Justice is the greatest need of our time. Yet, because world unity is necessary for our very survival, not all forms or renderings of justice are equal. The fate of humanity in the 21st century depends upon the twin forces of love and justice bringing about equitable relationships on all levels. Love and justice combined results in unity right away, rather than needing more energy later on to restore a previous injustice.

There is a hidden wholeness to all of existence that a system of global justice has to take into account. As the declaration of the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions made clear, “We are interdependent…We must sink our narrow differences for the cause of world community…We commit ourselves to a culture of non-violence, respect, justice, and peace… We must strive for a just social and economic order, in which everyone has an equal chance to reach full potential as a human being…Let no one be deceived, there is no global justice without truthfulness and humanness.”

To this, the following needs to be added: there can be no global justice without the recognition of the oneness of humanity. Carrying out global justice today based on oneness and interdependence is the only thing that will ensure the achievement of the purpose of justice: establishing unity in diversity, the most practical need of our time.

The collective transformation of the world depends ultimately and primarily upon this balanced and inclusive formulation of justice in the world. Through the power of faith in action, communities with the power to reshape the world can be built. In our time, world unity is the goal and the greatest need. A fully functioning and operating system of global justice is what will best get us there.