NEW
TESTAMENT FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
1.
Definitions of Human Rights
“Human
rights are one of the basic rights that everyone has to be treated fairly and
not in a cruel way, especially by their government.”
“Human rights are the fundamental rights that
humans have by the fact of being human, and that are neither created nor can be
abolished by any government.” It is supported by different international
conventions such as the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human rights
in 1948. These include economic, political, social, cultural rights.
2. Origin of Human Rights
2.1 Origin: In 539 B.C., the armies of Cyrus
the Great, the first king of ancient Persia, conquered the city of Babylon. But
it was his next actions that marked a major advance for Man. He freed the
slaves, declared that all people had the right to choose their own religion,
and established racial equality. These and other decrees were recorded on a
baked-clay cylinder in the Akkadian language with cuneiform script.Known today
as the Cyrus Cylinder, this ancient record has now been recognized as the
world’s first charter of human rights. It is translated into all six official
languages of the United Nations and its provisions parallel the first four
Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2.2 The Spread of Human Rights
From Babylon, the idea of human rights spread
quickly to India, Greece and eventually Rome. There the concept of “natural
law” arose, in observation of the fact that people tended to follow certain
unwritten laws in the course of life, and Roman law was based on rational ideas
derived from the nature of things.Documents asserting individual rights, such
as the Magna Carta (1215), the Petition of Right (1628), the US Constitution
(1787), the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789), and
the US Bill of Rights (1791) are the written precursors to many of today’s
human rights documents. The Magna Carta, or “Great Charter,” was arguably the
most significant early influence on the extensive historical process that led
to the rule of constitutional law today in the English-speaking world.In
1215, after King John of England violated a number of ancient laws and customs
by which England had been governed, his subjects forced him to sign the Magna
Carta, which enumerates what later came to be thought of as human rights. It
established the right of widows who owned property to choose not to remarry,
and established principles of due process and equality before the law. It also
contained provisions unfriendlycorruption and official misconduct.Widely viewed
as one of the most important legal documents in the development of modern
democracy, the Magna Carta was a crucial turning point in the struggle to
establish freedom..
2.3 Petition of Right (1628)
In 1628 the English Parliament sent
this statement of civil liberties to King Charles I. The next
recorded milestone in the development of human rights was the Petition of
Right, produced in 1628 by the English Parliament and sent to Charles I as a
statement of civil liberties. The Petition of Right, initiated by Sir Edward
Coke, was based upon earlier statutes and charters and asserted four
principles: (1) No taxes may be charged without agreement of Parliament, (2) No
subject may be imprisoned without cause shown (3) No soldiers may be quartered
upon the citizenry, and (4) Martial law may not be used in time of peace.
3. Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (Universal Declaration) is an international
document that states basic rights and fundamental freedoms to which all human
beings are entitled.The Universal
Declaration begins by recognising that ‘the inherent dignity of all members of
the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world’.
It declares that human rights are universal – to be enjoyed by all people, no
matter who they are or where they live. The Universal Declaration includes
civil and political rights, like the right to life, liberty, free speech and
privacy. It also includes economic, social and cultural rights, like the right
to social security, health and education. The Declaration was proclaimed by
the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948.GeneralAssembly resolution
217 A as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations.
It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally
protected and it has been translated into
over 500 languages.
1.
We
Are All Born Free & Equal. We are all born free. We all have our own thoughts and
ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.
2.
Don’t
Discriminate. These
rights belong to everybody, whatever our differences.
3.
The
Right to Life. We
all have the right to life, and to live in freedom and safety.
4.
No
Slavery. Nobody
has any right to make us a slave. We cannot make anyone our
slave.
5.
No
Torture. Nobody has any right to
hurt us or to torture us.
6.
You
Have Rights No Matter Where You Go. I am a person just like you!
7.
We’re
All Equal before the Law. The law is the same for everyone. It must treat us all
fairly.
8.
Your
Human Rights Are Protected by Law. We can all ask for the law to help us when we are not
treated fairly.
9.
No
Unfair Detainment. Nobody
has the right to put us in prison without good reason and keep us there, or to
send us away from our country.
10. The Right to Trial. If we are put on trial this should be in public. The
people who try us should not let anyone tell them what to do.
11. We’re Always Innocent Till Proven Guilty. Nobody should be blamed for doing something until it
is proven. When people say we did a bad thing we have the right to show it is
not true.
12. The Right to Privacy. Nobody should try to harm our good name. Nobody has
the right to come into our home, open our letters, or bother us or our family
without a good reason.
13. Freedom to Move. We all have the right
to go where we want in our own country and to travel as we wish.
14. The Right to Seek a Safe Place to Live. If we are frightened of being badly treated in our own
country, we all have the right to run away to another country to be safe.
15. Right to a Nationality. We all have the right to belong to a country.
16. Marriage and Family. Every grown-up has the right to marry and have a
family if they want to. Men and women have the same rights when they are
married, and when they are separated.
