Christian Realism and the Inertia of Unjust Systems

This summer I'm writing an article on the jurisprudence and ethics of Reinhold Niebuhr's Christian Realism and the stubborn inertia of unjust systems (especially profitable ones). In a summer of fraught politics and massive legal upheavals, the work is grounding me in the hope of some old, practical wisdom.

In his essays on love and justice, Niebuhr wrote, "The fight for justice in society will always be a fight. But wherever the spirit of justice grows imaginative and is transmuted into love, a love in which the interests of the other are espoused, the struggle is transcended by just that much."

This has become canon for me. Never in our history has American been at peace with itself as it wrestles with competing visions of prosperity, justice, and power, and it never will arrive at permanent justice. The fight for justice will always be a fight, and that fight should never place all its hope in any law, branch, party, institution, leader, church, movement, state, economy, or dogma. Rather, it must be engaged with all of those at once and always, measuring them all with a rigorous, relentless, and disciplined love that centers the dignity of all people - with special attention to the excluded, oppressed, marginalized, vulnerable, and poor. Progress might be incremental, but it can be real.

Dr. King said, “I’m not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love; I’m talking about a strong, demanding love.” If one has the best politics, most cocksure allegiance, and purest vision but has not love, they are nothing but a clanging cymbal.

In a democracy, where interests are vying for power, profit, and dominance, neutrality and apathy are gifts to the status quo. But however we choose to engage - in our social circles, online, or in public; at the ballot box or the legislature; through donations and activism - the only hope for any of us is to engage with strong, demanding love. If one is losing in court, losing elections, witnessing the rise of reactionary darkness, the answer cannot be panic, despair, surrender, or hot fury. Hating enemies is a waste of time and energy, and it's bad strategy. The answers must be love for neighbors, hope in our capacity for justice, faith in the people, imagination, curiosity, and honest, steely-eyed courage.

Even in dark nights, we transcend the struggle by carrying the torch of love for all people; cultivating love in close circles; standing up to bullies; transmitting messages of love for the poor, imprisoned, and hungry; demanding love in public policy, culture, communities, businesses, and institutions of all kinds; telling the truth; insisting on integrity; and bearing witness to justice in the long arc of history.

Fear not, and don't panic. Be strong and courageous. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your God.