Social Justice in Action Today

YEAR 9 · UNIT 15: HUMAN RIGHTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE · LESSON 5

What You'll Learn

Explore modern justice campaigns and religious organisations.

Recall: Prejudice and Discrimination

Time to recall what you learned last lesson
5:00

Lesson 4 examined prejudice and responses.

Systemic discrimination?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: Prejudice in institutions and laws, creating inequality; apartheid example.

MLK theological argument?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: All are God children. All deserve equal dignity. Segregation contradicts God will.

Malala and girls education?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: Argued Islam requires knowledge-seeking; women scholars like Aisha existed.

Caste system?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: Hereditary social hierarchy. Sikhism rejects it; teaches spiritual equality.

Modern Justice Campaigns

Climate and Refugee Justice

Climate: harms poorest nations least responsible. Pope Francis Laudato Si calls moral crisis. Islamic scholars: Earth belongs to God; destroying creation betrays trust. Refugees: 100+ million displaced. Christianity: love stranger; kingdom includes vulnerable. Islam: Prophet was refugee; teach sanctuary. Wealthy nations responsibility to provide asylum.

Food Poverty and Religious Organisations

Food poverty: 800+ million hunger, world produces enough. Results from poverty, conflict, inequality, distribution. Christianity: Jesus fed 5,000; feed hungry is core. Islam: best charity is feeding hungry; Ramadan emphasizes sharing. Sikhism: Langar serves free daily; no one sleeps hungry. Organisations: Christian Aid (40+ countries), Islamic Relief (emergencies, development), Khalsa Aid (Sikh relief, emphasizes sewa), World Vision. Why faith: mobilize billions; moral conviction; work where governments fail.

Religious Approach Strengths

Scale: billions in faith communities. Moral motivation: faith provides conviction; people sacrifice. Trust: leaders have credibility. Long-term: institutions persist centuries. Reach: exist in remote poorest areas. Examples: abolitionists ended slavery; Islamic scholars challenge extremism; langar feeds millions.

Critiques and Limits

Corruption: some exploit donations; prosperity gospel contradicts justice. Conservatism: resist change (women leaders, LGBTQ). Patriarchy: women excluded. Selective: active on abortion but silent on racism. Complicity: historically supported oppression. Dependency: charity without addressing structures. Secular: rights-based enforcement more reliable.

Balance

Religious organisations motivated extraordinary work but need accountability. Most effective: combine faith inspiration with secular governance, law, rights frameworks.

Levels of Action

Person donates to Islamic Relief Langar serves 5,000 daily World Vision ends child labour Christian joins racism protests Mosque builds refugee school Pope Francis calls climate justice Khalsa Aid earthquake relief Volunteer food bank Faith community demands wages Christian Aid partners governments

Individual

Community or Local

Global or Systemic

Words: 0/300

Guidance

Structure: specific examples; achievements; limitations; individual aid vs structural; religious motivation matter?; make more effective?

Review

Climate justice and religious issue?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: Climate harms poorest least responsible. Religions teach creation care and future responsibility.

Name three justice organisations?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Khalsa Aid, World Vision.

Why refugee crisis justice issue?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: Face persecution. Wealthy have resources but close borders. Religious teach welcoming.

Strengths of religious justice?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: Scale, moral motivation, trust, long-term, reach, inspire sacrifice.

Major critique?

🔒Reveal answer

Answer: Focus on charity without structures. Conservative on gender or LGBTQ. Historically complicit.