WEBVTT

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 On the 28th of August 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial

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 in Washington, D.C. and delivered what is regarded as one of the most famous speeches

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 of the 20th century. It's familiar to many people, the I Have a Dream speech, which in

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 part goes like this. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out

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 the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are

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 created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former

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 slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table

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 of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day, even in the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering

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 with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed

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 into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will

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 one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by

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 the content of their character. I have a dream today. Is religion, and specifically Christianity,

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 a force for justice and good in the world, or is it a force for injustice and oppression

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 in the world? Now, it's possible to compile an enormous number of historical events and movements

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 to support either the negative or the positive answer to that question. One of the most obvious

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 cases in point is the African slave trade and the abolition of slavery. The African Christians

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 led the way in the abolition of the abolishing of the slave trade. And yet the creators and the

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 defenders of the slave trade were also Christians who had biblical scholars to support the practice

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 with a bunch of proof texts, even good people with a bunch of proof texts. Even today, we have

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 plenty of evidence of the abuse of women and children in many countries dominated by religion and within

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 religious institutions in our own country. In the end, the relationship of religion to justice cannot be

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 answered simply by adding up religious abuses, injustices on the one side of a sheet, and the list of

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 religious good and contributions on the other side of the sheet, and working out where does the balance end.

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 The good may outnumber the abuses, in fact, even by far, but wrongdoings have a tendency to lodge more

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 deeply in our memory and our conscience, and that the hurts go on and on and on. In the end, I think it's better to

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 look at the basis and the motivation to pursue justice in the world and compare which worldview supports and

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 motivates to make the world a more just and equitable place for all people. Now, if you just tuned into us

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 today, we are in our annual vision series. Every message in this vision series assumes the very first talk.

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 That's just an encouragement to go back there and listen to the first talk if you haven't already.

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 We began by seeing that there is no 100% watertight argument for the existence of God. You can't prove

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 the existence of God philosophically with evidence, so on and so forth, you know, empirical evidence.

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 But there's also no watertight argument for the non-existence of God. You also cannot prove the

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 non-existence of God philosophically or by putting it into some sort of a laboratory and proving it.

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 That means that every single person, the religious person and the atheist, are all viewing the world

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 through a belief system. That is, atheism is not the absence of belief. It is a different set of beliefs.

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 And so, the question that we've been looking at, which one gives the person who lives in this world

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 what they need in order to flourish in life? We've been particularly looking at Western secularism,

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 because that's the context that we're all currently living in right now.

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 And it's, the secularism is particularly the dominant theme that's running through much of

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 our institutions and media and so on today in this society. So, we're looking at that.

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 It's also the culture that I sit in, and so it's much easier for me to throw stones at my own culture

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 than it is to throw it at others, but do what you need to do to do that process for your own culture.

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 There's no such thing as a perfect culture. And so, today, we're looking at the question,

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 does secularism or Christianity give every human being what they need to flourish in life,

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 and particularly the issue of justice? So, today, it's Jesus all about justice.

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 We're going to see that the Christian faith gives us a justice that does not create more oppressors.

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 We're going to begin with the question of human rights, then look at secularism's contribution

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 and then, finally, the Christian contribution. So, first of all, if you've got the St. Paul's app,

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 it'd be great if you can go there. It will help you enormously to follow through along with this talk

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 or just take notes as you go along. So, first of all, let's kick off with human rights.

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 If you go to the website for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights,

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 you will read this statement.

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 Human rights are rights we have simply because we exist as human beings.

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 They are not granted by any state. These universal rights are inherent to us all,

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 regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language,

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 or any other status. They range from the most fundamental, the right to life,

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 to those that make life worth living, such as the rights to food, education, work, health, and liberty.

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 The question is, however, why do people have these rights?

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 That's the really more fundamental question. Why?

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 You see, the United Nations Universal Declaration for Human Rights

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 doesn't actually answer that question.

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 It just states it.

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 It lists human rights without any explanation.

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 And the quote that just there says that they simply exist because you're a human being.

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 So is it enough to say that human beings have rights without any reasoning,

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 without any explanation whatsoever?

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 Well, Western secularists insist that their view of human rights is simply self-evident,

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 without giving any grounds for them at all.

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 Now, Mari Ruti, I think that's her name,

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 is a distinguished professor of critical theory in gender and sexuality studies

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 at the University of Toronto in Canada.

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 In her book, The Call of Character, she writes this,

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 Although I believe that values are socially constructed rather than God-given,

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 I do not believe that gender inequality is any more defensible than racial inequality,

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 despite efforts to pass it off as cultural-specific custom rather than an instance of injustice.

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 See what she says there?

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 On the same page in the book,

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 she is suggesting that values are socially constructed.

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 Every society constructs their own values.

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 Then she adds that her own Western culture's view of inequality

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 must be embraced by every culture.

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 Incoherent on the same page as a secularist.

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 She gives no reason for it whatsoever, she just asserts it.

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 If you are proposing a position that some behaviour is wrong and should be stopped,

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 without justifying it,

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 then there is no way you can even have a conversation about it with someone who disagrees with you.

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 There's no basis for a conversation.

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 All you have left is shouting at the other person until they submit.

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 And so this leaves the secular human rights activists quite vulnerable,

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 which is what a number of sociologists are doing nowadays, are realising.

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 It leaves them quite vulnerable to charges of imperialism.

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 If human rights exist just because we say so,

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 then activists can only coerce others.

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 The atheist Friedrich Nietzsche,

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 no friend of Christianity whatsoever, this guy,

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 insisted that benevolence and social justice activism

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 in the modern society

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 is really powered by hatred and a contempt of others.

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 It's pretty damning.

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 Now, some secular thinkers have tried to explain why human rights exist.

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 Because they realise we've got a problem

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 if you just have to yell at people and tell them that they do.

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 So why do they exist?

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 Three main arguments.

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 I'll go through them really quickly,

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 except for the last one.

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 Less quickly than the other two.

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 The first is natural law.

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 That is,

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 this is just saying that when you look at nature

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 and how nature works,

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 it's obvious that people are worth more than the rest of nature.

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 The problem is,

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 you cannot hold to that view

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 that people are worth more than the rest of nature,

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 while at the same time holding to the very foundation of secularism,

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 and that is evolutionary biology.

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 You can't hold both of those two together.

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 Evolutionary biology says that the strong eat the weak,

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 and so the weak must be conquered and oppressed

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 for the sake of the advancement of society.

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 It has no quality and no category whatsoever.

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 Evolutionary biology has no category whatsoever

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 for equality and rights.

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 Then there's the argument that society creates rights.

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 Now, I touched on this one on my sermon a while ago,

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 Jesus all about goodness,

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 when we're looking at morality and so on.

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 As I said there,

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 it's not a great idea

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 to conclude that society comes up with right and wrong,

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 or the cursed society creates rights,

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 because what if the majority of society

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 choose to kill the minority of society?

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 You're left nowhere else to argue,

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 because the majority have voted on it.

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 And that has happened on,

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 and that continues to happen in our world.

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 Thirdly, is the argument

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 that the ground of human rights

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 is based on capacity.

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 That is,

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 and this one I think is very troublesome,

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 human rights have rights,

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 human beings, sorry, have rights

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 because of their capacity

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 for rational thought,

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 rational choice,

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 and other aptitudes

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 that the animal world doesn't have.

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 This is really serious.

