You may remember reading in a consistory corner column last fall that the Consistory has been discussing how we at Hope Church engage in faith and politics. In particular, the Consistory wanted to get clear about what might be some guiding principles for them as they consider whether to speak out publicly about issues of social justice. The consistory had several discussions that led to the “Hope Church Consistory: Statement on Social Activism” that appears below. During the May adult education series on Immigration, two Consistory members, Keith Derrick and Jane Schuyler, will offer an opportunity to discuss this statement as part of a class they will lead on May 18th.
Hope Church Consistory: Statement on Social Activism
Approved by the Consistory April 14, 2014
As Christians and part of the Reformed Church in America, we are called to work to affect the culture in which we live. We seek to participate in God’s restoration and healing of creation, and to work toward peace, justice, and reconciliation.
Hope Church encourages its members to be politically active as guided by the Spirit; it does not endorse particular political parties or candidates. To do so would compromise the church’s legal status as a non-profit organization, and, more importantly, it would promote the notion that there is a single path to justice. Members of our congregation will think for themselves and speak with their own voices, informed by the Biblical call to love God and our neighbors. At Hope Church, we expect differences and seek to be governed by humility, charity, and civility.
As an RCA church, Hope Church is served and governed by a Consistory. As a leadership body and among its other responsibilities, the Consistory is charged to address injustice and care for God’s world, always grounded in the Word of God. When such situations arise, Consistory will acknowledge the diversity among us and weigh carefully the impulse to speak, our desire for unity, and the effectiveness and impact of a statement.
As we live out this calling as a congregation, we seek to nurture a community that welcomes all and encourages all to express their faith with conviction and grace. To do this we:
- Remember first that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, focused on Christ’s message.
- Hold up the ways in which we live together in differences; emphasize the places of agreement.
- Invite perspectives to be shared, with the expectation that we will not always agree.