Theological Model Of Justice

Problematic Theological Models of Justice & Views of Humanity In contemporary writing and research in criminal justice reform, policy changes in policing, sentencing, and imprisonment have been debated topics of discussion. However, some scholars have suggested there must be an examination of our philosophical and, as this paper argues, theological understanding of justice. This is because theological justice is the crux of which policies and regulations can be adjusted to make meaningful change (Soltis, 2011). According to Zehr (2005), the two most dominant theological models of justice in the Christian tradition are the retribution model and the restorative model. The retribution model is oriented to the past and is concerned with providing

Both theological models influence how justice is carried out. However, both models fail to provide meaningful justice to communities with high incarceration rates because the models are inherently tied to white supremacy in the United States, often require punishment and suffering, and do not address the communally traumatic nature of mass incarceration.

Ties to white supremacy. Vesley-Flad (2016) connected Puritan and Calvinist theology that formed the moral and philosophical basis for the penal system in the United States to white supremacist ideology that shapes our system today. She argues that theology became fused with the racist and white supremacist ideology during the time of slavery. This theology was reflected in the models of justice of the time, which was dependent on Calvinist concepts of inherent depravity and moral and civil law. Inherent depravity placed the responsibility of sin solely on humanity and the moral and civil law valued work ethic and divinely appointed social order. Those who did not conform to these ideologies were seen

As described previously, the effects of mass incarceration reach far passed an individual serving a sentence. Yet, the retribution and restorative models of justice tend to have a very individualistic emphasis, especially with punishment. There is little consideration for the impact that incarcerating an individual will affect their families and communities. The psychological, social, and economic damage inflicted on communities has created a justice crisis. Is our criminal justice system promoting more injustice than justice? From an individual standpoint, many argue that it is an individual that commits a crime and thus, an individual must be punished for such crime accordingly. Taking a communal level perspective would be unjust according to many. However, it is in the individualistic argument that an examination must be done of the white supremacist entanglement of our theological models of justice in the US. It seems as though the social order and hierarchy may be more easily maintained when the individual is seen outside of his or her communal context. In fact, by penalizing individual with little regard for the social impact, it is spreading the “guilt” and punishment to an entire community. This view of humanity reflects isolation and lacks the reality of interdependence that is the basis of our