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 For example,

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 newborn infants

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 do not yet have those capacities,

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 nor do those in a coma,

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 nor do those mentally impaired in some way,

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 nor do many of the very elderly.

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 This argument just ends up saying

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 that not all human beings have rights.

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 Can you see the trajectory of this

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 in our own society,

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 in Western civilization?

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 The rise of full-term abortions,

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 euthanasia,

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 and it all comes down to capacity.

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 This, I think,

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 is where Western secularism

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 really,

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 this particular worldview,

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 struggles to be consistent.

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 To have those views

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 and yet also pursue justice in our world,

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 and let me tell you,

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 I just want to say,

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 on top of all this,

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 I believe that our day and age,

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 we tend to probably be

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 more attuned to injustice in the world

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 than what we're used to.

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 So I think there's a bunch of good stuff happening

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 in spite of all of this.

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 But inevitably,

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 to have a consistent worldview,

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 they must import their values

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 from another worldview.

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 That is,

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 their system of issue of rights and injustice

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 must be stolen from another system,

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 another worldview.

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 And ultimately,

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 that system and that worldview

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 is the Christian faith.

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 That's because

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 a great,

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 Charles Taylor,

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 I think it was,

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 great piece of work,

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 looking back centuries and centuries

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 and centuries of history,

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 and said the concept of human rights

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 began with a Christian faith.

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 It began with a Christian faith.

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 It didn't develop for the first time

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 in the Enlightenment,

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 as many claim,

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 but it began with medieval Christianity

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 based on the Bible.

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 But the question is,

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 well, hang on a bit,

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 but doesn't Christianity

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 have its own problems with justice?

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 And the answer to that is,

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 of course,

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 yes.

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 Yes.

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 But not so fast as well.

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 Without any belief

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 in objective moral facts,

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 there is no way

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 that you can build

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 a program of justice.

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 And yet,

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 it is also true

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 that many religions

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 with their absolute claims

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 have abused

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 and have oppressed people

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 throughout the centuries

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 and across cultures.

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 So what's the way forward?

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 Well, Richard Baucombe

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 of the University of St. Andrews,

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 now retired,

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 writes in his essay,

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 Reading Scripture

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 as a Coherent Story,

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 he writes this,

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 we need a story

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 that once again

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 affirms universal values

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 while resisting

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 their co-option

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 by the forces of domination.

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 In short,

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 what he's saying there is,

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 we need a non-oppressive,

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 absolute truth worldview.

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 A non-oppressive,

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 absolute truth worldview.

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 We cannot work for justice

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 without some acknowledgement

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 of universal moral values,

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 but we also need something

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 that undermines

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 the natural,

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 powerful,

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 human inclination

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 to dominate other people.

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 And Baucombe believes

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 that what we need

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 lies right within

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 the Christian faith.

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 as described

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 in the biblical storyline.

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 The biblical storyline

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 starts with a loving God

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 creating humanity

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 in his image.

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:37.159
 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

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 sought a just society

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 on a much stronger,

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 in fact,

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 a considerably stronger footing

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 than modern secular people.

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 And the way he pursued that

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 was vastly different

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 than the modern secular person.

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 He was against violence.

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 He was against coercion.

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 He argued that segregation

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 of society

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 was not simply impractical

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 for the overall good

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 of society.

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 He argued that it was,

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 in fact,

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 a sin.

00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:14.839
 He knew that human rights

00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:15.920
 have no power

00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:17.400
 if they are just simply

00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:18.759
 created by the majority

00:18:18.759 --> 00:18:19.900
 or imposed

00:18:19.900 --> 00:18:21.440
 by some judicial system.

00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:24.319
 Human rights

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:25.200
 have power

00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:25.779
 only

00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:27.599
 if they exist

00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:28.619
 on their own,

00:18:29.059 --> 00:18:29.539
 dependent

00:18:29.539 --> 00:18:30.640
 only on the fact

00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:31.319
 that a person

00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:32.740
 in the front of you

00:18:32.740 --> 00:18:33.940
 is, in fact,

00:18:33.980 --> 00:18:34.819
 a human being

00:18:34.819 --> 00:18:35.799
 equal with you.

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:38.700
 And so,

00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:40.200
 drawing on the biblical teaching

00:18:40.200 --> 00:18:41.500
 that every human being

00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:42.079
 is created

00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:42.919
 in the image of God,

00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:43.720
 Genesis 1,

00:18:43.940 --> 00:18:44.839
 26, 27,

00:18:44.919 --> 00:18:46.119
 which is just read out to us,

00:18:46.639 --> 00:18:48.259
 he wrote that God's image

00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:48.859
 in us

00:18:48.859 --> 00:18:50.180
 gives every person

00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:51.419
 a uniqueness,

00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:53.399
 it gives him worth,

00:18:53.519 --> 00:18:54.700
 it gives him a dignity,

00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:56.740
 and we must never forget

00:18:56.740 --> 00:18:57.799
 this as a nation.

00:18:58.460 --> 00:18:59.740
 There are no gradations

00:19:01.059 --> 00:19:02.000
 in the image of God.

00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.079
 Every man

00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:05.839
 from a treble white

00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:07.839
 to a bass black

00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:09.140
 is significant

00:19:09.140 --> 00:19:10.579
 on God's keyboard,

00:19:11.180 --> 00:19:12.200
 precisely because

00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:13.700
 every man

00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:14.500
 is made

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:15.759
 in the image of God.

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.880
 That is,

00:19:22.940 --> 00:19:23.680
 the Christian faith

00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.200
 gives us

00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:25.839
 the strongest,

00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:27.279
 strongest

00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:28.539
 possible

00:19:28.539 --> 00:19:29.460
 foundation

00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:30.059
 for the idea

00:19:30.059 --> 00:19:30.819
 of human rights.

00:19:30.819 --> 00:19:32.659
 every person

00:19:32.659 --> 00:19:33.419
 who comes

00:19:33.419 --> 00:19:34.879
 into your presence

00:19:34.879 --> 00:19:36.919
 has an inherent worth

00:19:36.919 --> 00:19:38.339
 and a sacred dignity,

00:19:38.859 --> 00:19:40.099
 every single one of them,

00:19:40.519 --> 00:19:41.439
 including the ones

00:19:41.439 --> 00:19:42.359
 you disagree with.

00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:47.259
 To further build on this,

00:19:47.339 --> 00:19:48.200
 the biblical story

00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:49.659
 is one of reversal.

00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:53.079
 It reveals a story

00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:53.899
 of God's

00:19:53.899 --> 00:19:55.240
 repeated choice,

00:19:55.980 --> 00:19:58.079
 repeated choice

00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:00.119
 of the dominated

00:20:00.119 --> 00:20:00.859
 and the wretched,

00:20:01.459 --> 00:20:02.779
 the powerless

00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:03.659
 and the marginal.

00:20:04.659 --> 00:20:05.839
 The Bible begins

00:20:05.839 --> 00:20:06.719
 with the book of Genesis,

00:20:06.919 --> 00:20:07.879
 written in a time

00:20:07.879 --> 00:20:08.639
 when the passing

00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:09.719
 of all the family's

00:20:09.719 --> 00:20:10.519
 wealth and estate

00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:12.239
 went to the eldest son.

00:20:14.539 --> 00:20:16.599
 That was the iron law

00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:17.519
 of its time

00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:18.279
 in virtually

00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:19.739
 all of society.