17. The Right to Your Own Things. Everyone has the right to own things or share them.
Nobody should take our things from us without a good reason.
18. Freedom of Thought. We all have the right to believe in what we want to
believe, to have a religion, or to change it if we want.
19. Freedom of Expression. We all have the right to make up our own minds, to
think what we like, to say what we think, and to share our ideas with other
people.
20. The Right to Public Assembly. We all have the right to meet our friends and to work
together in peace to defend our rights. Nobody can make us join a group if we
don’t want to.
21. The Right to Democracy. We all have the right to take part in the government
of our country. Every grown-up should be allowed to choose their own leaders.
22. Social Security. We all have the right to affordable housing, medicine,
education, and childcare, enough money to live on and medical help if we are
ill or old.
23. Workers’ Rights. Every grown-up has the right to do a job, to a fair
wage for their work, and to join a trade union.
24. The Right to Play. We all have the right to rest from work and to relax.
25. Food and Shelter for All. We all have the right to a good life. Mothers and
children, people who are old, unemployed or disabled, and all people have the
right to be cared for.
26. The Right to Education. Education is a right. Primary school should be free.
We should learn about the United Nations and how to get on with others. Our
parents can choose what we learn.
27. Copyright. Copyright is a special law that protects one’s own
artistic creations and writings; others cannot make copies without permission.
We all have the right to our own way of life and to enjoy the good things that
art, science and learning bring.
28. A Fair and Free World. There must be proper order so we can all enjoy rights
and freedoms in our own country and all over the world.
29. Responsibility. We have a duty to
other people, and we should protect their rights and freedoms.
30. No One Can Take Away Your Human Rights.
4. New Testament foundation of Human Rights
4.1 Personhood and New creation
Personhood is literally
understood as a state of a being or individual person, with regard to different
community and tradition belonging to different sex, caste, religion, cultures
etc. Here the word ‘person’ is applied to men, women and children, who are
called natural persons. They hold different ranks in the society, family and
other associations defending on the capacity and ability they possess.
Foundation of human person or personhood can be trace back biblically. Looking
at the concept of personhood, biblically it is belief that human being are the
imago dei, the image of God (Gen 1:26-27-James 3:9). Being the image of God
implies dignity, glory and honor which are the essential aspects of our
personhood. Personhood offers us a vision of human dignity, community, freedom,
responsible stewardship, human rights, and redemptive renewal, as well as a
warning against human self-deception, corruption, dehumanization, and claims of
autonomy.
Thus, human being has a free will, an openness to the future, with significant
real moral choice to make.
Throughout the history, we
see how unbiblical views of personhood are used to exploit and oppress people.
The strong oppress the weak, injustice against lesser-value group; there is
abortion, infanticide, child abuse, and exploitative child labor, slavery,
gender violence, class warfare, age discrimination, oppression of the poor etc.
This made dehumanize and exclude the people who made in God’s image.
The new creation is a
concept found in the New Testament, related to the new life and new man which
is referring to the spiritual rebirth through Jesus Christ and also by
referring to the Genesis an old creation. Thisis the beginning of the spiritual
experience, where we come across the word ‘regeneration’ or ‘rebirth’. This
should be the central point for all the believers in understanding
Christianity. Human being has a certain God-given rights, even if we are also
capable of voluntarily giving those rights up. Here, rights can be mean to
pleased human one’s own way, rather cognition of how God has designed humans to
interact.Thus we are the fallen beings with a capacity of self-interest and
self- deception. We cannot ignore the impact of sin on our total person, both
within ourselves and within the larger social system where we reside. Likewise
we are called to renewal in Christ, through His death and resurrection. Our
personhood is developed and renewed by the work of Holy Spirit upon us (2
Corinth 5:17). Our fullest expression of personhood will be reveled in Christ,
the final eternal stage of things. In John 1:13 says, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will
of man, but of God.
4.2 Economic Rights
Economic rights are the
branch of socio-economic human rights. Under socio-economic human rights there
are social and cultural rights as well. In a more general sense, these rights
include, right to education, right to housing, right to adequate standard of
living, right to health etc.
The economic, social and
cultural rights originated from the socialist tradition which first struck root
in early nineteenth century France. It is a response to unbridled capitalist
development which saw no wrong in the exploitation of working class and colonial
peoples. These rights, unlike civil and political rights, sought the
intervention of the State as illustrated in Articles 22-27 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights such as the right to social security; the right to
work and protection against unemployment; the right to rest and leisure,
including holidays with pay; the right to a standard of living adequate for the
health and well-being of self and family; the right to education; and the
artistic production. These rights which are essentially claims to social
equality have been slow in gaining international recognition. But with the
phenomenon of a ‘revolution of rising expectations’ in the Third World,
economic, social and cultural rights are beginning to be treated seriously.
