- We believe that the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ speaks to the whole person (mind, body, and spirit). We believe that the GOSPEL speaks to the full actualization of life in this world and beyond. We believe that SALVATION calls for the redemption of souls, systems, AND structures from unrighteous and unjust human realities. We believe that our FAITH is confessional, missional, AND prophetic, and calls us to live out Jesus’ radical ethic of love, promote peace, and fight for justice. We affirm, “Any religion that professes to be concerned with the souls of [men and women] and is not concerned with the slums that damn them, the social conditions that cripple them, the economic conditions that strangle them is a dry -as-dust religion.” Therefore, we eschew varieties of Christian proclamation that privilege personal piety to the exclusion of public morality, and that regard ‘soul’ salvation as the exclusive feature of the Christian witness.
- We believe in the universal principle of JUSTICE. We affirm, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of [God’s] throne…(Psalm 89:14).” We affirm, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” We believe that every believer is commanded to “seek justice, defend the oppressed, take up the cause of the orphan, and please the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17).” We believe that justice demands love as the ruling action in all relationships. We believe that every believer has a commitment to ensure that “justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream (Amos 5:24).”
- We believe in the EQUALITY of all human beings. We affirm that in Christ “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, and we are all one (Galatians 3:28)”; and that “all [human beings] are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.” We believe that equality is the only solution to the problem of hatred, and that love is the means whereby we achieve the ends of social equality. We believe that equality necessitates a political order that serves the interests of all its citizens. We believe that a commitment to equality compels all believers to bring an end to systems and structures of oppression and domination. We believe that all people, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, creed, country of origin, or physical or mental ability, are entitled to equal treatment under the law.
- We believe in PEACE as the ultimate human good. We believe that the goal of the ministry of Jesus, the “Prince of Peace,” was to institute “the Kingdom of God” whose fundamental end is “peace on earth and goodwill towards humankind (Luke 2:14).” We affirm, “true peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice” and freedom from fear of violence. We believe peaceful coexistence of peoples, despite their differences, is critical to the sustainability of democracy. We believe that peace follows repentance and reconciliation.
- We believe in the universal right to LIFE. We believe that all life is sacred; that all human beings are a reflection of the divine. We believe that Christ came so that we might “have life, and may have it more abundantly (John 10:10).” We believe that life in Christ includes an adequate quality of life that extends beyond birth; equal access to quality healthcare, housing, food, water, education, and employment for all people; and an end to the death penalty as punishment for crimes.
- We believe in ECONOMIC JUSTICE. We believe that God is on the side of the poor and oppressed, marginalized, and disenfranchised (scripture Luke 4: 18-22). We believe that poverty, the exploitation of resources and labor, the valuation of capital over human beings, and the reduction of human beings to capital are economically immoral. We believe that debt creates economic bondage (Proverbs 22:7) and that the Scriptures oppose the practice of debt-based economic exploitation (Exodus 22: 25-27; Proverbs 28:8; Matthew 21: 12-13; and Mark 11: 15-18).
- We believe in ENVIROMENTAL JUSTICE; in faithful environmental stewardship. We believe that “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein (Psalm 24:1)”; that “the sea is God’s, and God made it: and God’s hands formed the dry land (Psalm 95:5);” and as such, all believers have a responsibility to care for and protect the earth from pollution. We decry acts of environmental injustice, which have resulted in disproportionate rates of chronic illness in poor communities and communities of color. We believe that true equality means equal access to the resources of the earth including clean air, water, and safe food.
- We believe that EDUCATION is a fundamental human right; that every child has the right to learn in a safe, healthy environment conducive to learning and growth; and that wisdom is the most precious thing we can acquire (Proverbs 4:7).” We believe that access to comprehensive, quality, and affordable education can empower the socially, politically, and economically marginalized. We believe that all children should have access to resources that make them competitive in the fields of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, and equips them for gainful employment. We believe arts and humanities are an important part of education.
- We believe in DEMOCRACY and affirm the democratic system of governance. We believe in free, fair, and open elections. We believe that the vote is fundamental constitutional and civil right in a free society; that voting rights must be protected and extended to all citizens. We believe that our democracy must be protected from the adverse influence of private money, which undermines the inherent nature of our democracy.
- We believe in JUDICIAL/LEGAL FAIRNESS. Since Jesus was unfairly incarcerated and executed by the state, we believe every Christian has a duty to condemn and fight against abusive legal, judicial, law enforcement, and prison practices that unjustly criminalize the poor and people of color.
- We believe in RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, ECUMENISM, AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE. We affirm the right of the individual and individual religious bodies to be self-governing in matters of faith and practice. We affirm the diversity of religious expression in the Christian communion, and support interreligious dialogue and collaboration as a means towards peace, civility, and greater understanding.
