Like you, we follow the headlines. Of course, the headlines have been dominated the last few months with news and updates about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our communities, country and world. We’ve been keeping up with the infection rates, the numbers of deaths and recoveries, and the situations related to stay-at-home orders and news on re-opening. Most recently, we’ve been overwhelmed and profoundly saddened by the headlines about systemic racism, life-threatening situations faced by people of color, and the demands for justice and equity.
Sacred Sector Resource: Principles for Positive Engagement in the Public Square
Positive engagement in the public square is especially timely in this current moment of dual health and economic crises, as well as increased calls for racial justice. Sacred Sector believes that faith-based organizations (FBOs) and congregations should be empowered to speak and act in the public square based on their faith distinctives, while seeking to build relationships across religious and cultural differences that advance justice for all community members. By strengthening faith-based organizations to fully incarnate their sacred beliefs regarding how they both honor God and love their civic neighbors, policymakers will safeguard the sacred sector as a vital part of a resilient and flourishing society. This resource provides faith-based organizations and faith leaders principles and guidance to understand how positive engagement in the public square, across a diversity of actors, is necessary to advance public policies that promote human flourishing for all individuals and institutions in our pluralistic society.