Social Justice or Social "Injustice"?

In her book, Failing America’s Faithful, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (daughter of Senator Robert Kennedy) builds a strong case that historically in America, both the Catholic and Protestant church have long traditions of social justice, charity and serving the poor. Throughout the 1800s - 1900s, the Catholic Church took up the responsibility of social justice with the establishment of 100s of hospitals, orphanages, the work of Mother Cabrini, Dorothy Day and more. In the 1960s, the Protestant Church with the backing of many Catholics took on the issue of civil rights and the poverty of minorities in America. They stood strong with Martin Luther King Jr. (a Southern Baptist) who found support with the likes of the Pope Paul VI and the President of the United States, John F. Kennedy (Catholic).

But have the past 25 years of trends in religion dethroned social justice to yield to social "injustice"? Have new trends taken the focus off charity and clouded the Gospel with judgment, self-righteousness and power leaving the modern-day church goer “fat, dumb and happy?”

Kathleen Kennedy (photo with Rev. Matt Malone) writes . . . “Not unlike those of the Catholic Church, the leaders of Protestant congregations have come to disregard the New Testament’s teachings on charity and justice and instead have focused their outrage on issues of sex and private conduct. Of course, these issues are not new to Protestant churches, especially Evangelical congregations. But the narrowness of the Protestant community, the moral myopia, is a break from our history and a betrayal of the proud Protestant tradition of progressivism.” (Failing America’s Faithful, Warner Books, New York, 2007, Pg. 92-93)

What do you think? Scroll down and vote in a new poll. Ponder the following question: "In your opinion, have Christians strayed from Christ’s Gospel of charity and placed too much focus on others’ personal sins resulting in abuse of power, control and self-righteousness in many political and religious sectors?"
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