Reflections on Justice, Peace and
the Integrity of Creation
RONALD J. SIDER
Are the trees created in the divine image?
At Seoul,Korea, the World Council of
Churches' answer was hesitant and
uncertain.
Froni March 5-12, about 750 people
from all over the world gathered in South
Korea's OlympicPark to chart a course of
action on three interrelatedcrises: global
injustice, militarism, and environmental
pollution. The vigourous debate and
resulting affirmations and covenants
concluded a several-year study process
under the title: Justice, Peace and the
Integrity of Creation (JPIC).
JPIC was a significant event. The
WCC's long, courageous attempt to be a
voice for the poor and oppressed found
powerful expression at G u l . So did its
deep concern for questions of peace and
ecology. Especially important was the
convocation's pervasive emphasis on the
close interrelationship of all three issues.
For all of that one is grateful.
But there was also a serioustheological
hesitation and ambiguity throughout the
JPIC process. Avote on the unique status
of persons was illustrative.
HUMANITY'S TASK TO CARE FOR
CREATION
Throughout the preparatory documents,
there was a constant (and vahd) critique
of the way a widespread reading of
humanity's dominion over creation
(Gen.l:28) had contributed to the
ecological crisis. To correct this, the
documents rightly underlined the
independent value of the nonhuman
creation and humanity's existence as a
dependent part of nature. Nowhere,
however, did the documents develop a
clear theological definition and
affirmation of humanity's special status
as bearers of the divine image to whom
alone the Creator assigned the task to
care for the rest of creation.
After a prominent Russian Orthodox
theologian made a strong plea not to
neglect this side of biblical truth, the
following amendment was proposed in
plenary session on the final day: 'We
accept the biblical teaching that people
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alone have been created in the image of
God." The drafting committee seated on
the platform reluctantly accepted this
into the official text but changed it
substantially by dropping the word
"alone". A vote that would have included
this word lost! So the final document says
that persons are created in the divine
image. But by deliberately refusing to
use the word "alone", the convocation
failed to affirm any unique status for
persons. Perhaps the trees and toads also
bear the imago Dei. Chalk up one for
theological fuzziness.
By deliberately
refusing to use the Ronald Sider
word "alone", the
convocation failed to In powerful plenary addresses and
testimonies, justice activists from North
affirm any unique and South expressed the anguish of the
poor and oppressed. They were
status for persons. compelling voices for South African
blacks dehumanized by apartheid, inner-
Perhaps the trees city North Americans marginalized in
the midst of affluence, and Two-Thirds
and toads also bear World nations crushedby massive foreign
debt. Persistently, vigourously, they
the imago Dei insisted that the biblical God is on the
- - side ofjustice for the poor andsummoned
us to change policies and structures that
DELEGATE DIVERSITY create poverty and oppression.
Observing a WCC event like JPIC is like
watching a huge tug-of-war. At Seoul, all They insisted that
of the WCC's incredibly diverse,
sometimes mutually incompatible the biblical God is on
streams were present: justice activists
from both North and South; feminists;
the side of justice for
environmentalists; universalists
preoccupied with dialogue with people
the poor and
of other faiths; Western theological
liberals; the Oithodox (all the Eastern
summoned us to
Orthodox churches belong to the WCC);
historic confessional folk especially
change policies and
connected to the Faith and Order structures that create
Movement; and evangelicals especially
connected to the WCC's Commission on poverty and
World Mission and Evangelism. Each
stream brought its strengths and oppression
weaknesses to Seoul.
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TRANSFORMATION:JUSTICE, PEACE AND THE INTEGRITY OF CREATION
 But their theological hesitation and
ideological rigidity were also painfully
obvious. Preoccupied with building
coalitions with secular "people
movements", they had little interest in
the theological foundations of historic
Christianity. At Seoul, many ~ e o p l e
looked for unity less in Jesus Christ the
Saviour than in the common struggle
against oppression. Solidarity with the
poor and with the undefined "people
movements" often seemed more
important than oneness in Jesus Christ.
(perhaps it is not surprising that the
singing was often hesitant mouthing of
unfamiliar songs one-sidedly reoccupied
with the truth that we meet God in the
neighbour, and very seldom joyous
celebration of the fact that Godhas found
us in Jesus Christ and unites all those
saved by faith in Christ's cross and
resurrection.)Preoccupiedwithchanging
structures, they had almost no interest in
discussing the role of personal sin and
personal conversion with regard to the
search for justice. There was a great deal
said about the ghastly evil of prostitution
associatedwith militarybases,but nothing
about the way adultery devastates
marriages. And there was hardly a word
about the family in the whole process.
A significant number of the
ecumenicaljusticeactivists have adopted
a socialist ideology (most have been
democratic socialists; a few, especially
Two-Thirds World folk, have been more
sympathetic to Marxism). Eastern
Europeans proudly reported on their
democratic victories, but the gathering
was reluctant to rejoice enthusiastically
with them. The North was one-sidedly
blamed for global poverty. Speakers
denounced capitalism's weaknesses
without acknowledgingitsstrengths. The
only defenders of the market economy I
can remember were aprominent Russian
Orthodox leader from Moscow who
vigourously lectured my work group on
the advantages of private enterprise, and
a Hungarian theologian who dared to
suggest that South Korea's leap from
rags to riches in three decades might
merit some careful study by Two-Thirds
World countries. No applause!
