Religion - Refugees

What does social justice mean?

• Concept of fairness in relations between human beings in a society and their fair and equal rights.

• Refers to a fair and equal division of resources, opportunities, access to wealth and social privileges in a society.

What are some examples of social justice issues? w/ key features

• Human rights

- Everyone is entitled to rights and freedoms, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, gender, etc.

• Right to participation

- Social Justice attempts to create opportunities and political platforms for individuals to participate in decision - making.

What is a current social justic issue?

Refugees

What is a refugee?

A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their country because they are in danger and cannot safely return home.

What is an asylum seeker

An asylum seeker is a person who has left their home country and is asking another country for protection because they fear persecution or danger in their own country.

Asylum seeker vs Refugee

• An asylum seeker has applied for refugee status but their claim has not yet been decided.

• A refugee is someone whose claim for asylum has been accepted, meaning they’ve been officially recognized as needing protection.

How does a religion respond to this issue of refugees, what does it do, how and why?

Christianity

• Core belief: Love your neighbour as yourself (Mark 12:31).

• Response: Christians are taught to welcome and care for strangers and those in need. Churches often run refugee support programs, provide food, shelter, and legal aid, and advocate for fair asylum policies.

• Example: Many Christian organisations (like Caritas and the Salvation Army) actively help resettle refugees and campaign for their rights.

• Moral reason: Jesus himself was a refugee when his family fled to Egypt, so helping refugees is seen as following his example.

What are some examples that illustrate how a religion responds to a current social justice issue?

• Caritas Australia (a Catholic organisation) runs programs that support refugees and asylum seekers by providing food, housing, language education, and employment support.

• Churches across Australia often partner with charities to help refugees resettle and feel welcomed in the community.

• Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken about the importance of showing compassion to refugees, saying that Christians should “welcome, protect, promote and integrate” them.

Summarise key catholic social teachings that support refugees

• Human Dignity

  • Refugees and migrants matter because they are human beings, each of unique value and loved personally by God.

• Solidarity

  • Human beings depend on one another and are responsible to each other for their flourishing

• Preferential option for the poor

  • The test of any society and group is the care it has for the needy and vulnerable

Describe how leaders, organisations and individuals work towards the fairer treatment of refugees.

• Jesuit Refugee Service:

  • They run pastoral care and psychosocial support programmes in detention centres and refugee camps, and provide humanitarian relief in emergency displacement situations

• Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project:

  • They provide housing support for people seeking asylum. They have sourced multiple houses to accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be homeless.