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About the United Church of Christ
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A Common Foundation:Shared Principles for Work on
Overcoming Poverty As a people of faith, with varying theologies and traditions, we are convinced of a remarkable convergence on fundamental principles that call us to common work in combating povertyand walking with people living in poverty: We believe it is the Creator’s intent that all people are provided those things that protect human dignity and make for healthy life: adequate food and shelter, meaningful work, safe communities, healthcare, and education. We believe we are intended to live well together as a whole community, seeking the common good, avoiding wide disparities between those who have too little to live on and those who have a disproportionate share of the world’s goods. We believe we are all called to work to overcome poverty, and that this work transcends both any particular political theory or party and any particular economic theory or structure. We believe that overcoming poverty requires the use of private and public resources. We believe we are called to make alliances within the faith community and with others in society who share the commitment to overcome poverty. We believe that overcoming poverty involves both acts of direct service to alleviate the outcomes of poverty and advocacy to change those structures that result in people living in poverty. We believe government is neither solely responsible for alleviating poverty, nor removed from this responsibility. We believe government is the vehicle by which people order their lives based on their shared vision. We believe society is well served when people of faith bring their values into the public arena. It is this remarkable convergence around issues of poverty and the common good that leads people of varying faith traditions to unite in calling on government to make a critical commitment to overcoming poverty. We believe the desire to overcome poverty is not simply a human idea, but is the desire of our Creator, and that the work to create a more just and whole society will be empowered by the Creator’s presence. We invite each faith tradition to make explicit their expression of faith and how it understands this common foundation. On these shared principles, we together commit ourselves to work to ensure that no person is forced to live in poverty. A RCHBISHOP HARRY J. FLYNN, ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SAINT PAUL AND MINNEAPOLISD R. HAMDY EL SAWAF, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ISLAMIC CENTER OF MINNESOTAB ISHOP JON ANDERSON, SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA SYNOD, EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICAB ISHOP VICTOR H. BALKE, ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF CROOKSTONR EV. IAN D. BETHEL, SR., PRESIDENT, MINNESOTA BAPTIST CONFERENCE, NATIONAL BAPTIST CONFERENCE, INC.R EV. CONNIE BURKHOLDER, DISTRICT EXECUTIVE, NORTHERN PLAINS DISTRICT, CHURCH OF THE BRETHRENB ISHOP FREDERICK CAMPBELL, AUXILIARY BISHOP, ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SAINT PAUL AND MINNEAPOLISR EV. PEG CHEMBERLIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MINNESOTA COUNCIL OF CHURCHESR EV. LARRY CHRISTIANSON, PRESIDENT, WESTERN DISTRICT OF THE MORAVIAN CHURCHR EV. DIANE EHR, ASSOCIATE REGIONAL MINISTER, MID-AMERICAN BAPTISTSD R. RICHARD GUENTERT, REGIONAL MINISTER, CHRISTIAN CHURCHES (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST) OF THE UPPER MIDWESTB ISHOP BERNARD J. HARRINGTON, ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF WINONAB ISHOP SALLY DYCK, MINNESOTA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, UNITED METHODIST CHURCHB ISHOP JAMES JELINEK, EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF MINNESOTA, EPISCOPAL CHURCH, USAB ISHOP CRAIG JOHNSON, MINNEAPOLIS AREA SYNOD, EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICAR EV. SHARON JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE PRESBYTER, PRESBYTERY OF NORTHERN WATERS, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USAB ISHOP JOHN F. KINNEY, ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF SAINT CLOUDB ISHOP PETER ROGNESS, SAINT PAUL AREA SYNOD, EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICAM R. STEPHEN SILBERFARB, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL OF MINNESOTA & THE DAKOTASR EV. JUDITH KOLWICZ, EXECUTIVE PRESBYTER, PRESBYTERY OF THE TWIN CITIES, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USAD R. TRUETT LAWSON, EXECUTIVE MINISTER, MINNESOTA BAPTIST CONFERENCE, BAPTIST GENERAL CONFERENCER EV. DAVID MCMAHILL, CONFERENCE MINISTER, MINNESOTA CONFERENCE, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRISTB ISHOP JOHN C. NIENSTEDT, ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF NEW ULMB ISHOP RICHARD PATES, AUXILIARY BISHOP, ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SAINT PAUL AND MINNEAPOLISR EV. WAYNE PURINTUN, EXECUTIVE PRESBYTER, PRESBYTERY OF MINNESOTA VALLEYS, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USAR EV. CLARENCE SAINT JOHN, DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT, MINNESOTA DISTRICT COUNCIL, ASSEMBLY OF GODD R. SHASHIKANT M. SANE, M.D., PRIEST, HINDU MANDIR OF MINNESOTAB ISHOP DENNIS M. SCHNURR, ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF DULUTHR EV. GRANT STEVENSON, ISAIAHB ISHOP PETER STROMMEN, NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA SYNOD, EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICAR EV. CHARLES TRAYLOR, EXECUTIVE PRESBYTER, PRESBYTERY OF NORTHERN PLAINS, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USAB ISHOP HAROLD USGAARD, SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA SYNOD, EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICAB ISHOP ROLF WANGBERG, NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA SYNOD, EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA |
