What religion can learn from the social sciences Secular groups
have much to teach believers about human rights and social
justice. Nearly three decades ago, I participated as an
undergraduate in a formal Hart House debate at the University of
Toronto. The resolution that night was “Be it resolved: That
human rights constitute the prime concern of the Church.” I was
assigned to speak for the opposition and felt encouraged by the
fact that the invited speaker was His Eminence G. Emmett
Cardinal Carter (1912-2003), then serving as archbishop of
Toronto. Carter was not known as a social justice firebrand, and
I surmised his remarks would give ecclesial heft to my side’s
arguments. I was wrong. Surprisingly, Carter spoke in favour of
the resolution, claiming that human rights, rather than human
salvation, formed the centrepiece of Christian ministry.
(Despite the cardinal’s stance, our team still won. We had
happily stacked the house with friends.) Last month at St. James
Anglican Cathedral in Toronto, one of the