SIGN THE PEACE AND CIVILITY PLEDGE from SOJOURNERS 11JAN11

The recent shooting of Gabrielle Giffords, the congresswoman from Arizona, must speak to the soul of this nation. The shooter raised his gun to her head, and then he kept shooting until 13 others were wounded and six people killed, including a district court judge and a 9-year-old girl who was in her church choir. We all mourn the lives lost and hope and pray for the recovery of those who were injured.

I was with Gabby just a week ago, as our families celebrated New Year’s at a retreat in South Carolina. I count her as a friend. We talked about her very tough election this fall, which she won by a few thousand votes in one of the most divided states in the nation, where -- much like the rest of the country -- the political rhetoric has become more and more poisonous and personal.

What are the situations and environments that allow this kind of hate and violence to grow? How can we not only stop conflict, but also be a part of bringing about a just community that displays the positive presence of peace?

We start with ourselves. Our Peace and Civility Pledge outlines the higher standards that scripture calls us to in how we are to treat one another and act in community. I ask you to sign the Pledge, consider how these teachings are being manifested in your life, and share it with a friend, your church, your family.

Last Spring, we began this important work with over 100 prominent Christian leaders who signed the “Civility Covenant.” Each one committed to modeling civil discourse, even with people they disagree with. In a divided world each one made a commitment to model the peace of Christ in their lives and their communities. They recognized that many of us who would never consider violence of the fist have been guilty of violence in our hearts and with our tongues.

Part of building a better society is relating to others with whom we disagree on important issues without calling them evil. It is out of that work that we recommit ourselves to being peacemakers in our country. It is on that Covenant that we have based this new Pledge.

As the county sheriff in charge of the criminal scene in Tucson said on Saturday, this must be an occasion for national “soul searching.” In the midst of tragedy and violence, I believe this means every Christian must ask: “How am I responsible?”

To that end, we encourage you to reflect with us all, using the Pledge as a starting place for scriptural teaching. Please share your thoughts, prayers, confessions, and hopes on our Facebook page or on the God’s Politics blog.

This horrible tragedy must now become an important American moment. We must honor this tragic event and Gabby’s national service by reflecting deeply on how we speak to and about one another, and how we create environments that help peace grow -- or allow violence and hatred to enter. 

Blessings and peace,
Jim Wallis

Peace and Civility Pledge

The horrible shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and others is an important American moment. We strive to honor this tragic event by reflecting deeply on how we speak to and about one another, and how we create environments that help peace grow -- or allow violence and hatred to enter. 

Peace and Civility Pledge
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The church can offer a message of hope and reconciliation to a nation that is hurting and deeply divided. We urge those who claim the name of Christ to "put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:31-32).

We pledge to God and to each other that we will lead by example in a country where civil discourse and peacemaking are rare. We will work to model a better way in how we treat each other in our many communities, across religious and political lines. We will strive to create safe and sacred spaces for common prayer and community discussion as we come together to seek God's will for our nation and our world.

1.) We believe Jesus' teaching that "Blessed are those who make peace" (Matthew 5:9). We acknowledge that most of us have been guilty of violence in our hearts and with our tongues. We hold ourselves to the higher standard to which Christ called us: to refrain from not only physical violence but violence of the heart and tongue. "Do not commit murder. Anyone who murders will be judged for it," and "Do not be angry with your brother or sister" (Mathew 5:22-23).

2.) We commit that our dialogue with each other will reflect the spirit of the Scriptures, which tell us, in relating to each other, to be "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry" (James 1:19).

3.) We believe that each of us, and our fellow human beings, are created in the image of God. This belief should be reflected in the honor and respect we show to each other, particularly in how we speak. "With the tongue we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God....this ought not to be so" (James 3:9,10).

4.) We pledge that when we disagree, we will do so respectfully, without falsely impugning the other's motives, attacking the other's character, or questioning the other's faith. We will be mindful of our language, being neither arrogant nor boastful in our beliefs as we strive to "be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

5.) We recognize that we cannot function together as citizens of the same community, whether local or national, unless we are mindful of how we treat each other. Each of us must therefore "put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body" (Ephesians 4:25).

6.) We commit to pray for our political leaders - those with whom we agree or disagree. "I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made -- for kings and all who are in high positions" (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

7.) We believe that it is more difficult to hate others, even adversaries and enemies, when we are praying for them. We commit to pray for each other, those with whom we agree and those with whom we may disagree, so that we may be faithful witnesses to our Lord, who prayed "that they may be one" (John 17:22).



Affirmed and signed by,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

Your information:

*Required fields

  Title:

Mr. Ms. Mrs. Miss Dr.