00:20:21.339 --> 00:20:22.119
 Every other child

00:20:22.679 --> 00:20:23.939
 was a spare.

00:20:23.940 --> 00:20:28.160
 But Genesis

00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:29.740
 is subversive.

00:20:30.740 --> 00:20:32.539
 It is subversive

00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:33.860
 in its cultural,

00:20:33.980 --> 00:20:35.000
 in this cultural norm.

00:20:35.360 --> 00:20:36.240
 God constantly

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:36.820
 chooses

00:20:36.820 --> 00:20:37.600
 and works

00:20:37.600 --> 00:20:38.980
 through the sons

00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:40.519
 without the power,

00:20:40.900 --> 00:20:41.680
 without the social

00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:42.519
 collateral.

00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:44.160
 He chooses

00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:44.960
 Abel

00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:45.720
 over Cain,

00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:47.259
 Isaac

00:20:47.259 --> 00:20:48.240
 over Ishmael,

00:20:48.580 --> 00:20:48.900
 Jacob

00:20:48.900 --> 00:20:49.799
 over Esau,

00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:50.500
 Joseph

00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:51.360
 over Reuben.

00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:52.819
 And when God

00:20:52.819 --> 00:20:53.719
 works with women,

00:20:53.979 --> 00:20:54.779
 he does not choose

00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:55.139
 the women

00:20:55.139 --> 00:20:56.299
 with the cultural power.

00:20:56.559 --> 00:20:57.159
 He does not choose

00:20:57.159 --> 00:20:58.099
 the ones with the beauty

00:20:58.099 --> 00:20:58.959
 and the sexuality.

00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:00.259
 He works through

00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:00.839
 the old

00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:02.259
 and the infertile Sarah,

00:21:02.619 --> 00:21:03.319
 not through

00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:04.240
 the younger Hagar.

00:21:06.099 --> 00:21:07.299
 Through the unloved

00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:08.299
 and unattractive Leah,

00:21:08.419 --> 00:21:09.519
 not through Rachel.

00:21:12.939 --> 00:21:14.179
 God repeatedly

00:21:14.179 --> 00:21:15.000
 refuses

00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:16.519
 to allow

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.379
 his gracious

00:21:17.379 --> 00:21:17.959
 activity

00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:19.039
 to run

00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:19.779
 along

00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:20.840
 the expected

00:21:20.840 --> 00:21:21.620
 lines

00:21:21.620 --> 00:21:22.680
 of worldly

00:21:22.680 --> 00:21:23.259
 influence

00:21:23.259 --> 00:21:23.940
 and privilege.

00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:25.740
 You don't see it

00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:26.120
 anywhere.

00:21:26.360 --> 00:21:27.259
 In his economy,

00:21:27.620 --> 00:21:28.200
 the person

00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:29.079
 on the outer

00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:29.940
 is the person

00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:30.640
 in the center.

00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:33.660
 As the Bible

00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:34.140
 storyline

00:21:34.140 --> 00:21:35.059
 marches on,

00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:35.840
 we see God

00:21:35.840 --> 00:21:36.759
 standing beside

00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:38.000
 Israel in slavery

00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:39.279
 against the oppression

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.340
 of the greatest empire

00:21:40.340 --> 00:21:40.799
 in the world

00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:41.519
 at that time.

00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:42.740
 Then there is

00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:43.100
 the story

00:21:43.100 --> 00:21:43.720
 of the judges

00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:44.740
 with the deliverers

00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:45.340
 and leaders

00:21:45.339 --> 00:21:46.279
 who led

00:21:46.279 --> 00:21:47.099
 Israel

00:21:47.099 --> 00:21:48.199
 whenever it

00:21:48.199 --> 00:21:48.659
 fell under

00:21:48.659 --> 00:21:49.679
 the dominion

00:21:49.679 --> 00:21:50.439
 of a powerful

00:21:50.439 --> 00:21:51.000
 nation.

00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:53.480
 God mostly

00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:54.480
 in those cases

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.740
 mostly raises

00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:56.399
 up someone

00:21:56.399 --> 00:21:57.559
 from a smaller

00:21:57.559 --> 00:21:58.119
 tribe,

00:21:58.399 --> 00:21:58.980
 from a lower

00:21:58.980 --> 00:21:59.500
 status,

00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:00.459
 a lower family

00:22:00.459 --> 00:22:00.839
 status,

00:22:00.959 --> 00:22:01.439
 or even the

00:22:01.439 --> 00:22:02.399
 class of social

00:22:02.399 --> 00:22:03.699
 outclasses.

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:05.480
 For instance,

00:22:05.659 --> 00:22:06.000
 Jephna,

00:22:06.139 --> 00:22:06.480
 Gideon,

00:22:06.619 --> 00:22:07.099
 Samson.

00:22:09.179 --> 00:22:09.959
 He even uses

00:22:09.959 --> 00:22:10.419
 women,

00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.139
 which was not

00:22:11.139 --> 00:22:11.679
 the cultural

00:22:11.679 --> 00:22:12.259
 norm at that

00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:12.619
 time.

00:22:13.879 --> 00:22:14.559
 And then in

00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:15.039
 Samuel,

00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:16.240
 David,

00:22:16.339 --> 00:22:16.819
 the king,

00:22:16.919 --> 00:22:17.960
 is the youngest

00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:19.819
 and the smallest

00:22:19.819 --> 00:22:21.619
 of Jesse's

00:22:21.619 --> 00:22:22.079
 sons.

00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:24.940
 Then there's

00:22:24.940 --> 00:22:25.599
 the New Testament

00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:26.579
 where Jesus Christ

00:22:26.579 --> 00:22:27.259
 encounters a

00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:28.240
 respected male

00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:28.940
 and a socially

00:22:28.940 --> 00:22:29.980
 marginalized woman

00:22:29.980 --> 00:22:31.460
 in John 3

00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:32.299
 and 4,

00:22:33.059 --> 00:22:34.039
 or a religious

00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:34.879
 leader and tax

00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:35.659
 collector in Luke

00:22:35.659 --> 00:22:36.279
 18,

00:22:36.579 --> 00:22:37.359
 or a religious

00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:38.159
 teacher and a

00:22:38.159 --> 00:22:39.119
 fallen woman in

00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:39.799
 Luke 7.

00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:41.619
 It is always

00:22:41.619 --> 00:22:43.159
 the outsider,

00:22:43.160 --> 00:22:44.180
 the socially

00:22:44.180 --> 00:22:44.700
 marginalized

00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:45.779
 person who

00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:47.140
 connects more

00:22:47.140 --> 00:22:47.860
 readily with

00:22:47.860 --> 00:22:48.380
 Jesus.

00:22:49.380 --> 00:22:49.940
 Always.

00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:55.019
 And along

00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:55.380
 with this

00:22:55.380 --> 00:22:56.019
 narrative of

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:56.560
 the reversal

00:22:56.560 --> 00:22:57.180
 of the weak

00:22:57.180 --> 00:22:57.860
 and the strong,

00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.080
 the rich and

00:22:59.080 --> 00:22:59.580
 the poor,

00:23:00.080 --> 00:23:00.720
 there is a

00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:01.640
 wide and deep

00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:02.400
 river of

00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:03.480
 ethical teaching

00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:04.720
 and appeal to

00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:05.660
 all Christians

00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:06.160
 to pursue

00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:06.960
 justice in the

00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.240
 world.

