Theological Basis for Social Justice and Peacemaking
Equality
Genesis 1:27, 31 “So God created humankind ... in the image of God ...: male and female God created them. God saw everything that God had made, and indeed, it was very good.”
Reconciliation
Corinthians 5:18-21 “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Godself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Godself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.”
Justice
Micah 6:8 “God has told you, 0 mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God?”
Peace
The Confession of 1967 “The members of the church are emissaries of peace and seek the good of (humankind) in cooperation with powers and authorities in politics, culture, and economics. But they have to fight against pretensions and injustices when the same powers endanger human welfare ...” (9.25)
Compassion
The Brief Statement of Faith "... We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.”
Social Righteousness
Book of Order, The Great Ends of the Church, #5 “the promotion of social righteousness.”
