Are the Words “Social Justice” Code Words?

Glenn Beck told his audience to leave their churches if the phrase “social justice” is advocated:

I beg you, look for the words "social justice" or "economic justice" on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!

Of course, Beck’s target was the Religious Left—churches and organizations and spiritual leaders who advocate for liberal policies:

If I'm going to Jeremiah's Wright's church? Yes! Leave your church. Social justice and economic justice. They are code words. If you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish. Go alert your bishop and tell them, "Excuse me are you down with this whole social justice thing?" I don't care what the church is. If it's my church, I'm alerting the church authorities: "Excuse me, what's this social justice thing?" And if they say, "Yeah, we're all in that social justice thing," I'm in the wrong place.

But Beck is painting with too broad a brush if he thinks the phrase “social justice” is code for theological or political liberalism. Those with unquestioned conservative credentials use the phrase “social justice” as well.  As Tobin Grant at CT points out:

Beck's comments came on the heels of a new six-part video small-group study, "Seek Social Justice," put out by the Heritage Foundation, a flagship conservative organization. The video series features Chuck Colson of BreakPoint, Al Mohler of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Sean Litton of the International Justice Mission, and other evangelical leaders speaking on the meaning and importance of social justice.

Oops.

And then there’s Tim Keller, the NYC pastor and NYT bestselling author, and a cofounder of the theologically-conservative Gospel Coalition. I’m looking forward to his forthcoming book: Generous Justice.

My point is not that everyone who uses the phrase “social justice” is harmless. My point is that not everyone who uses the phrase “social justice” is harmful. In fact, depending on how it is defined, a commitment to “social justice” is a sign of biblical faithfulness.