00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:09.279
 The Old

00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:10.259
 Testament prophets

00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:11.620
 insist that a

00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:12.539
 lack of care

00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:13.719
 for the poor

00:23:13.719 --> 00:23:15.519
 and needy is a

00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:16.599
 sign of a lack

00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.259
 of genuine

00:23:17.259 --> 00:23:18.779
 faith in God.

00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:20.659
 Isaiah 1,

00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:21.359
 17,

00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:22.899
 58,

00:23:23.159 --> 00:23:23.879
 6 and 7.

00:23:24.959 --> 00:23:25.679
 The New

00:23:25.679 --> 00:23:26.139
 Testament

00:23:26.139 --> 00:23:27.479
 likewise teaches

00:23:27.479 --> 00:23:28.959
 that a practical

00:23:28.959 --> 00:23:29.659
 love for the

00:23:29.659 --> 00:23:30.559
 poor is a

00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:32.159
 mark of a

00:23:32.159 --> 00:23:33.119
 heart changed

00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:34.139
 by grace.

00:23:34.299 --> 00:23:34.859
 We just had

00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:35.479
 that read out

00:23:35.479 --> 00:23:36.000
 to us in

00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:36.599
 James chapter

00:23:36.599 --> 00:23:36.979
 2.

00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:40.779
 But crucially

00:23:40.779 --> 00:23:41.120
 though,

00:23:42.460 --> 00:23:43.059
 crucially,

00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:44.799
 the reason

00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:45.200
 for this

00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:45.700
 persistent

00:23:45.700 --> 00:23:46.519
 storyline in

00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:47.120
 the Bible is

00:23:47.120 --> 00:23:47.620
 because the

00:23:47.620 --> 00:23:48.400
 ultimate example

00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:49.000
 of God's

00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:50.120
 work in the

00:23:50.120 --> 00:23:50.680
 world was

00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:51.380
 Jesus Christ

00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:51.819
 himself.

00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.539
 Jesus Christ

00:23:54.539 --> 00:23:55.660
 is the only

00:23:55.660 --> 00:23:57.480
 founder of

00:23:57.480 --> 00:23:58.019
 a world

00:23:58.019 --> 00:23:58.740
 religion,

00:23:59.620 --> 00:24:00.120
 of one of

00:24:00.120 --> 00:24:00.519
 the major

00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:01.180
 world religions,

00:24:01.660 --> 00:24:02.920
 who died in

00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:03.480
 disgrace,

00:24:04.380 --> 00:24:05.400
 died abandoned

00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:06.480
 by everybody

00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:06.880
 whom he

00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:07.480
 cared about,

00:24:07.560 --> 00:24:08.460
 including his

00:24:08.460 --> 00:24:09.240
 heavenly father.

00:24:09.800 --> 00:24:10.340
 My God,

00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:11.120
 my God,

00:24:11.400 --> 00:24:11.980
 why have you

00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:12.680
 forsaken me?

00:24:14.860 --> 00:24:15.580
 He was the

00:24:15.580 --> 00:24:16.340
 victim of a

00:24:16.340 --> 00:24:17.000
 miscarriage of

00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:17.320
 justice,

00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:18.440
 he died oppressed

00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:19.600
 and helpless.

00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:21.440
 And salvation

00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:22.440
 comes to us

00:24:22.440 --> 00:24:23.460
 through his

00:24:23.460 --> 00:24:23.980
 poverty,

00:24:25.380 --> 00:24:25.960
 through his

00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:26.480
 rejection,

00:24:27.360 --> 00:24:27.980
 through his

00:24:27.980 --> 00:24:28.560
 weakness.

00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:29.880
 Christians are

00:24:29.880 --> 00:24:30.820
 not saved

00:24:30.820 --> 00:24:32.880
 in any way

00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:34.060
 by summoning up

00:24:34.060 --> 00:24:34.720
 their strength

00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:35.380
 and accomplishing

00:24:35.380 --> 00:24:36.420
 great deeds,

00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:38.120
 but in fact

00:24:38.120 --> 00:24:39.620
 by admitting

00:24:39.620 --> 00:24:40.319
 their weakness

00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:41.259
 and their need

00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:42.000
 for a saviour.

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.819
 Essentially

00:24:44.819 --> 00:24:45.960
 what the

00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:46.559
 Christian gospel

00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:46.900
 is,

00:24:46.940 --> 00:24:47.319
 is Jesus

00:24:47.319 --> 00:24:48.000
 calling out to

00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:48.200
 us and

00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:48.420
 saying,

00:24:48.759 --> 00:24:49.200
 you can't

00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:49.559
 do it.

00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:53.100
 You must

00:24:53.100 --> 00:24:54.180
 rely upon me.

00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:55.460
 A salvation

00:24:55.460 --> 00:24:56.160
 earned by

00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:58.120
 works and

00:24:58.120 --> 00:24:59.140
 moral effort

00:24:59.140 --> 00:25:01.780
 always,

00:25:02.460 --> 00:25:03.440
 always,

00:25:03.540 --> 00:25:05.140
 always favours

00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:05.640
 the more

00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:06.020
 able,

00:25:06.180 --> 00:25:06.700
 the competent,

00:25:06.820 --> 00:25:07.440
 the accomplished

00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:08.259
 and the privileged.

00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:10.160
 Always does.

00:25:13.080 --> 00:25:14.160
 Salvation by

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:15.300
 sheer grace

00:25:15.300 --> 00:25:17.000
 favours the

00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:17.460
 failed,

00:25:18.080 --> 00:25:18.860
 the outsider,

00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:20.080
 the weak,

00:25:20.540 --> 00:25:22.180
 because it

00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:23.040
 goes only to

00:25:23.040 --> 00:25:23.759
 those who know

00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:24.940
 salvation must

00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:25.840
 be by sheer

00:25:25.840 --> 00:25:26.300
 grace.

00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:30.159
 you see,

00:25:30.399 --> 00:25:30.859
 what the

00:25:30.859 --> 00:25:31.500
 Bible doesn't

00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:32.159
 do for us,

00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:33.019
 it does not

00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:34.419
 show us

00:25:34.419 --> 00:25:35.339
 a story

00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:36.359
 after story

00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:37.379
 after story

00:25:37.379 --> 00:25:38.559
 of heroes

00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:39.339
 of the faith

00:25:39.339 --> 00:25:41.839
 who go from

00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:42.740
 strength to

00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:43.440
 strength to

00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:43.879
 strength.

00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:45.859
 Instead,

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:46.539
 we get a

00:25:46.539 --> 00:25:47.099
 series of

00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:48.099
 stories containing

00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:50.019
 figures who

00:25:50.019 --> 00:25:52.639
 are usually

00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:53.700
 not the

00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:54.420
 people that

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:55.000
 the world

00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:55.860
 would expect

00:25:55.860 --> 00:25:56.600
 to be

00:25:56.600 --> 00:25:57.080
 spiritual

00:25:57.080 --> 00:25:57.680
 leaders and

00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:58.320
 rescuers of

00:25:58.320 --> 00:25:58.660
 others.

