Social justice and liberalism

“Social justice” can mean different things to different people. If the term means to treat people equally and without prejudice, we are all for it. Often, the term can be associated with the social gospel, which emphasizes the idea that it is the church’s responsibility to reform society. We do not endorse that idea. In This We Believe, a statement of belief of our church body, we explain the role of the church and the role of the state.

“We believe that God has given the church and the state their own distinct responsibilities. To the church the Lord has assigned the responsibility of calling sinners to repentance, of proclaiming forgiveness through the cross of Christ, and of encouraging the believers in their Christian living. The purpose is to lead the elect of God to eternal salvation through faith in Christ. To the state the Lord has assigned the duty of keeping good order and peace, of punishing the wrongdoer, and of arranging all civil matters in society (Romans 13:3,4). The purpose is ‘that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness’ (1 Timothy 2:2).

“We believe that the proper relation is preserved between the church and the state only when each remains within its divinely assigned sphere and uses its divinely entrusted means.” You can find the quotations in context via this link.

When it comes to your question of being “liberal,” I do not know if you mean that in the context of politics or religion; that term also is subject to different shadings of meaning. In general, Christians will want their political views to line up with the convictions of their faith. In the context of religion, “liberal” usually describes views that depart from biblical teachings. Such views are not compatible with the teachings of our church body.