GC37 Economic Justice, A Gospel (2000E147)

WHEREAS The United Church of Canada has a long history of critiquing unrestrained capitalism and advocating a humane and just economic system; and

WHEREAS the 30th General Council affirmed that the Kingdom of God manifests itself in our history through the pursuit of justice and right relations among people; and

WHEREAS The United Church of Canada is a member of other ecumenical bodies which have called for faith and action responses to global economic injustice; and

WHEREAS The United Church of Canada’s “A New Creed,” assuring us that “we are not alone,” calls us “to seek justice and resist evil” and “to live with respect in creation;” and

WHEREAS we believe that God’s Spirit is at work in the world calling us to Jubilee;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 37th General Council

1. affirm that global economic justice is essential to the integrity of our faith in God and our discipleship as Christians;

2. confess that the current system of unrestrained global market capitalism, as described in To Seek Justice & Resist Evil, constitutes a false god which demands sacrifice of humans and the Earth for the sake of profit and competitiveness, and is thus a sin against God, against our neighbour, and against creation; and

3. call The United Church of Canada and all its members to acknowledge that we live within this global market system and to confess that as consumers, investors, employers and workers, we both benefit from its achievements and are complicit in its abuses.

4. call members of The United Church of Canada to join in reflection and action toward economic justice for all God’s people as a matter of faith, challenging economic policies, institutions, systems and relationships that destroy human well-being and the integrity of creation.

GC37 2000 ROP, pp. 845-846