ministry involves assessing the various needs in our neighbourhoods and contributing in more ways than simply “giving them a fish.”
But what happens when we stop handing out fish or even teaching someone to fish? Shouldn’t we also ask whether he/she owns a fishing rod, or whether they have legal access to the lake, or whether the water is too polluted for the fish to be safe to eat?
Seeking justice involves asking the deeper question about “why” some of our vulnerable neighbours suffer injustice, and then pursuing an answer which includes the structures (organizations, governments, etc) of society and how they too can perpetuate the injustice. As we begin to find answers, we create awareness of injustices and speak out for justice through advocacy.
When deacons are installed in the church they are called, in Christ’s name, to both “relieve victims of injustice” and “be prophetic critics of the waste, injustice, and selfishness in our society.” Since they often walk closely with those who experience injustices, deacons have a special opportunity and responsibility to, not only respond directly to immediate needs with compassion, but also to promote awareness of injustice and engage in advocacy for justice.
Diaconal Ministries Canada is committed to sharing, with the church, ways of living the biblical call to justice and to mobilize for advocacy. While justice often requires impartiality, there are times when God calls us to partiality, to live out a special concern for the vulnerable people groups in our country. We have identified 8 people groups, on our website, who are vulnerable to injustices in Canadian communities:
- Aboriginal people
- Immigrants
- People who are homeless
- One parent families
- People experiencing mental illness
- Working poor
- People living with disabilities
- Refugees
The resources on our website will help you understand some of the challenges that these people in your community might experience. There is background information, links to other resources, and ministry opportunities and advocacy opportunities for how your church might assist vulnerable people in your community meet their challenges. These people groups are linked to our justice area.
One of the partners of Diaconal Ministries Canada is the Office of Social Justice. Its mandate is to assist the CRC to faithfully work and witness for justice.
The Office of Social Justice works
- in cooperation with the agencies and institutions of the CRC as they incorporate a justice witness, a value of the denomination, into their ministry.
- to enable, organize, and respond to congregations, classis, regions and networks that advocate or wish to advocate for justice for the poor, the vulnerable, and the oppressed.
- to represent the church cooperatively, ecumenically, and to partner with other bodies formed to work on issues of justice.
- to advocate on behalf of the church in the public square when the church has broad agreement on the issue in question or when the integrity of CRC ministries is at stake.
- to assist the church to pray, reflect, and discuss difficult issues of social justice that are critical to our kingdom witness but on which there is not broad agreement. It does so in a manner that honors differences and promotes unity.
