Note: This blog was started yesterday but completion and posting was delayed due to an unexpected trip to A&E and a rather busy day!
Today (16th Jan) is Martin Luther King Jr. day in the USA. it is my job to know this, because part of my working life involves forecasting cash flow, and as our main bank is based in the US, our ability to make payments is heavily influenced by American Public Holidays.
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My understanding, from friends and colleagues with connections in the US, is that this public holiday is probably the most contraversial of public holidays, and that across large swathes of the South people are relecutant to observe this day, in honour as it is of one of the greatest champions of Human Rights ever to be found in the United States. It is somewhat to my shame that many of those who have issues with this holiday would label themselves Evangelical Christians - a label I also would use (if I had to use any) to describe myself. And that got me thinking about Human Rights in general, and the biblical basis behind them.
My basic view on human rights comes from the fact (as far as I believe it) that Human Beings are created "in the image of God" - and that is true for all human beings, regardless of their race, their beliefs, their culture or any other feature. As such, each and every human being is created and loved by God, and is special to him.
And if everyone is created as an equal child of God, then it is absolutely right and proper that we accord to each and every person the same basic rights. The difference between a Christian view on Human Rights and a secular view however is in the source of those "rights", because actually, the Christian view would be these rights are not inherent, but are a consequence and outworking of the gift of life that comes from God. Is there a practical difference resulting from this understanding...? Certainly it doesn't give ground for rejecting Human Rights in their totality, or for example, refusing to respect MLK day in the US.
If there is a difference, it comes in the communal nature of our rights. Because our Christian understanding is that God created us to be in relationships, in a community with each other and in a relationship with him, then our human rights bring with them human responsibilities - to respect those rights in others and in the community as a whole - and the communal nature of those rights is probably the biggest difference with the secular view on human rights... but thats probably a whole different blog subject!
Now, before anyone challenges me, I know that historically the Christian Church has not been a great respector of Human Rights. But I fundamentally believe that this is due to fallible human error, to a misunderstanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ, not because of those teachings. I would challenge anyone concerned by that to examine those teachings directly for themselves and see if they agree.
In the meantime, Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day to you all!
If there is a difference, it comes in the communal nature of our rights. Because our Christian understanding is that God created us to be in relationships, in a community with each other and in a relationship with him, then our human rights bring with them human responsibilities - to respect those rights in others and in the community as a whole - and the communal nature of those rights is probably the biggest difference with the secular view on human rights... but thats probably a whole different blog subject!
Now, before anyone challenges me, I know that historically the Christian Church has not been a great respector of Human Rights. But I fundamentally believe that this is due to fallible human error, to a misunderstanding of the teachings of Jesus Christ, not because of those teachings. I would challenge anyone concerned by that to examine those teachings directly for themselves and see if they agree.
In the meantime, Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day to you all!
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