THE CIRCLE OF FAITH: LOVE IN ACTION Analysis

Circle of faith: love in action If we truly care about the world and its people, then eventually we will ask "Why are so many people unable to live out their human dignity as God intended?" We already know that sin is when people continue to promote injustice (i.e. whenever they choose to seek their own self interest at the expense of the good of others). Therefore we can conclude that injustice is the result of human choices.

Social Analysis Our ability and willingness to ask questions is the beginning of social analysis. Questions such as "who is responsible?" begin the analysis of problems such as homelessness. Questions may in fact be the most important tool for social analysis. By asking questions we acknowledge that we do not know enough about a problem to solve it -- thereby allowing us to explore the problem at a deeper level. We must of course remember that the types of questions we ask will lead to the types of answers we receive.

Why questions? The more we ask questions, the more we become aware of the issues that surround us. The greater our awareness becomes, the more questions we are able to ask - we can see the cycle in action! Question after question will often lead us to the realization that many issues (i.e. homelessness, poverty, crime rates, education...) are all connected. We soon realize that all of creation is interdependent Interdependent: we depend on one another for our existence; almost anything we do is dependent on the life giving relationships we have with others.

A world of interdependent relationships To build justice we need to ask "What life-giving relationships are necessary to make justice happen?" Two factors are extremely important in answering this question: Social Structures The patterns and relationships that shape society Government, law, business, education, families are all examples of social structures People often presume that social structures are permanent or inevitable, but really social structures are a result of decision that people make - every day! For example, justice for the hungry is made possible daily by people who choose to help out at community kitchens or food banks Individual decisions can also lead to decisions that block justice these are called structural sins (i.e. not increasing minimum wage forces people to continue to work for low incomes and thereby not able to afford adequate shelter or nutritious meals) The underlying message is that social structures that lead to injustice are not shaped by chance -- they do not just 'happen'.

Power Human power is the God-given ability everyone has to affect their own life. All people have power because all people have the ability to cause change - at least on some level, Believing that human beings are the source of their own power suggests that power is earned and must be 'kept' or else it is lost - this type of worldview is called power-over. Such power is often acquired at the expense and the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Believing that human beings must use their power to affect the world around them, but not control the world around them, is called power-with. This is because it is seen as something to be used with and for others to bring about goodness for everyone. Each person's power is based upon another person's willingness to cooperate.