After reading a couple of articles by Volf I have concluded that working for social justice is not enough. Instead we should be working for social reconciliation.
Volf laments that in liberation theologies the work for justice becomes just that, justice. He concludes that justice as an overarching theme will actually breed injustice. Reconciliation under justice is viewed as "principled compromise" where both sides lose.
He proposes that liberation be subsumed under reconciliation. Reconciliation cannot occur without justice done, but to work for reconciliation achieves justice and beneficial compromise. Both parties win as they embrace.
He promotes a will to embrace because, "at the deepest level, relationships do not rest on moral performance and therefore cannot be undone by its lack." We are relational - in relationships regardless of morality.
So after this, I think groups working for social justice ought to broaden their vision to work for social reconciliation, which subordinates justice but assumes justice in achieving full-reconciliation.
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