“The contemporary concern for social justice leads primarily to a stress on public-policy initiatives, to a reorganization of ‘the system,’ and to social reform,” Brian Benestad observes in his book “Church, State, and Society.”
Understanding and practicing social justice, instead, as a personal virtue—one that inclines us to work with others for the common good—as he recommends, implies the capacity for people to join together to achieve a shared goal. It draws on the energy, creativity, and resourcefulness of those involved.