The WCC has for a long time had a
strong Universalist stream unwilling to
assert the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, the
only Saviour of the world. They were
present at Seoul, especially in the
spokespersons for indigenous peoples.
Their insistenceon dialogue, respect and
a readiness to learn from people of all
faiths is correct and important. And
indigenous leaders spoke powerfully of
our need to respect the creation and
understand humankind as part of nature
made to live in harmony with it. But the
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JULYISEPTEMBER :TRANSFORMATION
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pervasive unwillingness to place Jesus things" (Gen.9:lO). All this and more is
Christ, true God and true man, at the very true and urgently important.
centre ofthe Christian strugglefor shalom
was deeplydisappointing.The documents
and presentations were dreadfully weak
The nonhuman
in the area of Christology. There were
frequent references to Jesus' cross as
creation has an
independent worth
model for non-violence and inspiration
in suffering. But apart from an occasional
and value for God who
comment or amendment from the floor,
one would hardly have guessed from
makes covenants not
attending JPIC that Jesus died to atone
for our sins or that trust in His saving
only with human
death is necessary for reconciliation with
a holy God.
beings but also with
Many people looked "all living things".
-
for unity less in Jesus However, it is both unbiblical and
ridiculous to deny or fudge the special
Christ the Saviour status of persons. If the trees, animals
and rivers are also in the divine image,
than in the common any "destruction" of them for human use
is as evil as killing people. That makes
struggle against nonsense of every part of our daily lives -
oppression. our food, our health care, our creation of
wealth so the poor can escape poverty. It
also contradicts clear biblical teaching.
To say that many were unhappy at
THE FEMINIST INFLUENCE Seoul is to understate the matter. The
theology was woefully inadequate, often
Feminists were also a very strong fuzzy and occasionally wrong. And the
influence on the JPIC process. And the ideologicalperspective was as one-sidedly
impact was excellent in many ways. They non-pluralistic (left of centre) as the
protested the mistreatment ofwomen in theology was insipid and pluralistic.
church and society, insisted on equality, It is not yet clear how significant JPIC
and provided brilliant leadership. Would will be for the future of the WCC. The
that evangelicals would learn from them. documents from Seoul will be studied
But the negative influence of more around the world in preparation for the
radical feminists was also felt. Some next General Assembly at Canberra in
dismissed as patriarchal oppression any February 1991.
affirmationofGodas sovereign andjudge
who demands obedience. They joined
forces with classic Western liberal THE NEED FOR BIBLICAL
theologiansand radical environmentalists THEOLOGY IN WCC
who could only see the goodness of
creation. The result was precious little If the WCC continues with the trajectory
discussion of sin except as violation of of Seoul, it will face increasing
neighbour. At Seoul, one would never marginalization and even find itself
have discovered that the Bible also has a unable to fulfil one of its most precious
lot to say about sin as rebellion against visions - namely, to serve as an effective
the righteous demands of a Holy voice for the poor of the earth. It must
sovereign. open itself in a much deeper way to the
Environmentalists helped place the voices of historic Christiantheology.And
ecological crisis at the centre of the it must invite conservative economists
ecumenical agenda. They rightly and leaders of business to participate
underlined the urgency of environmental fully in the ecumenical dialogue about
decay. And they made a major how to empower the poor.
contribution to JPIC's centralinsistence If this second group was present at all
on the complex interrelationships at Seoul, they were in deep disguise.
between injustice, militarism and Evangelicals and Orthodox leaders,
ecologicalcrisis. I was helped to see more however, were present, calling (albeit
clearly that the nonhuman creation has with little success) for a more adequate
an independent worth and value for God theology. And they were upset. In fact,
who makes covenants not only with the Orthodox were furious - and
human beings but also with "all living expressed great appreciation for a short
reaction toJPIC drawn up by evangelicals
at Seoul. (See previous article)
Canberra will be an important point
of decision for the WCC. Fortunately the
Faith and Order and CWME segments
of the WCC are not as ideological or
fearful of biblical theology as the "justice
and peace" constituency which
dominated Seoul. If the WCC is to be
effective,it must draw evangelicalsmuch
more deeply into its effective leadership.
There are a few evangelical staff and
leaders in the WCC, but their numbers
are in no way reflective of the vast
numbers of evangelicals in the WCC's
member churches - not to mention the
large numbers of evangelicals outside
the WCC who would be more open to
involvement if the theological
foundations for its social action were
more biblical.
It is also important, however, to
acknowledge the WCC's many attempts
to invite evangelicalparticipation (led by
aspeeid task force on evangelicalschaired
by an evangelicalstaffer).I attended Seoul
as an observer appointed by the World
Evangelical Fellowship. But I was given
full voting rights and named moderator
of Drafting Committee 1. Greater
evangelical participation in the WCC is
possible and welcome.
