'Social justice' originated in Christian thought and flowed out of the belief in divine justice. Today, 'social justice' is widely used by people who do not believe in God, never mind divine justice. Can you have human justice without divine justice? Can you have social justice without spiritual justice? Chapter 7 of Telling a Better Story says "No."

INSIDE THE SECULAR STORY

The secular story of justice can be summed up in two sentences.

• Unbelievers have a strong sense of justice and a strong desire for a just society.

• Social justice is grounded in two foundational assumptions: everyone has the same basic human dignity and we all should love everyone.

While appreciating and commending people’s sense of justice, opposition to injustice, and love for others, we have questions for their narrative:

• What grounds do you have to affirm basic human dignity and our obligation to care for others? Neither nature nor self-interest can support them.

• What can motivate you to act justly and with high moral standards when it involves self-sacrifice?

• What is your ultimate hope of removing injustice given it's impossible here?

OUTSIDE TO THE CHRISTIAN STORY

• Christians have a better grounding for justice, in that God made us in his image with a sense of right and wrong.

• Christians have a powerful motivation in Jesus' example of self-sacrifice, God's unchanging standard of justice, and God's love for the world.

• Christians have a better hope of social, indeed universal justice, because God will usher in perfect justice and offers to put you on the right side of justice through faith in Jesus.

Can you have human justice without divine justice? Only a justice grounded in God, motivated by God, and that hopes in God will change our world for good.