On the Side of the Angels

On the Side of the Angels
by Joseph D'Souza and Ben Rogers

In preparing for a small group at which we will be discussing "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake," I read this book (finally); it was also triggered by reading an article by Ziya Meral, "Bearing the Silence of God," in Christianity Today (March, 2008). Ziya is Turkish, grew up Muslim and became a Christian when he was 17. He works with Christian Solidarity Worldwide, as does Ben Rogers. Our son, Ben, met Ziya at the University of Toronto while attending a summer course on genocide, and has spoken of him often. Ben Rogers has been to Church of the Apostles several times as a guest of Tom and Lisa Yearwood; Ben human rights work focuses on Pakistan, Burma, and Sri Lanka. Lisa told me Sunday of Ziya and Ben Rogers' connection at CSW.

The book is a call to Christians to become advocates for human rights. One of the strengths of the book is its strong emphasis that Christian human rights advocacy is indeed our kingdom mission calling, and that it is not to be aimed just at human rights for Christians, but for all people regardless of their faith. We are to love all our neighbors, and this includes working for freedom, which demands freedom of faith... which means we love our neighbors who freely choose not to be Christians.

In the chapter, "Good and Evil," the authors suggest that perhaps the best description of the kingdom is found in the beatitudes. Then they share that in the book The Lost Message of Jesus, Steve Chalke and Alan Mann "describe the kingdom as 'the in-breaking shalom of God,' available to us all. We often think of shalom as being synonymous with peace, but in fact the word, used many times throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, incorporates 'contentment, health, justice, liberation, fulfilment, freedom and hope' and affects us in every aspect of life - 'socially, economically, spiritually, and politically.'"

In the chapter "Salt and Light," D'Souza and Rogers describe how Christians in India (in particular, the All India Christian Council, of which D'Souza is the president) have stood with and advocated for the rights of both Muslims and Dalit (the continuing untouchable caste). Even after many Dalit chose to convert, not to Christianity, but to Buddhism, Christians supported their right to be free and reaffirmed their love and support for them. They conclude this section with the beatitude, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

In the chapter "What Next" they speak of our human and Christian responsibility, and requirement, to make a difference, specifically to be advocates for justice. There are two equally valid and interdependent categories of advocacy - private and public forms of advocacy, or described as engagement and protest. They point out it would be difficult for an individual or organization to do both of these.

There are two sets of essential principles to guide efforts on behalf of the oppressed. (1) Pray, protest, and provide. Mostly prayer is private, and protest and provision is public. In the service of advocacy (2) authenticity, aid, and accountability overlap and deepen the first three.

Prayer is first and foremost, especially for Christian human rights advocacy. Brooke prays everyday through a couple of prayer lists provided by International Justice Mission and Voice of the Martyrs. Every year in November we observe the "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church."

One form of protest that they write persuasively about is letter writing - to officials who are charged with responding to their constituents concerns and to work for the public good, and to those who are suffering injustice (even if they don't receive them, their captors may read the letters). They quote a letter that Francesco Miranda Branco, an East Timorese prisoner of conscience, sent in reply to an activist in the UK:

My brother, God is very kind and just, and he loves us, you and me who believe in Him. We can never feel angry and upset at God when we suffer, because behind all the suffering He has a beautiful surprise for us.

Secondly they discuss demonstration, both in one's own country (basically safe) and in the country where injustice is occurring. [I could not help but think of Martin Luther King. I recently finished reading "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King" (by MLK, Jr, and Clayborne Carson). Of course, it was really more about nonviolent resistance to unjust laws, or the lack of enforcing just laws, but usually in the context of peaceful demonstration.]

In terms of provision they cite time (volunteering with a human rights organization); financial sacrifice; material assistance (books, clothing, medicine, etc.); providing expertise in various fields (law, computer technology, medicine, construction, land mine clearance, agriculture, etc.); or pursuing a career in order to be an influence for advocacy (such as elected office, State Department, the World Bank, or journalism).

Finally, they conclude in the chapters entitled "Never Give Up!" and "Faith in Action" to call for perseverance in serving the Kingdom mission and doing God's will, for integrating faith and action.

"A Christian approach to human rights is distinguished by love. It is not simply about a cause, a political movement, or a philosophy - it is about human relationships, love, and dignity. As Philip Yancey writes,

A political movement by nature draws lines, makes distinctions, pronounces judgment; in contrast, Jesus' love cuts across lines, transcends distinctions and dispenses grace. Regardless of the merits of a given issue... political movements risk pulling onto themselves the mantle of power that smothers love. From Jesus I learn that, whatever activism I get involved in, it must not drive out love and humility, or otherwise I betray the kingdom of heaven" ( in The Jesus I Never Knew). (p. 183-184)