In our time of economic crisis, the churches have an answer, a constructive vision of the directions needed for a fairer society and a healthier world. This non-doctrinal Social Creed is a positive framework for needed new thinking and action by individuals, institutions and government itself, all of which are called to serve the common good. It embodies the prophetic heart for justice, which insists that all persons must be treated equally and that societies are judged by how they treat their weakest members."
The subject of boycotts is charged with strong emotions for many people. Therefore, the issues are difficult to define with absolute clarity. The following is presented in the hope that this paper will serve as a step toward defining the various dimensions of boycott as a method and provide criteria for evaluation of boycotts. It should be remembered that such deliverances, even when passed by the General Assembly, are "ministerial and declarative" (FG 3 1.07) in their guidance. Their purpose is to bring the force of God's love and justice to bear upon the consciences of the members of Christ's …
Divestment of holdings in a particular firm or class of firms is both part of the normal management of funds and potentially an occasion for Christian witness to God's call for justice and the renewal of society.
Since the occupation of the Palestinian territories in 1967, Israel has used its military rule to the advantage of Israeli corporations and economic interests, many times to the detriment of the Palestinian economy under its control. All Palestinian imports and exports have been controlled, restricting the competition with Israeli producers, and making the Palestinian consumer market into a captive market for Israeli goods. Severe restrictions on movement of Palestinian labor and products inside the occupied territories and to neighboring areas have further increased the dependency of the Palestinian economy on Israeli companies as employers and retailers.
Several General Assemblies since 2004 have given clear directives to the Committee on MRTI regarding corporations doing business in Israel and the Palestinian Territories (East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank). All corporations are urged to confine their business activities solely to peaceful pursuits. This means no involvement in roadblocks to a just peace as identified by the General Assembly. Investments of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (PC(USA)) should be only in corporations involved solely in peaceful pursuits.
The goal of realizing equity in the church and the world for all of God's children is sealed in Scripture, rooted in the Reformed tradition, and consistently mandated in Presbyterian policy statements. From its founding, God's church has been called to provide a prophetic witness wherever and whenever equity remains unrealized. Whenever there are patterns of inequality that profoundly distort what is equitable - what people deserve and need to sustain themselves-not necessarily strict equality, then both the witness and the unity of the church are at stake.
The study and recommendations present a theological analysis based in Scripture and our Reformed heritage, particularly that of John Calvin, of the secular market assumptions at work in the church, including those models of career and salary inequality that distort so many of our expectations. Reformation and change, though difficult, are vital to continued health and growth in the church, but must be based on a biblical and theological understanding of our mission. Hence, any plan for change, for re-focusing the church's mission, incentives, and internal accountability, will arise from the context of our mutual vocation and mission.
The Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) is tasked to study matters of Christian conscience within and outside the church and to recommend measures that reflect the values and message of Jesus Christ. At core, the advisory committee believes that ministers share much the same motivation and should share much the same reward, as they serve the same church, a shared enterprise founded on God's self-giving love in Jesus Christ. God's solidarity with us in Christ in turn calls us to solidarity with the cause of Christ in the world, which is still to be turned upside down (Acts …
This report is one of four study papers, commissioned in order to better understand the human consequences of globalization. It attribues the current acceleration of globalization to corporate mergers and the rise of neoliberal ideology. It sees negative effects of globalization in terms of increased income and wealth disparities within and between nations and the loss of democratic control of economic policy and regulation, as nations race to the bottom with efforts to attract international capital investment. While fewer trade restrictions tend to motivate increased economic efficiency in the long run, there are shorter run costs of transition, and these …
Just and sustainable human development is the comprehensive enhancement of the quality of life for all, present and future; it necessarily involves the integration of economic, social, political, cultural, ecological, and spiritual dimensions of being. With this definition of "just and sustainable human development," this policy statement addresses international issues in the economic structure. It is based on a biblical theology and Christian assumption of the mutual responsibility and equality of human beings in God's sight, stating that equitable distribution of goods and ecological constraints put moral limits on economic activity for the sake of human well-being, future generations, and …