Beyond Charity: Justice and Systemic Change
A theology of systemic injustice must begin with the recognition that sin is not merely personal but also structural. Scripture repeatedly testifies to the ways in which societies can be shaped by unjust systems that oppress the vulnerable and privilege the powerful. The prophets cry out against economic exploitation (Amos 5:11-12), unjust legal systems (Isaiah 10:1-2), and the ways in which the wealthy hoard resources while the poor suffer (Micah 2:1-2). Jesus himself, in his first public declaration of ministry, proclaimed good news to the poor and liberation to the oppressed (Luke 4:18-19).
Martin Luther King Jr. echoed this biblical concern when he declared, “It is not enough to say to the man on the street corner, ‘Do not steal.’ We must also work to create a society where he has no need to steal.” King understood that crime and social instability are often symptoms of deeper systemic failures. When people are forced to break laws simply to survive, the issue is not just moral failing but a society that has abandoned justice. The call of Christian ethics is not simply to punish wrongdoing but to ask why the wrongdoing occurs—and to address the root causes.
Womanist theologian Emilie Townes speaks to this reality in Womanist Ethics and the Cultural Production of Evil, where she critiques the ways systemic injustice is embedded in cultural narratives and institutions. She challenges Christians to resist structures that perpetuate poverty and exclusion, insisting that justice is not charity but transformation. Like King, she recognizes that confronting injustice requires more than individual good deeds—it demands a reordering of society itself.
A theology of systemic injustice, then, is not about offering temporary relief while leaving oppressive structures intact. It is about embodying the kingdom of God, where no one is left to suffer in desperation. It is about creating a world where people do not have to steal bread to eat, where housing is not a privilege but a right, where justice is not selective but universal. In this, the church is called to move beyond mere charity and toward radical solidarity, working for the restoration of systems so that all may flourish.