* First Name:

* Last Name:

* Your Email:

* ZIP / Postal Code:

  Country:

Choose a Country United States Canada Mexico Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia-Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland Former Czechoslovakia Former USSR France French Guyana French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Great Britain Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe (French) Guam (USA) Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan) Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique (French) Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia Moldavia Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia (French) New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands North Korea Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Island Poland Polynesia (French) Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion (French) Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts & Nevis Anguilla Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Tome and Principe Saint Vincent & Grenadines Samoa San Marino Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles S. Georgia & S. Sandwich Isls. Sierra Leone Singapore Slovak Republic Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Tadjikistan Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay USA Minor Outlying Islands Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (USA) Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zaire Zambia Zimbabwe

  Remember me. What's this?

If you take action and have not already registered, you will receive periodic updates and communications from Sojourners.

The mission of Sojourners is to articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world.

	HOME | SUBSCRIBE | DONATE | TAKE ACTION | MAGAZINE SOJOMAIL | BLOGS | MEDIA | EVENTS | RESOURCES | ABOUT US Sojourners | 3333 14th Street, Suite 200 | Washington, DC 20010 Phone 202.328.8842 | Fax 202.328.8757 | sojourners@sojo.net Unless otherwise noted, all material © Sojourners

Top 10 Religious Stories of 2010 from SOJOURNERS 3JAN11

HERE are the top 10 religious news stories from 2010 from Sojourners.....it is sad that religious news in 2011 had to start out with the bombing of Coptic Christians in Alexandria, Egypt on new years day, and with more attacks on Christians in Iraq. We can only pray, and hope, and do our best to practice the true teachings of our individual faiths and beliefs, to practice the teachings of peace and compassion and understanding , of loving our neighbor as we love ourselves, no matter where we live, in a honest attempt to be the people of faith, whether that be Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, or any other religion, because no religion teaches hate and violence and intolerance. I really do believe that God favors no one group, only people do that.....so as is expressed in the Christian church during worship PEACE BE TO YOU...and let us pray, work and strive for peace in 2011!

Every day as I review the news, I’m conscious of stories relating to religious faith. Here is my take on the top 10 religious stories of the year, seen through Sojourners’ lens.
1. Faith-based groups led the struggle for immigration reform. From the efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform to the work around the DREAM Act in Congress, churches and faith-based organizations were in the forefront. Churches in Arizona responded to the passage of a harsh anti-immigrant law by pledging that they would not compromise their ministries.
2. Faith-based groups were deeply involved in the passage of health-care reform legislation. A key issue became whether or not the legislation provided funding for abortion, which put the Catholic bishops and the Catholic Health Association on opposite sides.
3. Anti-Islam sentiment grew in the United States. The proposal to build an Islamic community center and mosque near Ground Zero became controversial; a Florida pastor vowed to burn copies of the Qu’ran and then backed down; and Oklahoma voters approved a referendum banning courts from using Islamic law, which was then overturned by a federal judge.
4. An oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico gave new momentum to the movement for creation care. More conservative evangelicals, who were skeptical, are now joining the debate, including the dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Russell Moore, who called it a “defining moment.”
5. Faith-based NGOs were among the first and best responders to natural disasters, with earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, and floods in Pakistan topping the list. In Afghanistan, ten medical workers were killed as questions are raised about an American counterinsurgency strategy that militarizes aid and increases risk.
6. Persecution and exodus of Christians. In the Middle East, half of Iraq’s 750,000 Christians have left since 2003, and the Palestinian Christian population is rapidly shrinking. Christians in Nigeria, Pakistan, and Egypt also faced growing attacks.
7. Economic recession and the churches. The continued recession put churches and faith-based organizations in a double bind — contributions are declining, leading to budget cuts and staff layoffs, while the need and demand for services is growing.
8. Are they or aren’t they? The rise of the Tea Party movement led to questions of its relationship to the Religious Right. Although many people claim an allegiance to both, a substantial number of Tea Party adherents are libertarian on social conservative issues.
9. Issues around gays and lesbians continue to roil the churches. The Episcopal Church USA elected its first lesbian bishop, the Presbyterian Church voted again to allow non celibate gay clergy, and a federal judge ruled in overturning California’s Proposition 8 claiming that religious teachings are not enough grounds to justify banning same-sex marriage. Bullying-related suicides raise questions about a connection to anti-gay religious teachings. Churches and military chaplains divided over repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
10. Religion in the courts. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that World Vision can hire and fire employees on a religious basis. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Hastings College of Law policy that student groups, including the Christian Legal Society, must be open to all students whether or not they accept the groups’ beliefs. Other appeals courts’ decisions included: a moment of silence in schools is OK, the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance is not a prayer, feeding the poor does not qualify as free exercise of religion, and banning metal crosses for deceased Utah police officers.
If that’s not enough, here are a variety of other religion news story lists which I consulted to refresh my memory of the year. The Religion Newswriters Association, Kevin Eckstrom of Religion News Service, Robert Abernethy and Kim Lawton at Religion and Ethics, Christianity Today, Rabbi James Rudin of the American Jewish Committee, and Robert Jones of Public Religion Research Institute.
Duane Shank is senior policy advisor at Sojourners.