What is true freedom - and how do we find it?

Some of us live in societies that call themselves “free”. We are allowed to vote, say what we think and shape our lives as we see fit. And yet the question remains: how free are we really - internally?

Thinkers of the so-called “critical theory” dealt with this question in the 20th century. In their opinion, our world is shaped by different power relations: Between those who oppress and those who are oppressed. Even where everything seems to be open, people feel overlooked, excluded or constricted.

And it's true: Sometimes it's just a sentence like “I don't feature in this debate at all” that shows that someone doesn't feel seen. In this case, it is often enough to give the other person's opinion space and to listen. This makes the debate more diverse, livelier and richer and people who previously felt invisible feel seen.

But what happens when two people have contrasting experiences? When one person says: “This standard is taking away the air I breathe” - and the other answers: “It is precisely this standard that gives me support”? Then it becomes difficult. Freedom quickly turns into a battlefield. And many people ask themselves: is there anything at all that applies to everyone?

The Bible recognizes this inner conflict. It does not take the side of the strong. It also hears the groaning of those who have grown weary of life (cf. Psalm 6:7). But she also tells of those who are marginalized, such as the woman at Jacob's well, who fears the reproaches of the other villagers because of her sexual morality. In order to avoid these looks and comments, she goes to the well in the midday heat instead of at a time of day when the temperature is more bearable. But then she meets Jesus there and he gives her new life.

But the Bible does not leave us as victims either. It warns against becoming a judge ourselves (Romans 2:1). It shows us: We are all guilty. We are all part of injustice at some point, whether consciously or unconsciously. And we all need salvation.

Jesus is this salvation. He breaks through the system of guilt and counter-guilt. For he is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Not all of us have been victims in our lives. But each of us was once lost. And the path back to our loving Father begins precisely where we no longer know what to do.

Next Step: Jesus describes himself as the way to the Father. What does this path to the Father via Jesus mean to you when you think about the topic of oppression?