‘Cursed be anyone who deprives the alien, the orphan, and the widow of justice.’ (Deut 27:19)

It is a common misconception that the God of the Old Testament is ‘different’ from the New Testament. The Gospel thrust toward justice which is well known to Christians has its roots in this most fundamental of Jewish Scriptures, the Torah (the name given to the first five books of the Old Testament). We give our governments the responsibility to take care of those in need. Because they are human institutions, governments will always make mistakes. However, some current governments are falling well short of the mark outlined in this text and many others like in the Bible. As adults we have responsibility, thus we need to ponder: ‘Is the government representing my wishes?’

Young people can have a passion for justice. It is vital that they are taught about the justice in the Scriptures and its moral claim on our behaviour. We also should ensure that they recognise the continuity between the Old and New Testaments. It is appropriate that schools continue to provide opportunities for young people to act for justice, especially for those ‘on the outer’ of society.

Have a great week!
Patrick