00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:01.780
 Even some

00:26:01.780 --> 00:26:02.620
 of the most

00:26:02.620 --> 00:26:04.160
 ableist human

00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:05.020
 beings who

00:26:05.020 --> 00:26:05.480
 have ever

00:26:05.480 --> 00:26:05.800
 lived,

00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:06.900
 let's say

00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:07.960
 Abraham and

00:26:07.960 --> 00:26:09.120
 David in

00:26:09.120 --> 00:26:09.560
 the Bible,

00:26:10.700 --> 00:26:11.600
 they themselves

00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:12.300
 could not

00:26:12.300 --> 00:26:13.360
 rise above the

00:26:13.360 --> 00:26:14.380
 brutality of

00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:14.780
 their own

00:26:14.780 --> 00:26:15.500
 cultures,

00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:16.800
 nor the

00:26:16.800 --> 00:26:17.540
 self-centeredness

00:26:17.540 --> 00:26:18.040
 of their own

00:26:18.040 --> 00:26:18.480
 hearts.

00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:21.620
 But by

00:26:21.620 --> 00:26:22.319
 clinging to

00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:22.860
 the wondrous

00:26:22.860 --> 00:26:23.559
 promise that

00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:24.420
 God's grace is

00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:25.099
 given to moral

00:26:25.099 --> 00:26:25.640
 failures,

00:26:26.380 --> 00:26:27.240
 ultimately they

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.299
 triumphed in

00:26:28.299 --> 00:26:28.799
 humility.

00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:32.599
 The Bible is a

00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:33.839
 record of God's

00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:34.940
 intervening grace

00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:36.480
 in the lives of

00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.380
 people who don't

00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:37.860
 seek it,

00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:39.319
 who don't

00:26:39.319 --> 00:26:39.960
 deserve it,

00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:42.220
 who consistently

00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:43.079
 resist it,

00:26:44.039 --> 00:26:45.099
 and who don't

00:26:45.099 --> 00:26:46.099
 appreciate it once

00:26:46.099 --> 00:26:47.120
 they've been

00:26:47.120 --> 00:26:47.960
 saved by it.

00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:54.900
 So let me say

00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:57.400
 gently, if this

00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:58.640
 surprises you at

00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:01.319
 all, it may

00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:02.039
 mean that you

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:03.240
 have bought into

00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:03.920
 a completely

00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:04.960
 mistaken idea

00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:05.299
 what the

00:27:05.299 --> 00:27:05.860
 Christian faith

00:27:05.860 --> 00:27:06.240
 is.

00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:08.240
 Namely, that

00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:09.400
 Christianity is

00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:10.319
 about how those

00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.120
 who live morally

00:27:11.120 --> 00:27:12.160
 and good lives

00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:13.660
 are consistently

00:27:13.660 --> 00:27:14.299
 taken to

00:27:14.299 --> 00:27:14.539
 heaven.

00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:22.640
 there is one

00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:23.519
 final chapter in

00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:23.960
 the Christian

00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:24.980
 worldview, the

00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:25.539
 story that

00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:26.140
 marches through

00:27:26.140 --> 00:27:27.339
 the Bible, and

00:27:27.339 --> 00:27:27.839
 that is the

00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:28.660
 chapter where God

00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:29.559
 winds up all of

00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:29.940
 history.

00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:31.799
 And all of

00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:32.799
 humanity who

00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:33.839
 have ever lived

00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:35.700
 will stand before

00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:37.220
 Jesus Christ and

00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:38.059
 give account of

00:27:38.059 --> 00:27:39.440
 their lives and

00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:41.380
 the final day of

00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:41.819
 justice.

00:27:41.819 --> 00:27:44.559
 all those who

00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:45.299
 have suppressed

00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:46.000
 God and

00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:46.980
 oppressed others

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:48.500
 will be eternally

00:27:48.500 --> 00:27:49.039
 condemned.

00:27:49.679 --> 00:27:50.819
 But all those who

00:27:50.819 --> 00:27:51.559
 have responded to

00:27:51.559 --> 00:27:52.339
 the grace of

00:27:52.339 --> 00:27:54.679
 Jesus Christ in

00:27:54.679 --> 00:27:55.359
 weakness and

00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:56.980
 humility will be

00:27:56.980 --> 00:27:57.839
 brought into his

00:27:57.839 --> 00:27:58.839
 presence forever.

00:27:58.839 --> 00:27:58.939
 forever.

00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:01.500
 It will be an

00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:02.559
 eternity of pure

00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:03.919
 joy in a

00:28:03.919 --> 00:28:04.819
 perfect world of

00:28:04.819 --> 00:28:08.099
 bliss where

00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:09.459
 every wrong

00:28:09.459 --> 00:28:10.539
 will be made

00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:12.980
 right, every

00:28:12.980 --> 00:28:14.019
 tear wiped

00:28:14.019 --> 00:28:14.480
 away.

00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:16.799
 There will be no

00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:18.720
 more poverty and

00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:20.879
 oppression, no

00:28:20.879 --> 00:28:21.720
 more inequality,

00:28:22.500 --> 00:28:23.799
 all, every single

00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:24.559
 one who will be

00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:25.919
 there, joint

00:28:25.919 --> 00:28:27.139
 heirs with

00:28:27.139 --> 00:28:27.899
 Christ the Son.

00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:32.679
 So what does

00:28:32.679 --> 00:28:33.299
 all this mean for

00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:33.799
 the Christian

00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:34.799
 pursuing justice

00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:35.399
 in the world?

00:28:36.659 --> 00:28:37.679
 It first of all

00:28:37.679 --> 00:28:38.879
 means that we

00:28:38.879 --> 00:28:40.019
 entrust God with

00:28:40.019 --> 00:28:41.039
 the final outcome.

00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:42.519
 That's the great

00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:43.259
 story of the

00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:44.179
 Christian hope of

00:28:44.179 --> 00:28:45.299
 final justice.

00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:47.899
 Secularism cannot

00:28:47.899 --> 00:28:48.720
 give you that.

00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:50.399
 It's got this

00:28:50.399 --> 00:28:51.359
 world now as its

00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:51.980
 final hope.

00:28:52.119 --> 00:28:52.519
 That's it.

00:28:55.639 --> 00:28:56.980
 And so we work

00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:58.139
 patiently knowing

00:28:58.140 --> 00:29:00.580
 that this God

00:29:00.580 --> 00:29:01.220
 will eventually

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:02.259
 make everything

00:29:02.259 --> 00:29:03.100
 right in the

00:29:03.100 --> 00:29:03.460
 end.

00:29:04.600 --> 00:29:05.000
 That is

00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:05.820
 ultimately hope

00:29:05.820 --> 00:29:06.460
 for the weary

00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:07.600
 justice warrior in

00:29:07.600 --> 00:29:08.080
 our world.

00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:11.360
 Also, belief in

00:29:11.360 --> 00:29:12.140
 the story of

00:29:12.140 --> 00:29:13.320
 salvation by grace

00:29:13.320 --> 00:29:14.060
 through faith in

00:29:14.060 --> 00:29:14.940
 Jesus Christ,

00:29:15.600 --> 00:29:17.320
 what it does for

00:29:17.320 --> 00:29:18.040
 the Christian, it

00:29:18.040 --> 00:29:19.000
 breaks the cycle

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:19.640
 of which the

00:29:19.640 --> 00:29:21.980
 oppressed become

00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:24.660
 oppressors in

00:29:24.660 --> 00:29:25.259
 their turn.

00:29:25.259 --> 00:29:27.720
 in the Old

00:29:27.720 --> 00:29:28.539
 Testament, the

00:29:28.539 --> 00:29:29.339
 Israelites are

00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:30.819
 constantly warned,

00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:32.819
 constantly warned,

00:29:33.180 --> 00:29:34.799
 not to oppress

00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:35.900
 immigrants and

00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:37.000
 racial outsiders

00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:39.920
 amongst them and

00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:40.879
 around them.

