- Definition of Terms
- Importance of Law, Order and Justice
- Traditional African Practices that Promote Law, Order, Justice
- Biblical Teaching on Law, Order and Justice
- Causes of Social Disorder and their Remedies
- Role of Christians in Transforming the Social, Economic, Political Life of the Society
- The Church - State Relationship
Definition of Terms
Introduction
- Law, order, justice are essential for the survival of any society
- Following laws leads to order and justice lack of following leads to disorder and injustice laws of Kenya are laid down in the constitution.
Law
- Established rules by an authority to regulate human behavior in the community Schools laws, religious laws, factory laws, hospital laws etc.
- laws differ from society to society.
- Laws are dynamic.
- Laws cover all Aspects of life.
Order
- Condition brought about by obedience to set rules or laws.
- Order leads to peaceful co–existence in the society.
- Where there is order, things are done systematically.
- The opposite of order is disorder.
Types of Laws
- Non – legal laws – no court action e.g. school rules
- Customary traditional laws – based on culture, social traditions. They have to agree with state laws.
- They are respected by state.
Statutory laws / legal laws
- laws made by local council or national government and citizens are expected to obey them.
Types of statutory laws
- Civil laws – made by parliament on issues such as taxes, labor, divorce etc
- Criminal law – on crime / punishment
- Constitutional law – matters of state and governance
- Company law
- Religious laws e.g. Islamic law ‘sharia’
Justice
- Treating others the way they deserve in relation to the law.
- It’s administration of rightful dealings in a fair manner according to their actions.
- A just society follows rules and administers legal action to those who offend others or disobey rules.
- Justice means treating people the same way without discrimination.
Importance of Law, Order and Justice
- Importance of law, order and justice
- They are essential to preserve harmony and protect people
- Laws guide people and ensure people’s rights are protected.
- They protect people’s property and enable people to live in harmony
- They protect the consumer from exploitation
- They safeguard religious freedom
- Laws control power of those in authority and promote political stability
- Provides stability, encouraging economic growth
- Helps to control discontentment among people
- Helps implementation of taxes effectively
- Provides / help in maintenance of security
- Ensures human rights are upheld
- Enables the government to protect its citizens from internal or external threats.
- International law regulates relations between countries.
Rights and Duties of Citizens
- Citizen – person who is a member of a state, kingdom, empire. A person who has full rights as a member of a country by birth, decent, registration, naturalization.
- Rights – legal claims that one is entitled to from the government
- Duty – ones responsibility to the government.
Rights
- Right to life – to live securely
- Right to education
- Right to liberty / freedom e.g. one should not be imprisoned, detained, without trial. One is innocent until proven guilty
- Right to protection of property
- Right to own a family – right to marry and raise a family
- Right to health
- Freedom of movement
- Right to freedom of association
- Right to freedom of assembly
- Freedom of religion
- Right to own property
- Right to equality – non discrimination
- Protection of freedom of expression and speech (own opinions, ideas)
- Children have rights e.g. Right to life, education, parental care, health, protection from exploitation, right to identity etc.
Duties of Citizens (responsibilities )
- Pay taxes to the government
- Respect the flag and national anthem
- Respect those in authority
- Respect the laws of the land
- Register as a voter and voter in national elections
- Be responsible at work
- Participate in national development
- Promote peace and harmony in the society
- Report errant members of the society to law enforcement agents
- protect the environmental – clean, plant trees, avoid poaching etc
Traditional African Practices that Promote Law, Order, Justice
- Some of the practices that promote law, order and justice are:
Punishment of Offenders
- People who committed offences such as stealing, murder, witchcraft were punished through death, curses, paying heavy fines etc.
- this promoted law, order, justice
Installation of Rules, Kings, Chiefs, Elders
- They were installed to maintain law, order and to execute justice in their areas of jurisdiction
Administration of Oaths
- Administered by specialists and are used as a method of establishing and maintaining law and order
Making of Covenants
- Covenants were made if there was a conflict between two communities.
- They would promise to live in peace and harmony.
Observing of Taboos and Customary Law
- Taboos were prohibitions. Those who went against taboos were severely punished
The Kinship System
- defined how people related one to another
Rites of passage
- ensured customs, laws were adhered to
Religious practices
- such as praying, singing, sacrificing and giving of offerings had the effect of maintaining order.
Biblical Teaching on Law, Order and Justice
- God initiated Law, order, and justice.
- God’s creation is orderly. God desires order
- Man was created with a conscience to know right from wrong sin has consequences or punishment. God does punish disobedience i.e. justice
- God instituted the laws as part of his plan for salvation e.g. law of circumcision, Torah (10 commandments), circumcision of the heart, laws on what to eat etc.
- God’s law governed kingship in Israel. National prosperity depended on a king’s ruler ship. Kings were to ensure law and order
- In the New Testament John the Baptist urged people to observe the law (social justice).
- Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is based on law, order and justice. There should be fair treatment for all people
- Jesus said that the Law of Moses was given to guide people
- Christians should obey the law of the land and respect those in authority
- The apostolic teachings stress the need for law, order, justice (1 Cro.14: 33)
- Christians should be orderly.
- The birth of Jesus was orderly. His ministry was also orderly hence should Christians.
Causes of Social Disorder and their Remedies
- Social disorder is a state of confusion or lack of order in the society
- Causes
- Discrimination
- Inequitable distribution of wealth, resources
- Crime
- Racism
- Tribalism
- Sexism
Discrimination
- Discrimination is unfair treatment. Discrimination is on basis of
- Race
- Tribe
- Sex / gender
- People or a particular person is singled out and treated with disfavor or distaste.
- It is showing bias or prejudice.
Causes of discrimination
- Culture
- Prejudice – bias original from opinions that have no known basis or supporting facts – stereotypes
- Ignorance e.g. on HIV /AIDS
- Social status – ones position in a society, Inequitable distribution of wealth and resources.
- This is when riches of family, community, and nation are not fairly shared out due to Selfishness or poor planning. Some areas are marginalized.
Racism
- unfair treatment of people because of their race
Tribalism
- discrimination on basis of ethnic group
Crime
- an offence against state, normally settled in court. It’s antisocial behavior causing disorder caused by:
- Poverty
- Public mistrust for law enforces
- Lack of parental guidance
- Wide gap between the rich and the poor
- Greed for power, money
- Materialism
- Drug and substance abuse
Sexism
- Discrimination against people because of gender
- Women are discriminated in areas such as jobs, no promotion for women, oppression of women at home, cultural values demeaning the status of women, wife beating / men beating, female genital mutilation (FGM) early children marriages etc.
Remedies to Social Disorder
- Rehabilitation for drugs users / abusers
- Punishment for offenders of crime. Forms of punishment:
- Imprisonment
- Payment of fines
- Corporal punishment
- Probation
- Being assigned community work
- Being placed under house arrest
- Learning in approved schools, Juvenile homes
- Equitable distribution of national resources
- Develop marginalized areas
- Create jobs
- Campaign against drug abuse
- The public to use hot lines to report crime to police
- Preach against racism, tribalism, and preach equality, freedom and interaction with all people
- People to be sensitized to appreciate and respect different ethnics groups. Promote national unity through education /cultural programmes
- Creation of more national schools so as to have students from all backgrounds
- Encourage domestic tourism
- Enlighten women on their rights
- Employment on merit
- Rich countries to share wealth with the poor
Role of Christians in Transforming the Social, Economic, Political Life of the Society
- Transformation is to completely change the attitude, character, and well being of the society
Christian Participation in the Social Life
- Christians are involved in the preaching of the gospel in many places in the country. They use print and electronic media to spread the gospel.
- Christians have shown concern for the destitute and victims of violence in the society by building homes for them and providing them with food and clothing.
- Christians run schools, vocational institutions, and universities providing educational services
- Christians offer medical services to the society
- They speak openly against sexual immorality, murder, bribery, corruption, abortion etc.
- They show compassion to those in need the poor, HIV / AIDS orphans, widows, widowers, aged etc.
- They offer guidance and counseling to dysfunctional families (the pastors, those trained to do counseling – almost all pastors get a training in guidance and counseling)
Christians Participation in the Political Life
- Christians participate in the political life by advocating for fair distribution of wealth
- They offer prayers for government, political leaders
- They exercise their right by voting
- They also participating in the political life by standing up for elections (Vying for elections)
Christian Participation in Economic Life
- Christians participate in economic life by paying taxes to the government
- By contributing in collection of funds for construction of churches, schools, hospitals
- They invest in business that promotes their own development as well as the development of the country.
- They provide financial resources in order to assist others to start economic activities or self employment
- They discourage business practices such as using faulty scales, hiking of prices cheating in business etc and encourage proper acquisition of wealth
The Church - State Relationship
- The government and the church interact at various levels and in different areas
- Religious leaders give advice to the state
- The church speaks against corruption, robbery, rape, abortion, vices which the government is fighting
- The church is the conscience of the state
- Both educate the citizens on the constitution and their rights
- The church preaches peace, love, unity, order
- The state needs support of the church in mobilizing citizens to adopt government policies
- Both are involved in rehabilitation of prisoners
- The church builds schools and other institutions that supplement government institutions.
- The church is involved in formulation of educational curriculum.
- However the church differs with government on various issues such as
- Use of condoms (Some churches opposed to this)
- Use of live bullets by the law enforces when curbing riots
- Fight on corruption a thorn to the church since state leaders are involved
- Issue of death penalty – church been fighting against death penalty to convicts. The government lifted the death penalty as a form of punishment in the year 2009.
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