As progressive people of faith, it is important for our voices to be heard now more than ever. The global COVID 19 pandemic has highlighted and deepened existing disparities that we contend with within our world. We have seen legislation passed that will disproportionately affect the most marginalized of us, while other bills that could provide respite are denied by a legislative body fueled by greed instead of the will of the people. As the progressive faithful, we must make clear that we stand firmly in our faith on the side of a just and equitable world. In this statement we make clear our faithful understanding of and collective vision for that just world:
Environmentally Just
The just world we’re working towards is one of whole, sustainable communities, free from environmental harms and the toxicities with which unregulated corporate manufacturing terrorizes the neighborhoods of those least able to resist them.
Economically Just
The just world we’re committed to working for is one where everyone has the opportunity for stable work with living wages. In this world a workweek not only allows enough compensation for one to feed their family but also enough time in it to enjoy our families in meaningful ways that create lasting memories.
It is a world where food is democratized, not controlled in the hand of a few, and available to all. It’s a world where no one must travel miles to access basic nutrition to keep themselves and their family alive and healthy.
Socially Just
A just world must be one free of a punitive carceral system, where mistakes are met with resources, restoration, and redemption, so that people’s humanity is affirmed, mistakes are acknowledged and remedied, and no one is seen as disposable, but rather valuable to the working of the larger society.
Racially Just
In the just world we aspire to, there is no place for white supremacy in any of its manifestations. All people live free of the terror that white supremacy instigates and the lingering effects of the colonialism and xenophobia it breeds. Reparations for labors extracted from black communities for centuries are understood as a must to restore equity. Remediation for the harms caused by white supremacy are widely accepted and administered to Black, Indigenous and all People of Color who have for far too long suffered under the weight of its injustice.
Humane and Just
In a just world borders are replaced with gateways for those who must flee where they are for physical, mental, and economic safety. In this world, we work as a human family to make sure we all not only survive the worst of the human experience but thrive in the best parts of it.
Educationally Just
A just world is one where all people have not only a right to, but also access to, education at the highest levels they wish to obtain, without crushing debt that burdens their life for decades.
Accessible and Just
We believe a just world is one where people of all ability levels get to enjoy all spaces and live to their fullest potential. It is a world that acknowledges the humanity of, the right of existence, and values the contribution of people of all ability levels and capabilities.
Reproductively and Healthily Just
In a world just for all, healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, is free, accessible, and dignified. It is a world where one can access the care they need for their mental, physical, and emotional health without the burden of cost or stigma.
Sexually Just
And lastly, we believe that a just world is one where all people get to live into their full humanity including their sexual and gender expressions without the burden of social stigma or the fear of physical harm.
We understand that this world we envision requires vigilance, steadfast and committed work, and relentless adherence to an ethic of equity and care. In this cultural climate that seeks to divide and separate us, we as the faithful accept that our traditions of love require us to stand firmly together against all injustice. We will use our collective voices in every area of public life to raise awareness and hold those in power accountable to addressing the needs of those most marginalized in our communities in order to achieve the just world we imagine. And, as an example of our faith in action and as an initial commitment to the further work required to achieve a just and equitable world, we the undersigned commit to working towards this just world as people of faith, lovers of humanity and believers in justice and liberation.