00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:41.640
 Why?

00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:44.220
 Because remember,

00:29:44.379 --> 00:29:45.220
 you too were

00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:45.960
 foreigners in

00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:46.379
 Egypt.

00:29:47.379 --> 00:29:48.119
 In other words,

00:29:48.180 --> 00:29:48.759
 remember your

00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:49.259
 salvation.

00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:51.019
 So Leviticus 19,

00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:52.759
 33, 34 makes

00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:53.640
 that really clear.

00:29:53.640 --> 00:29:55.080
 the memory of

00:29:55.080 --> 00:29:56.060
 their salvation

00:29:56.060 --> 00:29:57.920
 from slavery

00:29:57.920 --> 00:29:59.960
 by God's grace

00:29:59.960 --> 00:30:01.840
 was to radically

00:30:01.840 --> 00:30:03.400
 undermine their

00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:04.700
 natural human

00:30:04.700 --> 00:30:06.320
 inclination for

00:30:06.320 --> 00:30:07.220
 domination over

00:30:07.220 --> 00:30:07.720
 others.

00:30:10.800 --> 00:30:12.220
 But it's at the

00:30:12.220 --> 00:30:13.220
 cross where Jesus

00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:14.440
 Christ is crucified

00:30:14.440 --> 00:30:16.840
 that the cycle of

00:30:16.840 --> 00:30:17.680
 the oppressing

00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:18.640
 becoming oppressors

00:30:19.340 --> 00:30:20.640
 is totally broken.

00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:26.300
 in Jesus, God

00:30:26.300 --> 00:30:27.759
 radically identified

00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:28.780
 with the poor

00:30:28.780 --> 00:30:29.560
 and the oppressed.

00:30:31.100 --> 00:30:32.520
 He was born into

00:30:32.520 --> 00:30:33.400
 a poor family.

00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:35.800
 He lived among

00:30:35.800 --> 00:30:37.800
 the marginalized

00:30:37.800 --> 00:30:39.120
 and the outcast.

00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:41.040
 His trial was a

00:30:41.040 --> 00:30:41.880
 miscarriage of

00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:42.420
 justice.

00:30:43.380 --> 00:30:43.860
 He died

00:30:43.860 --> 00:30:44.420
 violently,

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:45.840
 naked,

00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.480
 and penniless.

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:50.120
 that is,

00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:50.960
 the Son of God

00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:51.839
 himself

00:30:51.839 --> 00:30:52.799
 knew,

00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:54.779
 experienced

00:30:54.779 --> 00:30:55.420
 what it was

00:30:55.420 --> 00:30:56.120
 like to be

00:30:56.120 --> 00:30:56.779
 the victim

00:30:56.779 --> 00:30:58.000
 of injustice,

00:30:58.360 --> 00:30:59.480
 to stand up

00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:00.019
 to a corrupt

00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:00.599
 system

00:31:00.599 --> 00:31:01.240
 and to be

00:31:01.240 --> 00:31:02.200
 killed by it.

00:31:05.400 --> 00:31:06.059
 And the

00:31:06.059 --> 00:31:06.740
 Christian faith,

00:31:06.900 --> 00:31:07.460
 central in the

00:31:07.460 --> 00:31:08.220
 Christian faith,

00:31:08.779 --> 00:31:09.819
 is that we know

00:31:09.819 --> 00:31:10.680
 that he did

00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:11.420
 that to make

00:31:11.420 --> 00:31:12.240
 an atonement

00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:13.380
 for our sins

00:31:13.380 --> 00:31:14.599
 to set us

00:31:14.599 --> 00:31:15.259
 free

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:16.920
 from the

00:31:16.920 --> 00:31:17.839
 just penalty

00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:19.420
 for us

00:31:19.420 --> 00:31:21.119
 living our

00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:21.720
 lives,

00:31:23.420 --> 00:31:24.000
 suppressing

00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:24.680
 the allegiance

00:31:24.680 --> 00:31:25.220
 and love

00:31:25.220 --> 00:31:25.779
 that we owe

00:31:25.779 --> 00:31:26.200
 God.

00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:29.379
 Christians know

00:31:29.379 --> 00:31:29.920
 that in the

00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:30.879
 eyes of God,

00:31:31.420 --> 00:31:32.359
 we are

00:31:32.359 --> 00:31:33.559
 spiritually poor,

00:31:34.259 --> 00:31:35.319
 that we are

00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:36.400
 spiritually powerless.

00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:40.200
 like the

00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:40.820
 oppressed of

00:31:40.820 --> 00:31:41.540
 this world,

00:31:42.620 --> 00:31:43.540
 we are

00:31:43.540 --> 00:31:44.000
 spiritually

00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:45.100
 outcasts,

00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:46.080
 we are

00:31:46.080 --> 00:31:46.700
 slaves,

00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:48.820
 but God

00:31:48.820 --> 00:31:49.440
 saved us

00:31:49.440 --> 00:31:50.100
 by becoming

00:31:50.100 --> 00:31:50.680
 oppressed

00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:51.560
 for us.

00:31:55.140 --> 00:31:55.840
 Now,

00:31:55.940 --> 00:31:56.340
 it is

00:31:56.340 --> 00:31:56.860
 true,

00:31:57.519 --> 00:31:59.680
 it is

00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:00.320
 true that

00:32:00.320 --> 00:32:00.920
 claiming

00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:01.960
 universal

00:32:01.960 --> 00:32:03.080
 moral truths

00:32:03.080 --> 00:32:03.920
 like the

00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:04.759
 Christian faith,

00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:05.839
 Jesus says,

00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:06.539
 I am the

00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:07.160
 only way,

00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:07.619
 the truth

00:32:07.619 --> 00:32:08.000
 and the

00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:08.400
 life,

00:32:09.400 --> 00:32:10.160
 that claims

00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:10.740
 like that

00:32:10.740 --> 00:32:11.619
 historically

00:32:11.619 --> 00:32:12.379
 have led

00:32:12.379 --> 00:32:13.140
 to oppression

00:32:13.140 --> 00:32:13.779
 of others.

00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:14.819
 That is

00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:15.160
 true.

00:32:17.420 --> 00:32:18.400
 But what

00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:18.920
 if the

00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:19.440
 universal

00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:20.420
 truth

00:32:20.420 --> 00:32:21.960
 is a

00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:22.680
 man who

00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:23.240
 died for

00:32:23.240 --> 00:32:23.859
 his enemies,

00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:25.720
 who did

00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:26.759
 not respond

00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:28.339
 in violence,

00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:29.920
 respond to

00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:30.660
 violence with

00:32:30.660 --> 00:32:31.240
 violence,

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.680
 but in

00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:33.720
 fact forgave

00:32:33.720 --> 00:32:34.359
 his enemies,

00:32:34.759 --> 00:32:35.519
 what if

00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:36.420
 that's the

00:32:36.420 --> 00:32:37.339
 ultimate,

00:32:37.660 --> 00:32:38.259
 moral,

00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:39.200
 absolute,

00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:40.359
 universal

00:32:40.359 --> 00:32:40.980
 truth?