I hope this happens because the WCC
plays an important role. I think that it is
both arrogant and sinful for evangelicals
to refuse to listen and talk with other
Christians who confess Jesus Christ as
God and Saviour according to the
Scriptures (that is the basic theological
affirmationof the WCC).We evangelicals
have been woefully inadequate in our
neglect of structural injustice.The WCC
has a lot to share that we need to learn,
and we have a lot to contribute on
evangelism and biblical theology.
IMPLICATIONS OF DEMOCRACY
IN EASTERN EUROPE
There is also a lot at stake for the poor of
the earth. The WCC has been an
important voice for justice. At Seoul I
came to understand more clearly'why
Two-ThirdsWorld leaders and Northern
justice activists are so ambivalent about
the recent events in Eastern Europe.
The socialism of the WCC has been a
democratic socialism, not, except for a
few, Marxism. And they are glad that
democracy has emerged - in Eastern
Europe.
But they have a well-grounded fear.
Industrialized capitalistsocietieshave not
only created enormous wealth and lifted
more and more people out of poverty.
They have also created an economic
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underclass within and contributed to
major injustice in many places including
Central America, Chile, South Africaand
elsewhere.The socialist world has been a
buffer and protection from the power
and injustice of the First World.
Chr isfians must
engage top - -
leadership in
business and finance
in an active search
effective 9
sustainable ways to
run the global
economy and protect
the environment so
that everyone can
benefit
Suddenly a major coalition in the
WCC is crumbling. As long as a vicious
totalitarianism made it very dangerous
for Christians in the Communist bloc to
criticize their societies, Christians from
the Second World oftcn failcd to speak
out against their own societies while
joining in the denunciation of market
economies. Justice activists from
developed countries were often more
vocal about justice than freedom. Two-
Thirds World spokesperso~isfound it
convenient to play on Northern guilt
(some justified, some not!) and largely
overlook the contribution of cultural
factors, oppressive Two-Thirds World
elites, and ~ e ssinful
, choices of poor folk
themselves, in creating Two-Thirds
World poverty. The result was a one-
sided attack dn market economies and
near silence on the evils of the Eastern
bloc. (At Seoul one bold Dutchman dared
to chide the WCC for its failure to support
dissidents in Eastern Europe and the
USSR the way it has supported Two-
Thirds World dissidents imprisoned for
their prophetic stand for justice. NO
applause!)
Now the coalition has collapsed. At
Seoul, it was the Russians and East
Euro~eanswho dared to s ~ e a kmost
openly (and unfortunately too
uncritically) about the advantages of a
market ecbnomy. The East Europeans
appeared more delighted with their
TRANSFORMATION :JUSTICE, PEACE AND THE INTEGRITY OF CREATION
democratic revolution than others at the
convocation.
Two-Thirds World leaders now fear
that everyone may uncritically accept a
triumphalistic capitalism that will ride
roughshod over the poor of the earth.
~ h is za valid fear an; the result would
be disastrous. Increasing injusticewould
producepolarizationwithinsocietiesand
between North and South that would
continue to murder millions through
malnutrition and would produce more
revolution andwar. NOW more thanever,
as the Oxford Declaration on Christian
h i t hd. . Economics pointed O U there ,
needs to be a vigour;us critique of the
injustice fostered by present market
economies. ~hristiansmust engage top
leadership in business and finance in an
active search for effective, sustainable
ways to run the global economy and
pr&ectthe environknt sothatev&one,
es~eciallv ,the Doorest.
L
can benefit rather
thin merely an affluent minority.
This dn o t hIaI~ ~throuph
e n 0 the WCC
unless it abandons aone-sidedideological
stance. It must more gladly celebrate
freedom and democracy and be open to
the strengths ofthe market economyand
then figure out in mutual dialogue with
and vigourous challenge of Christians in
business how to make the global market
economy more just and ecologically
responsible. In my experience, however,
one of the most effective ways to help
business leaders hear the cry of the poor
is to start with a biblically solid theology.
That means that the WCC needs
evangelicals precisely to accomplish its
own goal ofworkingeffectivelyfor ajust,
sustainable world.
A NEW COALITION
Perhaps a new coalition is possible in the
WCC. Eastern Orthodox Christians.
confessional groups (Lutherans,
Anglicans, etc.), and evangelicals
(including the vast numbers of Two-
Thirds World charismatics/Pentecostals
and evangelicalsin bodies that belong to
the WCC) could join together to form a
working majority in the WCC that would
bring together an equal passion for
evangelism and social action. One can
hope . . . and pray.
If it happened, the effect on public
policy in many nations around the world
would be significant. There would never
be unanimity, of course, on any political
stand. But greater agreement on the
biblical mandate for justice for the poor,
active peacemaking andcare for the earth
would enable Christians to exercise a
powerful influence for a just, peaceful,
sustainable planet.
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