Christian Social Activism

One of the many issues that Christians have always been faced with, is that of social activism.  By social activism I mean the engagement of people with economic, political, and social issues.  The concept of social activism is associated to a certain degree with opposition to and protests against policies and structures which the activists consider to be wrong.  Social activism is nothing new to Christians.  Neither is the question as to whether this activism should take on the character of verbal protests, or should it include, if need be, physical action and armed struggle. There have been many Christian social activists such as Martin Luther King, Mother Teresa, Desmond Tutu, Jeremiah Wright, and others. 

With the exception of Jeremiah Wright, the others mentioned above have, for the most part, expressed their activism in a verbal, but non-physically aggressive manner.  Dr. Wright has not openly advocated physical aggression, but has been more verbally aggressive than the others, to the point of saying "God damn America."  Dr. King advocated for a more "compassionate" capitalist system (if indeed such an animal exists), while Dr. Wright confronted racism right to the core.

The questions as to whether social activism has a place in the life of the Church, and as to what form it should take continue to haunt us.  We cannot evade answering or confronting those questions in that we are continuously faced with all kinds of social evils.

For the sake of brevity, I would like to invite you share with us where you stand on the question of what you believe to be the proper way for Christians, both individually and collectively, to deal with social issues.  Some of you might recommend that we pray for a solution to social problems.  Others would recommend that we have limited participation, never going to the extent of forgetting that our prime mission is to "preach the Gospel."  Others of you may not advocate initiation of physical aggression and/or bloodshed, but would have no moral or theological adversity to self-defense. Can you tell us what is the basis for whatever position you hold to?

Grace and peace,
Dr. Juan A. Ayala-Carmona