Líf í fyllstu gnægð. Trúarlegt framlag Frans páfa og Walters Brueggemann til samtímaumræðu um réttlæti og almannaheill

Modern thought that situates faith and all religious interpretation in the private sphere assumes that it is best to keep religion and reason clearly separate. As a result of that, religion has little or no value in social discourse about justice and morality. The reasons for this view come from modernism, which holds religion either as a childish phenomenon, foolish, or at worst harmful to society. This article assumes a post-secular position in which the contribution of religion to social discourse on issues of justice and morality is both accepted and respected. Recent writings by two renowned theologians are taken as an example of this. Pope Francis and Walter Brueggemann address current world problems like poverty and climate change, demanding justice and fairness for the poor. Pope Francis urges that man-made economic systems of the world be transformed for the sake of humanity today and in the future. According to him these economies must meet human needs, promote human dignity, help the poor and get rid of the idolatry of money that creates a lot of suffering in the world. Brueggemann on the other hand, holds that now is an urgent time for neighborliness that will contradict our consumerism as well as our inordinate militarism. Referring to biblical narratives he holds that the most radical teaching in the Bible is that the haves are bound in neighborliness to the have-nots.