People of faith must step boldly into the public square and exert their individual and collective power for the sake of the common good. This is not a choice, but a moral imperative based on Scripture, faith traditions and God’s call to live out faith in the public world....
- The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Church in America
Ethics in Action is a result of an adult forum series on Christian ethics. Many who participated wanted to move beyond talk to action, specifically in the form of advocacy. Since its inception, Ethics in Action has sponsored several adult forums centered on public policy issues.
Ethics in Action encourages members to participate in advocacy at local and national levels. Those who participate do not represent nor speak for Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Each member is guided by his/her own conscience. In most cases, advocacy is directed at social justice for the less fortunate.
For further information on advocacy, particularly social justice for the less fortunate, please contact the following:
Visit www.elca.org/middleeast/lebanon.html on the ELCA Web site to learn how ELCA members and congregations can respond to humanitarian needs in Lebanon through ELCA International Disaster Response; for updates from companions in the region including the Lutheran church in the Holy Land, ELCA missionaries serving there, and Contact Resource Center/Lebanon; and advocacy updates.
Congregations interested in issues related to global peace will find the ELCA social statement "For Peace in God's World" (1995) to be a valuable resource for discussion.