Economy and the Struggle for Justice

By Revd. Jan. Scholtz
Southern Africa has undergone a lot of challenges which have included political instability, increased poverty levels and general spiritual malaise in the communities that we serve.
In the following sentences I would like to raise some of the challenges and concerns that confront the people we serve, which we have to address one way or another.
I would like to state that we can no longer leave the question of economy exclusively to politicians and business people. Our experience is that the architects of current economies are heavily dependent on the “free market” logic. These economies turn the “market” into a space of denomination, descent and greed. The majority of the people who provide the labour in the manufacturing of goods are rendered powerless by the market economy. Instead it is those with financial (and political) power who dominate and benefit from the market economy.
As Christians we are called to proclaim the Lordship of Christ upon spiritual and temporal matters alike. Some would like us to believe that the current eco¬nomic crisis is a temporary episode and it will soon pass away. I wish to argue that as long as our economies favour the rich we will continue to experience these economic slumps which will result in further impoverishment of the majority of the earth. As long as our economies are characterized by a dialectic of the export of raw materials from the developing nations –vis-à-vis the import of finished goods from the so-called developed world, poverty is here to stay.
What is even more troublesome about the market economy is it’s devotion to perpetual profiteering. The idea that more production of wealth will eradicate poverty through the so-called trickle down syndrome is a mere fallacy. Such profiteering merely leads to the plundering and desecration of the earth. It feeds simply our greed.
We are where we are today because there is not enough for everyone. We have to say to the loyalists of the market economy that this is God’s justice fair distribution of resources, respect for the environment, participation of the indigenous people in the economy that will bring an end to poverty.
When we as Christians do not engage in the struggle for economic justice then our faith and witness is at stake. And the heart of faith is to bring wholeness (Shalom a time of peace and prosperity a time of sharing, of good harvest) to God’s people as well as to safeguard the integrity of the earth. Jesus pronounced the following words to his listeners who were the unem-ployed and the peasants of the first century.
“A thief comes in order to steal, kill and destroy, but I come that they may have life and have it in it’s fullness” (John 10:10)
The current crisis provides an opportunity for us to re-examine our theological stance on the economy and ecological issues. It also challenges us to confront and engage with the “thieves” who deceive, steal and are responsible for the deaths of the poor in our communities.
In the current situation where life is under threat due to deadly economy that favours only a few people, we are called to demonstrate the love of Christ through practical means.•