(1) General Assembly Referral

The Accra Confession
Covenanting for Justice in the Economy and the Earth

With the adoption in 1996 of Hope for a Global Future: Toward Just and Sustainable Human Development by the 208th General Assembly (1996), the ACSWP was directed:

To monitor the implementation and consequences of the recent international agreements and mechanisms for expanding world trade — such as NAFTA, GATT, WTO with special concern for the effects of trade on the poor, the natural environment, local communities, and the distribution of power among the actors in economic development. The ACSWP shall report periodically to the General Assembly and its relevant agencies on its findings and their implications for the further development of policy on international trade and the church’s advocacy on trade issues in the public arena. (Minutes, 208th General Assembly (1996), p. 114, 542)

(2) Progress Report

The ACSWP, aware of the rapidly changing dynamics involved in world trade issues, discussed how to analyze critically the interrelating and interconnecting concerns of world trade issues to produce something helpful and engage the church. It asked: how do complex and challenging global issues, such as world trade and economic globalization, enter the life of the congregation?

As a response to the General Assembly action, the committee set in motion a process whereby four timely papers were developed to examine world trade issues in their current context of rapid globalization. The goal is to engage the church in dialogue around core Christian values. The challenge is to connect what is happening in the global economy with how it impacts the local economy and its lifestyle. Four papers — all affirming that economics is a matter of faith — would be made available to the church for study, reflection, and feedback to the ACSWP. The committee would then pull together its learning into a resolution for possible submission to a future General Assembly.

(3) Study Materials

The ACSWP has developed a series of four study papers on globalization and trade issues impacting the church and the world as the new millennium dawns. They serve as a basis for the development of a possible resolution anticipated for the 216th General Assembly (2004). They are the following:

The Globalization of Economic Life: Challenge to the Church
by Gordon Douglass

This is the first of four papers developed by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy ACSWP and made available to the church for study, reflection, and feedback on issues related to globalization and international trade and the church's advocacy on trade issues in the public arena. In this paper, Gordon Douglass examines the impact of economic growth and the challenges brought by the new political dynamic experienced in globalization. This paper serves to define economic globalization and introduces the theological and ethical considerations for the proceeding three papers in this series.

$3.00
PDS #6860001002

The Employment Effects of Free Trade and Globalization
by the International Labor Rights Fund

This is the second of four papers developed by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy ACSWP and made available to the church for study, reflection, and feedback on issues relate to globalization and international trade and the church's advocacy on trade issues in the public arena. In this paper, The International Labor Rights Fund, examines the connection between resources and labor and the need for the church to address the intentional exploitation of people for profit.

$3.00
PDS #6860001003

Globalization and the Environment
by Robert L. Stivers

This is the third of four papers developed by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) and made available to the church for study, reflection and feedback on issues related to globalization and international trade and the church's advocacy on trade issues in the public arena. In this paper, Robert Stivers examines the impact of globalization on the environment.

$3.00
PDS #6860003004

Globalization and Culture
by Ruy O. Costa

This is the fourth of four papers developed by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy ACSWP and made available to the church for study, reflection, and feedback on issues related to globalization and international trade and the church's advocacy on trade issues in the public arena. In this paper, Ruy Costa examines the impact of globalization upon various cultures.

$3.00
PDS #6860003003

(4) Invitation for feedback on Globalization and Trade issues

The ACSWP invites feedback on the study materials as it prepares its resolution. Please click here.

General Assembly Referral

With the adoption in 1996 of Hope for a Global Future: Toward Just and Sustainable Human Development by the 208th General Assembly (1996), the ACSWP was directed:

To monitor the implementation and consequences of the recent international agreements and mechanisms for expanding world trade---such as NAFTA, GATT, WTO with special concern for the effects of trade on the poor, the natural environment, local communities, and the distribution of power among the actors in economic development. The ACSWP shall report periodically to the General Assembly and its relevant agencies on its findings and their implications for the further development of policy on international trade and the church’s advocacy on trade issues in the public arena. (Minutes, 208th General Assembly (1996), p. 114, 542)

Progress Report

The ACSWP, aware of the rapidly changing dynamics involved in world tradeissues, discussed how to critically analyze the interrelating and interconnecting concerns of world trade issues and how to produce something helpful that would engage the church. It asked: how do complex and challenging global issues, such as world trade and economic globalization, enter the life of the congregation?

As a response to the General Assembly action, the committee set in motion a process whereby four timely papers would be developed approaching world trade issues in their current context of rapid globalization. The goal would be to engage the church in dialogue without a loss of core Christian values. The challenge would be to connect what is happening in the global economy tohow it impacts the local economy and its lifestyle. Four papers — all affirming that economics is a matter of faith — would be made available to the church for study, reflection, and feedback to the ACSWP. The committee would then pull together its learning into a resolution for possible submission to a future General Assembly.

Study Materials

The ACSWP has developed a series of four study papers on globalization and trade issues impacting the church and the world as the new millennium dawns. They serve as a basis for the development of a Resolution anticipated for the 216th General Assembly (2004). The are the following: “The Globalization of Economic Life: Challenge to the Church” by Gordon Douglass. The paper serves to define economic globalization and to introduce the theological and ethical considerations for the three papers that would follow and, thus, is a key document to be read prior to the other three papers. It examines the impact of economic growth and the challenges brought by the new political dynamic experienced in globalization. To order, please call (888) 728-7228, x5823.

“The Employment Effects of Free Trade and Globalization” by Pharis Harvey. Drawing on the resources of the International Labor Rights Fund, PharisHarvey oversaw the development of this paper with an ACSWP work team. It examines the connection between resources and labor and the need for the church to address the intentional exploitation of people for profit. Focusing on the impact of the international trade agreements on the people involved in producing the goods, the paper offers for consideration several challenging policy options.

The ACSWP invites feedback on the study materials as it prepares its resolution.