usness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees [the local governmental rulers], you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20).
Justice as a human principle of behavior is a different concept in the Bible from justice as practiced by God. The God of the Old Testament, in particular, sometimes exercises an arbitrary, vengeful brand of justice, which has no relationship to righteousness. However, such examples are clearly not intended as a guideline for human behavior.
Howard S. Kushner observes, "Religion sets high standards for us and urges us to grow morally in our efforts to meet those standards" (6). Norman Vincent Peale argues that religion lays out "the qualities of Christian character" (170), ways of behaving that "form a bridge so strong that it will carry you over any difficulty" (178), and one of the fundamental standards is the principle of justice.
Two people whose lives embody this concept are writer Elie Wiesel and environmentalist Mary Dalton. Both of them have, in very di
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