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Common Good, Common Wealth: A Call to Renew the Holy Experiment of Pennsylvania |
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In late 2007, a group of Pennsylvanians representing a number of faith traditions from around the state gathered in Harrisburg with representatives from Faith in Public Life to discuss how to connect persons of faith who share a new vision for Pennsylvania—a vision based on shared values across traditions, a vision of justice and peace for all persons. Three regional meetings followed in the eastern, central, and western parts of the state in early 2008, where more persons joined the discussion and began to formulate this vision. Statements and other input from all three regional meetings were combined and reviewed at a meeting in Philadelphia in July 2008. The result was a Founding Statement for a new movement called Common Good, Common Wealth, with “A Call to Renew the Holy Experiment of Pennsylvania.”
The statement was developed in two parts: · A founding statement describing the movement’s vision, mission, and common good values; and · A commitment to common good solutions that benefit all persons and all of creation.
All persons of faith and organizations that share the vision and values expressed in the statement below are invited to endorse the statement and to join a statewide network in working toward the stated common good solutions in order to fulfill the vision expressed in the statement. To sign on to the statement, go to (coming soon).
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A Call to Renew the Holy Experiment of Pennsylvania |
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FOUNDING STATEMENT
A Vision for Pennsylvania: It’s Time to Infuse the Public Policy of Pennsylvania with shared values for the common good, as expressed through our diverse religious and ethical heritage. The contemporary Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the product of Native, African, and European heritages. Fully aware of the implications of what William Penn called a “Holy Experiment,” – we believe government policies must strive to create healthy and safe lives for all people. We – religious leaders and people of faith in Pennsylvania – have formed Common Good, Common Wealth—A Call to Renew the Holy Experiment of Pennsylvania, because we believe we have a moral responsibility to assume a significant role in reshaping policies and social structures for the common good. Through responsible public debate that respects the wide variety of moral and faith values held by our citizenry, we can empower individuals and overcome the narrow interests so often reflected by political parties and candidates, the media, and certain faith-based organizations. Indeed, this endeavor may well be crucial to our survival as a society.
The Mission. Common Good, Common Wealth will publicly communicate its shared principles and values by organizing statewide efforts to assure: · That all citizens have an equitable voice in politics and the public arena. · That all people—politicians and political consultants, media and opinion leaders, religious leaders, and citizens of good will— have opportunities to enter into compassionate, civil dialogue that demonstrates a high moral standard of debate. · That common good values on critical issues facing the nation and the state are continuously represented and discussed in the public square, in the media, in families, and in houses of worship. · That religious voices are raised to advocate for policies and legislation for the common good.
Common Good Values. Common Good, Common Wealth believes that striving to realize shared values will lead us to a world that encompasses and fulfills Penn’s vision of “peace, justice, generosity, and tender mercies,” where all persons are accorded the dignity and respect due them because they are part of sacred creation. We believe in the values of: · God’s Creation: It is incumbent upon us to respect the entire web of life, the earth and its flora and fauna, and all human beings. · Human Dignity: All persons have inherent value and deserve to live in dignity, free from discrimination based on factors over which they have no control. · Truth: Truth-telling is essential for understanding and reconciliation, as well as in discerning, debating, and enacting public policies that serve the common good. · Social Justice: We must ensure human and civil rights, fairness and equality; access to all that is needed to live lives of dignity, safe from violence and aggression; a sustainable natural environment for people at all socio-economic levels. · Freedom: Ensuring freedom means we must work for reciprocal bonds among people, including freedom to dissent and refuse what is morally wrong and to work for change. Freedom includes freedom from fear and freedom to hope. · Peace: We must make a spiritual commitment to non-violent means of resolving conflict and to reducing all forms of violence and war. · Love: Love of neighbor is the bedrock of our conscience and beliefs, as are acts of compassion and a commitment to work for systemic change. Our shared moral values lead us to place special emphasis on a number of pressing moral concerns, which are outlined in our “Commitment to Common Good Solutions.” As Common Good, Common Wealth focuses on these common good issues, all are invited and encouraged to join in the conversation and debate with civility and compassion. We believe that with God’s help we can celebrate our diversity rather than fear our differences. We believe that all have a responsibility, whether motivated by faith or a sense of civic duty, to participate in policy debates and to vote in elections. And we believe we are strong enough to stand together, amidst our differences, as one community.
COMMITMENT TO COMMON GOOD SOLUTIONS
It is our shared moral values that lead Common Good, Common Wealth to place special emphasis on the following moral concerns, demanding Common Good solutions that benefit the citizens of the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world, beginning with this 2008 election year and moving into the future.
