Justice rolled at the second Justice Conference UK
Following the success of its first UK conference in 2018, the Justice Conference returned to unite hundreds of Christians who wanted to explore the theology of justice.
The event – hosted by international Christian relief and development agency, Tearfund, alongside 11 partner organisations – is part of a global movement that provides a platform for the faith and justice community, with conferences taking place in eight other countries.
‘Let Justice Roll’ was this year’s theme, focusing on six calls from the book of Amos: to remember, to places of pain, to lament, to righteousness, to true worship and to rebuild. Keynotes and seminars explored what these mean in various expressions of justice globally.
Speakers from around the world came together to challenge the 500-strong audience on how justice can be addressed within the UK Church and internationally.
René August, co-director of The Justice Conference South Africa, reminded us that resolving injustice will not be an easy ride. She said: “We cannot worship Jesus without a willingness to go to places of pain. A call to the places of pain was the very place that Jesus occupies in the Scriptures.”
Eugene Cho, founder of One Day’s Wages – a grassroots movement focused on alleviating extreme global poverty, asked delegates to act upon what they had heard over the two days. “We have to make sure justice goes eyond textbook and theory.”
Dr Robert Beckford presided over a panel discussion about youth violence and knife crime in Britain’s urban cities.
The event blended the arts and speech to create a unique atmosphere. Poet and performer, Thandi Gamedze, shared her poem called ‘Let Justice Roll’, whilst Micah Bournes challenged our perceptions on inequality, saying there is no such thing as ‘almost equal’ during his spoken word performance.
Conference director, Jo Herbert-James, commented: “Over the two days, we welcomed God to move amongst us, as we journeyed through the book of Amos and wrestled with issues of injustice that we see in the world around us, and right on our doorsteps. We couldn’t have done it without the hard work and dedication of our core team, wonderful partners and fantastic volunteers.”
The Justice Conference events take place around the world and throughout the year, and are open to all Christians, from all expressions and denominations of church, who want to explore the theme of justice.
Recordings of the Conference sessions can be ordered through www.eden.co.uk (search for ‘Justice Conference’). For more information, visit www.thejusticeconference.co.uk.