00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:44.460
 At the

00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:45.119
 very least,

00:32:45.220 --> 00:32:45.599
 what that

00:32:45.599 --> 00:32:46.619
 means is

00:32:46.619 --> 00:32:47.279
 that if you

00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.079
 call yourself

00:32:48.079 --> 00:32:48.759
 a Christian,

00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:49.440
 you profess

00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:49.799
 to be

00:32:49.799 --> 00:32:50.319
 Christian and

00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:51.019
 aligned to

00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:51.460
 Jesus,

00:32:52.920 --> 00:32:53.640
 if you

00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:54.200
 are not

00:32:54.200 --> 00:32:54.879
 committed to

00:32:54.879 --> 00:32:55.599
 a life of

00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:55.980
 radical

00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:56.680
 generosity,

00:32:57.339 --> 00:32:57.980
 if you're

00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:58.480
 not committed

00:32:58.480 --> 00:32:59.339
 to a life

00:32:59.339 --> 00:33:00.019
 of justice

00:33:00.019 --> 00:33:00.660
 towards the

00:33:00.660 --> 00:33:01.240
 poor and

00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:01.420
 the

00:33:01.420 --> 00:33:01.980
 marginalized,

00:33:01.980 --> 00:33:04.140
 at the

00:33:04.140 --> 00:33:05.019
 very least,

00:33:05.120 --> 00:33:05.480
 it means

00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:05.980
 you're living

00:33:05.980 --> 00:33:06.759
 contradiction

00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:07.259
 to the

00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:07.799
 good news

00:33:07.799 --> 00:33:08.240
 of Jesus

00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:08.720
 Christ.

00:33:10.120 --> 00:33:10.920
 It means

00:33:10.920 --> 00:33:11.240
 at least

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:11.579
 that.

00:33:12.759 --> 00:33:13.259
 You're a

00:33:13.259 --> 00:33:13.420
 living

00:33:13.420 --> 00:33:14.079
 contradiction.

00:33:16.599 --> 00:33:16.900
 You see,

00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:17.420
 the cross

00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:17.960
 of Jesus

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:18.559
 Christ

00:33:18.559 --> 00:33:19.279
 breaks the

00:33:19.279 --> 00:33:19.799
 cycle of

00:33:19.799 --> 00:33:20.279
 oppression

00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:21.620
 in every

00:33:21.620 --> 00:33:22.460
 single

00:33:22.460 --> 00:33:23.220
 way.

00:33:23.940 --> 00:33:24.559
 In every

00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:24.880
 single

00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:25.220
 way.

00:33:25.220 --> 00:33:25.360
 life.

00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:28.779
 As I

00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:30.019
 mentioned

00:33:30.019 --> 00:33:30.519
 earlier,

00:33:31.400 --> 00:33:32.079
 people who

00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:32.799
 are passionate

00:33:32.799 --> 00:33:33.799
 for justice

00:33:33.799 --> 00:33:35.259
 are in

00:33:35.259 --> 00:33:36.240
 danger of

00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:36.740
 becoming

00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:37.620
 self-righteous

00:33:37.620 --> 00:33:38.319
 and cruel

00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:39.140
 in their

00:33:39.140 --> 00:33:39.839
 pursuit of

00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:40.400
 justice,

00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:42.819
 particularly

00:33:42.819 --> 00:33:43.279
 when they're

00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:43.779
 confronted

00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:45.400
 with other

00:33:45.400 --> 00:33:46.720
 people who

00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:47.779
 they perceive

00:33:47.779 --> 00:33:48.240
 to be

00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:48.880
 oppressors of

00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:49.220
 others.

00:33:51.620 --> 00:33:52.579
 On the

00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:53.240
 other hand,

00:33:53.880 --> 00:33:54.440
 the Christian

00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:55.200
 life stands

00:33:55.200 --> 00:33:55.940
 with the

00:33:55.940 --> 00:33:56.680
 understanding

00:33:56.680 --> 00:34:00.019
 and hear

00:34:00.019 --> 00:34:00.440
 me say

00:34:00.440 --> 00:34:00.840
 this,

00:34:01.640 --> 00:34:02.400
 this is not

00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:02.700
 meant for

00:34:02.700 --> 00:34:03.380
 shock factor,

00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:05.220
 the Christian

00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:06.519
 life starts

00:34:06.519 --> 00:34:07.100
 with the

00:34:07.100 --> 00:34:07.960
 understanding

00:34:07.960 --> 00:34:09.440
 that you

00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:10.900
 are an

00:34:10.900 --> 00:34:11.519
 oppressor.

00:34:12.900 --> 00:34:13.940
 You are

00:34:13.940 --> 00:34:14.559
 an oppressor.

00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:18.920
 The Christian

00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:19.760
 life begins

00:34:19.760 --> 00:34:20.679
 by confessing

00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:21.139
 that you

00:34:21.139 --> 00:34:21.519
 have in

00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:21.980
 fact

00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:23.039
 suppressed

00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:23.539
 God.

00:34:23.539 --> 00:34:23.599
 God.

00:34:24.800 --> 00:34:25.360
 You've

00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:25.759
 wronged

00:34:25.759 --> 00:34:26.059
 him.

00:34:27.340 --> 00:34:28.239
 In every

00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:29.079
 possible way

00:34:29.079 --> 00:34:29.360
 in your

00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:29.699
 life,

00:34:29.759 --> 00:34:29.980
 you've

00:34:29.980 --> 00:34:30.340
 wronged

00:34:30.340 --> 00:34:30.559
 him.

00:34:32.019 --> 00:34:32.759
 And you

00:34:32.759 --> 00:34:33.279
 have wronged

00:34:33.279 --> 00:34:34.400
 others who

00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:35.000
 are made

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:35.460
 in his

00:34:35.460 --> 00:34:35.980
 image.

00:34:35.980 --> 00:34:36.039
 church.

00:34:39.659 --> 00:34:40.500
 We have

00:34:40.500 --> 00:34:41.199
 not loved

00:34:41.199 --> 00:34:41.880
 and honoured

00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:42.199
 our

00:34:42.199 --> 00:34:42.679
 neighbours

00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:43.360
 as we

00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:43.760
 wish to

00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:44.159
 be treated

00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:44.740
 ourselves.

00:34:45.340 --> 00:34:45.800
 In other

00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:46.179
 words,

00:34:46.460 --> 00:34:46.860
 every

00:34:46.860 --> 00:34:47.340
 Christian

00:34:47.340 --> 00:34:47.559
 who

00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:48.139
 understands

00:34:48.139 --> 00:34:48.360
 the

00:34:48.360 --> 00:34:48.740
 gospel

00:34:48.740 --> 00:34:49.519
 admits

00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:51.219
 that he

00:34:51.219 --> 00:34:52.280
 or she

00:34:52.280 --> 00:34:54.219
 has been

00:34:54.219 --> 00:34:54.940
 an oppressor

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:56.079
 of God

00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:56.740
 and neighbour.

00:34:56.739 --> 00:34:56.819
 are.

00:35:00.899 --> 00:35:01.659
 When we

00:35:01.659 --> 00:35:02.259
 lie,

00:35:03.259 --> 00:35:04.419
 we deprive

00:35:04.419 --> 00:35:05.259
 people of

00:35:05.259 --> 00:35:05.799
 the truth

00:35:05.799 --> 00:35:06.039
 that they

00:35:06.039 --> 00:35:06.319
 have a

00:35:06.319 --> 00:35:06.839
 right to.