· Human Rights/Human Dignity: “God created humanity in the Divine image, in the image of God were both male and female created” (Genesis 1:27) We believe that God has a vision for society where discrimination based on race, gender, chosen faith tradition, age, sexual orientation, or ability is a violation of human dignity and worth. We believe we must work to reverse historic patterns of injustice so that all may be fully included in our society. We believe that when we work together in a collaborative fashion for the common good, we can create an environment where the dignity of all is foremost in our decision-making.
· Hunger and Poverty: “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:35-36) We believe that, in a country of great wealth and opportunity, no one should go hungry, and no one should live in poverty. A society is judged not by how it treats the wealthy and powerful, but by how it treats its weakest and least powerful persons. We call for food security, safe and affordable housing, and access to all that provides for a safe and decent life.
· Budget and Taxes: “And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive.” (Quran Surah Al-Dahr 76:8) We believe that federal, state, and local budgets are moral documents, expressions of priorities. We believe that budget officials must provide reasonable and accessible opportunities for all people to have input into the budget process. We believe that, in addition to expecting proper stewardship of budgeted funds, our political leaders and all people must see taxes as the means by which governments carry out their priorities and moral obligations.
· Jobs/Employment: The Jewish philosopher Moses Maimonides taught that the highest level of charity is providing anonymously that which enables a person to become self-sufficient. We believe that every adult has the right to a job that provides for living wages earned in safe and respectful working environments, sufficient to guarantee security for him/her and the family. We believe that such security includes the right for workers to organize. We believe that adequate family leave and safe childcare are crucial components for creating strong families, the bedrock of our society’s moral fiber. And we believe that, within reason, jobs must not be withheld from released prisoners who seek to be, and are expected to become, productive members of society.
· Environmental Justice: “The earth is the Lord’s and all that it holds, the world and its inhabitants” (Psalm 24:1) We believe that we have a duty to act as stewards over God’s earth and to acknowledge our close relationship with our natural surroundings knowing that the fullness of humanity is intimately connected to the health and well being of our environment. We value the natural beauty of “Penn’s Woods” and all of creation, and deeply appreciate the bounty that its natural resources have provided. We also recognize our responsibility to repair damage done and to live sustainably to ensure that future generations inherit a Commonwealth that is able to provide for the common good. We believe all legislation and policies must consider impacts on the environment, with a priority of lifting the well being of people over profit, cleanliness over pollution, and community over individualism. We believe that there is good science and a strong willingness to build a strong economy that meets high standards of environmental stewardship.
· Health Care: “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, says the Lord, because they have called you an outcast” (Jeremiah 30:17) We believe that God seeks the health of every human being, without exception—physical, emotional, and spiritual. We believe that society has a responsibility to ensure that every person has a fundamental right to health and health care coverage; therefore, we are committed to the establishment of a health care system that reflects shared responsibility for health, that empowers and respects patients and providers, that is continuous and comprehensive, that is affordable, and that promotes quality improvement. We recognize that achieving substantial gains in health also requires systemic societal changes to reduce inordinate stress in peoples’ lives, enhance our natural environment, and improve access to healthy food.
· Public Education: “Train a child in the way he ought to go; he will not swerve from it even in old age” (Proverbs 22:4) We believe that a secure future is dependent upon raising up children who are educated to be socially, ethically, and ecologically responsible, compassionate persons who will make good choices for the future. Providing a quality education is an obligation of government, and receiving such an education is the right of every child in every circumstance. We believe schools must receive equitable and adequate funding so that all students have the resources to discover and develop their unique talents and gifts. Students must have opportunities to learn about the core values of our society, including freedom and justice for all, respect for civil and human rights, and how our political system is designed to work.
· Criminal Justice: “Justice, justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:18) We believe that our obligations to one another require that we establish a fair justice system that is administered justly, providing for both rehabilitation and incarceration. Laws and judgments must not discriminate in favor of or against any class of people, nor stand in the way of true repentance on the part of individuals who have broken them. In addition, we believe we have an obligation to address the underlying causes of crime, which include poverty, racism, and poor education.
· Immigration: “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:20) We believe that our faith traditions call on us to welcome the stranger in our midst with open arms, treating them with compassion and justice, and we believe that our traditions warn of the blasphemy of speaking with harmful intent toward another.
· Peacemaking and International Relations: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9) We believe that our international policy must reflect a commitment to peace and universal common good. True security requires trust, empathy, and responsibility for ourselves and others. We believe we must shift the paradigm from domination characterized by control and competition by some to the common good of all characterized by generosity, cooperation, kindness and the recognition of the value of all. Anger and hatred – derived from fear and deprivation – breed war, terrorism, crime, and lack of concern for human beings and for the planet as a whole. We maintain that all life is sacred and that it is our mission as people of faith to provide for its security throughout the world. |