According to United Nations,
the economic rights which are being formulated in International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, are as follows:-
· Article I – all
peoples have the right of self-determination. All peoples may for their own
ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to
any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon
the principle of mutual benefit, and international law.
· Article 6 – The
state Parties to the Present Covenant recognize the right to work, which
includes the right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work
which he freely chooses or accepts, and will take appropriate steps to
safeguard this right.
· Article 7 – The
right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work
which ensures fair wages and equal remuneration for work of equal value without
distinction of any kind, in particular women being guaranteed conditions of
work not inferior to those enjoyed by men, with equal pay for equal work, a
decent living for themselves and their families in accordance with the
provisions of the present covenant. Safe and healthy working conditions. Equal
opportunity for everyone to be promoted in his or her employment to an
appropriate higher level. Rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working
hours and periodic holidays with pay, as
well as remuneration for public holidays.
· Article 8 – Right
of everyone to form trade unions and join the trade of his choice.
These rights have
not only been there in the present time but we have mention about these rights
in earlier centuries as well. In fact there are biblical texts also that talks
about human rights and particularly economic rights. Before speaking of the Bible,
we must look at the other texts of the Near East and other ancient Asian texts
which talks about laws and their purposes. In the code of Hammurabi- 13th
century BC the legislator states that these laws have been laid down ‘so that
the strong should not oppress the weak’.
The poor and the oppressed are also given an important place in the bible.
In the Bible it
seems that human beings are those who are able to enter into dialogue with God,
to listen to him and speak to him, without loss of dignity, standing upright
before him. That is a kind of optimistic vision of humanity. The Gospel message
is meant to be universal, the radical invitation to practise the Beatitudes
presupposes that every human being is able to receive and respond to this
message; all human beings are equally able to do this and God of the Gospel has
no favourites.
The New Testament
texts are clear on that point, especially the Johannine writings. Eternal life
beings already here below; those who really love their brothers and sisters,
who grant them the right to exist as much as or even more than themselves,
those persons are truly alive; those who say they love God and do not love
their neighbour are the living dead; it is not those who say ‘Lord, Lord’ who
are in a living relationship with God but those who respect and actively
promote human rights according to God’s will.
4.3 Socio-cultural
rights
4.3.1
What are Socio-
Cultural Rights?
Socio- cultural
right include right to social security, right to proper housing, right to
education, right to food, right to healthcare,
right to equality, right to freedom of speech and expression, right against
exploitation, right to freedom of religion.
4.3.2
How they are
violated?
Some examples of
violation of socio- cultural rights-
· Forcefully
evicting people from their homes (the right to adequate housing)
· Contaminated water
supply (the right to health)
· Failure to prevent
starvation in all areas and communities in the country (right to food)
· Systematically
separating children with disabilities from mainstream schools (right to
education)
· Failure to
prohibit public and private companies from destroying or contaminating food and
its source such as suitable land and water (right to food)
Failure to provide
security to women, children, and minority groups (right to social security).
4.3.3
Socio- Cultural
context of the first century A.D. in the Greco- Roman society
Women
Jesus lived in the
Jewish and the Greco- Roman society in which the male view of women was usually
negative and their place was limited to the domestic roles of wife and mother.
Women were noticed by male writers to be responsible for most sin and especially
for sexual temptation and sin.
There are some
literary evidences that prove the negative view of women in the first century
Jewish and Greco- Roman society. First, Josephus states that the law considers
women inferior in all matters and therefore women should be submissive.
Secondly, Philo refers women and female as examples of weakness. Philo states
that women should stay at home, desiring a life of privacy. Thirdly, Sirach, a
proto- Pharisaic work from about 180 B.C., presents women either as good wives
or as problems. It even states that “better is the wickedness of a man than a
woman who does well; it is woman who brings shame and disgrace.” Fourthly, in
the writing of Rabbinic Tosefta, it is also said that when a Jewish man prayed
three benedictions each day, including one in which he thanked God that he was
not made a woman.
Outcast
A person who is
not accepted by other people and who sometimes has to leave their home and
friends is considered as an outcast.
In the New Testament, there are many examples where we can find the existence
of people being outcast from the society. For example, the blind man at
Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26), the Samaritan woman (John 4), children (Mark
10:13-16), two blind men receive sight (Matthew 20: 29-34), the bleeding woman
(Matthew 9:20-26), leper (Mark 1:40-45) and so on.
4.3.4
Jesus’ response
towards social exclusion
Jesus’ respect for
and inclusion of women as disciples and proclaimers provided the foundation for
the positive place of women in the earliest churches and their ministry. All
four gospels give information about Jesus’ relationship to women and the involvement
of women in Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus accepted and supported women who
were neglected or rejected within his society. Jesus taught women and included
them among his disciples. Women also participated in proclaiming the gospel.
Many women associated with Jesus are known by name.
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