SocialJust

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Social Justice and Christian Worldview Alvin Moore College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University SWK 170-O500: Introduction to Social Welfare November 19, 2023

Social work is a discipline founded in being of service to others. Whether it is providing resources to a struggling family or advocating for an adult with disabilities, it is undeniably a helping profession. The University of Buffalo defines social work as, “Social work is a profession in which trained professionals are devoted to helping vulnerable people and communities work through challenges they face in everyday life. Social workers practice in a wide variety of settings, united in their commitment to advocating for and improving the lives of individuals, families, groups and societies” (University of Buffalo, 2023). Because of this call to serve, one can find many interconnections between the Christian worldview and the ethical practices all social workers must maintain. This paper will explore these various interconnections. Social Work and The Christian Worldview Social workers are called upon to uphold social justice. This can create a disconnect depending on the Christian belief systems held by different Christians. For example, those with conservative Christian belief systems may struggle to provide care to the LGBTQ+ community or advocating for reproductive rights. It is important to understand that the Christian worldview is not limited to Grand Canyon University or entities such as The North American Association of Christians in Social Work. There are also interconnections that allow the traditional Christian worldview and social work practices to ethical seamless. This is most evident in the call to serve and its connection to social justice. Regarding social workers’ call to social justice, Atteberry explains, “it is concerned with the 'social': to improving social relations between people. Doctors deal with illness, lawyers with crime and individual injustices, teachers teach their pupils: social work uniquely sets out to improve relationships between people individually and collectively. Teachers or counsellors might help a child think through their worries, but it's social workers

who visit the house, sit down and join with other members of the family to help sort out home problems” (Atteberry, 2022). This aligns with the Christian worldview and the calling of people of faith to help those in need. Regardless of differing belief systems or theological debate, the Christian worldview encompasses the importance of selfless giving, a principle that is entirely necessary when providing ethical and compassionate social work. Social and Economic Justice Social and economic justice can be seen as very similar, or at least interconnected. Social injustice can have severe impacts on the economics of a community or even a region, and vice- versa. One can think of social justice as the distribution of resources in a manner that is accessible to all people within a society. An example of social inequality could be the practice of a gay person being denied access to low-income housing due to his or her sexual orientation. Economic justice can be thought of as a system that promotes opportunity and eliminates exploitation. Consider the political practice of defunding or zoning portions of a city with limited financial opportunities that ensure continued disenfranchisement. The Center for Social and Economic Justice elaborate, “there is a direct correlation between social justice and economic justice, and a very large gap between developed nations and impoverished countries. The more economically impoverished a nation remains, the more social injustice thrives and prevails. The greater the poverty, the fewer people are given fair and equal access to basic needs and rights” (The Center for Social and Economic Justice, 2019). Social Justice and The Bible There are several verses from the bible that reflect a call to social justice. Some of these include: Psalms 82:3 - Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

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Micah 6:8 - He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Psalm 106:3 - Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. European Heritage of Social Work Modern social work uninfluenced by religious practice differs greatly from the early European beginnings of the social work profession. Ceginskas et al explain, “Social work developed in Europe during the nineteenth century by offering support to struggling working- class families. It emerged in England and spread through Christian social networks, initially in Western Europe and later in Central Europe. It became professionalized in the 1920s with the appearance of the first social workers (who were mostly female at the time). Throughout the twentieth century, social work combined efforts to offer material assistance with a moral approach of “readapting” working-class families. Taking over for private initiatives, the state and public administrations encouraged the development of social services during the 1960s. Social work thus gradually moved away from Christian charitable methods, its moral dimension being supplanted by an approach increasingly relying on socio-economic and psychological knowledge” (Ceginskas et al, 2021).

References Atteberry-Ash BE. Social Work and Social Justice: A Conceptual Review. Soc Work. 2022 Dec 23;68(1):38-46. doi: 10.1093/sw/swac042. PMID: 36323284. Čeginskas VLA, Kaasik-Krogerus S, Lähdesmäki T, Mäkinen K. Constructing social Europe through European cultural heritage. Eur Soc. 2021 Apr 18;23(4):487-512. doi: 10.1080/14616696.2021.1913508. PMID: 34518757; PMCID: PMC8432270. Defining economic justice and Social Justice: Center for Economic & Social Justice . Center for Economic & Social Justice. (2019, April 3). https://www.cesj.org/learn/definitions/defining-economic-justice-and-social-justice/ What is Social Work and what do Social Workers Do? . University at Buffalo. (2023, February 28). https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/admissions/is-social-work-right-career-for-me/what- is-social-work.html

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