by The Rev. Susan W. N. Ruach, Ed.D.
We United Methodists have often separated spirituality from working for social justice. I have heard many social justice oriented people say something like, “I’m just not very spiritual.” In fact they often are very spiritual people who live out their spirituality in a different way than the examples of spirituality that many of our books suggest.
Spirituality is ultimately about our hearts and minds becoming increasingly like Jesus’ heart and mind, while we use the specific gifts and passions we have been given for God’s purposes. It is about how we connect with God and let God remold our lives, wills and hearts.
So I find it very helpful that in Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster identifies one of the streams of spirituality within our Christian tradition as “The Social Justice Tradition—the compassionate life”. He sees the focus of this tradition as on justice and shalom in all human relationships and social structures, and he identifies compassion as the root of social justice - compassion for those who are hurting, hungry, injured by societal structures, sick, and so on. In a companion book, A Spiritual Formation Workbook by James Bryan Smith and Linda Graybeal even suggests spiritual exercises for this stream of Christian spirituality.
The second thing that I have found helpful is my colleague and Wesley scholar Steve Manskar’s understanding that Wesley’s means of grace include works of piety [e.g. prayer, worship, the Lord’s supper, the study of scripture, Christian conference, and fasting/abstinence] and works of mercy [e.g. feed the hungry, clothe, the naked, shelter the homeless, welcome strangers, visit the sick and prisoners, be a peacemaker, and seek the Common Good]. In other words according to Wesley, the practices of compassion and social justice also mediate God’s grace.
While I know in my head that spirituality and social justice are a common fabric, it has been harder for me to get my language to conform to what I understand. It has also been harder for me to learn what the disciplines of this stream of spirituality are. Yet it is clear to me that Christian maturity practices both the works of piety and the works of mercy. Early Methodists were expected to do both. The different kinds of “works” both helped one connect with and serve God.
Over the years I have known people who exemplified beautifully in their being the spirituality of social justice and compassion. I have asked two of them to write for this issue of “Leading from the Center”. The Rev. Dr. Philip Amerson, President of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, has written the main article, Ecology of the Spirit: The Carrying Capacity of Grace. George Howard, Director of Connectional Ministry in the West Ohio Conference has reviewed The God of Intimacy and Action: Reconnecting Ancient Spiritual Practices, Evangelism, and Justice by Tony Campolo and Mary Albert Darling.
My prayer is that from wherever you stand, these articles may incline you evermore towards God’s wholeness.
Blessings and peace,
Susan W. N. Ruach
Susan W. N. Ruach is the Director of Conference Spiritual Leadership Development for GBOD..
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