00:35:08.119 --> 00:35:08.859
 When we

00:35:08.859 --> 00:35:09.439
 break our

00:35:09.439 --> 00:35:09.879
 promises,

00:35:10.119 --> 00:35:11.119
 we derive

00:35:11.119 --> 00:35:11.899
 people of

00:35:11.899 --> 00:35:12.619
 the goods

00:35:12.619 --> 00:35:13.199
 that they

00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:13.479
 have a

00:35:13.479 --> 00:35:13.979
 right to.

00:35:16.199 --> 00:35:16.879
 If we

00:35:16.879 --> 00:35:17.339
 are not

00:35:17.339 --> 00:35:18.259
 poor and

00:35:18.259 --> 00:35:19.039
 we choose

00:35:19.039 --> 00:35:19.559
 to close

00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:20.179
 our hearts

00:35:20.179 --> 00:35:20.679
 to those

00:35:20.679 --> 00:35:21.279
 who are,

00:35:21.519 --> 00:35:22.399
 we deprive

00:35:22.399 --> 00:35:23.099
 them of

00:35:23.099 --> 00:35:24.039
 the sustenance

00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:24.619
 they have a

00:35:24.619 --> 00:35:25.159
 right to.

00:35:25.159 --> 00:35:27.759
 I could

00:35:27.759 --> 00:35:28.299
 just go on

00:35:28.299 --> 00:35:28.539
 and on

00:35:28.539 --> 00:35:28.819
 and on

00:35:28.819 --> 00:35:29.079
 and on

00:35:29.079 --> 00:35:29.500
 and on.

00:35:31.759 --> 00:35:32.319
 Christians

00:35:32.319 --> 00:35:33.759
 know that

00:35:33.759 --> 00:35:34.199
 they have

00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:35.599
 hearts of

00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:36.440
 oppressors

00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:40.299
 and yet

00:35:40.299 --> 00:35:40.519
 they have

00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:41.139
 been saved

00:35:41.139 --> 00:35:41.779
 by grace

00:35:41.779 --> 00:35:42.239
 nonetheless.

00:35:43.739 --> 00:35:44.379
 Saved

00:35:44.379 --> 00:35:44.980
 by grace.

00:35:48.399 --> 00:35:48.859
 And so

00:35:48.859 --> 00:35:49.399
 when they

00:35:49.399 --> 00:35:50.199
 confront an

00:35:50.199 --> 00:35:50.899
 oppressor,

00:35:51.779 --> 00:35:53.039
 it is

00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:53.940
 possible to

00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:54.559
 do it

00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:55.519
 with a

00:35:55.519 --> 00:35:56.119
 steely

00:35:56.119 --> 00:35:58.440
 and a

00:35:58.440 --> 00:35:58.980
 courageous

00:35:58.980 --> 00:35:59.920
 determination.

00:36:03.219 --> 00:36:04.019
 But the

00:36:04.019 --> 00:36:04.980
 gospel also

00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:06.559
 teaches them

00:36:06.559 --> 00:36:07.340
 to do it

00:36:07.340 --> 00:36:08.559
 without

00:36:08.559 --> 00:36:09.880
 self-righteousness

00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:10.460
 and without

00:36:10.460 --> 00:36:10.980
 anger,

00:36:11.420 --> 00:36:11.739
 without

00:36:11.739 --> 00:36:12.820
 sarcasm,

00:36:14.440 --> 00:36:14.779
 without

00:36:14.779 --> 00:36:18.279
 passive

00:36:18.279 --> 00:36:19.119
 aggressiveness.

00:36:19.119 --> 00:36:23.099
 that is,

00:36:23.739 --> 00:36:24.579
 the Christian

00:36:24.579 --> 00:36:25.699
 because of

00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:26.539
 the gospel

00:36:26.539 --> 00:36:28.079
 cannot

00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:29.259
 possibly

00:36:29.259 --> 00:36:30.119
 hate the

00:36:30.119 --> 00:36:30.500
 haters.

00:36:31.759 --> 00:36:32.239
 They cannot

00:36:32.239 --> 00:36:33.059
 possibly

00:36:33.059 --> 00:36:33.839
 oppress

00:36:33.839 --> 00:36:35.219
 the oppressors.

00:36:37.299 --> 00:36:37.679
 And I

00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:38.759
 think Dr.

00:36:39.559 --> 00:36:40.059
 King

00:36:40.059 --> 00:36:41.219
 really

00:36:41.219 --> 00:36:42.199
 embraced that

00:36:42.199 --> 00:36:42.599
 in the

00:36:42.599 --> 00:36:43.639
 1960s.

00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:48.339
 and as a

00:36:48.339 --> 00:36:49.000
 multi-ethnic

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:49.500
 church,

00:36:50.500 --> 00:36:51.339
 to the

00:36:51.339 --> 00:36:51.960
 degree that

00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.460
 we see

00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:53.019
 Jesus

00:36:53.019 --> 00:36:53.699
 oppressed

00:36:53.699 --> 00:36:54.480
 for us,

00:36:55.299 --> 00:36:55.420
 the

00:36:55.420 --> 00:36:56.219
 oppressors,

00:36:57.659 --> 00:36:58.099
 so that

00:36:58.099 --> 00:36:59.159
 God embraces

00:36:59.159 --> 00:37:00.099
 us in

00:37:00.099 --> 00:37:00.920
 him forever

00:37:00.920 --> 00:37:02.859
 and we

00:37:02.859 --> 00:37:03.539
 serve each

00:37:03.539 --> 00:37:03.879
 other,

00:37:04.679 --> 00:37:05.940
 we will

00:37:05.940 --> 00:37:06.519
 serve each

00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:06.940
 other and

00:37:06.940 --> 00:37:07.460
 we will seek

00:37:07.460 --> 00:37:07.960
 the welfare

00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:08.420
 of each

00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:08.659
 other.

00:37:08.659 --> 00:37:12.739
 I'm

00:37:12.739 --> 00:37:13.379
 convinced

00:37:13.379 --> 00:37:14.519
 the more

00:37:14.519 --> 00:37:15.099
 we see

00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:15.819
 Jesus

00:37:15.819 --> 00:37:18.339
 oppressed

00:37:18.339 --> 00:37:20.339
 for the

00:37:20.339 --> 00:37:21.339
 oppressors,

00:37:22.339 --> 00:37:24.039
 to enable

00:37:24.039 --> 00:37:24.639
 to set

00:37:24.639 --> 00:37:25.279
 us free

00:37:25.279 --> 00:37:26.679
 by his

00:37:26.679 --> 00:37:27.079
 grace,

00:37:27.599 --> 00:37:29.039
 the more

00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:29.359
 that we

00:37:29.359 --> 00:37:30.099
 live out

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:31.039
 that relationship

00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:31.699
 amongst us

00:37:31.699 --> 00:37:32.179
 as ourselves

00:37:32.179 --> 00:37:32.980
 as a church,

00:37:33.539 --> 00:37:34.739
 our society

00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:35.359
 will in fact

00:37:35.359 --> 00:37:36.379
 see that

00:37:36.379 --> 00:37:36.920
 the gospel

00:37:36.920 --> 00:37:37.440
 of the Lord

00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:38.440
 Jesus Christ

00:37:38.440 --> 00:37:40.639
 is plausible,

00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:41.579
 is relevant,

00:37:42.139 --> 00:37:42.700
 and it is

00:37:42.700 --> 00:37:43.000
 good.

00:37:43.000 --> 00:37:43.059
 Amen.