By Charles Honey, UGC news editor

From financial meltdown in the United States to the earthquake
in Haiti, the world’s economic and ecological crises cry out for
Christians to get involved, say church leaders meeting in Grand
Rapids, Michigan, in the northeastern United States this week.
They are urging a renewed commitment to social action based on
the Accra Confession, a statement of economic and environmental
justice to be taken up by the Uniting General Council (UGC) that
opens Friday.

“Here is a confession we must make in order to be faithful to
God,” said Setri Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance
of Reformed Churches (WARC).

Speaking at a panel discussion at Calvin College, Nyomi stressed
that for Reformed churches, “The way we trace our identity has
always included that we are saved to make a difference in the
world.”
He and others said the Accra Confession, adopted by WARC at
Accra, Ghana in 2004, calls on Christians worldwide to do just
that in the face of mounting social and environmental ills. The
strongly worded document commits its signatories “to seek a
global covenant for justice in the economy and the earth in the
household of God.”

“The Accra Confession is a call to the faithful to engage with
the world,” said Philip Peacock, a lecturer at Bishop’s College
in Kolkata, India. “It calls the believer to understand justice
is the very substance of faith.”

The discussion was part of a conference sponsored by Calvin
College, “Reformed Mission in an Age of World Christianity.” It
drew more than 200 participants including delegates to the UGC.
Among them are panelists Peacock, Puleng Lenka-Bula of the
University of South Africa and Ofelia Ortega of the Presbyterian
Reformed Church in Cuba.

The Accra panel focused on issues that leaders expect will
generate deep discussion at UGC, which will unite WARC with the
Reformed Ecumenical Council (REC). While there is broad agreement
around its advocacy of justice and care for creation, some have
objected to its language such as “empire” and “neoliberal
capitalism.”

“It’ll be a test for the organisation early in its new life:
just how much discussion or even dissension about such issues it
can tolerate,” said Peter Borgdorff, REC president.

Lenka-Bula addressed criticisms, including the charge that
theologians should not be so involved in economic theory. She
asserted that promoting justice is “at the very heart of what it
means to be Christian.”

“Grace and love are God’s economic model,” added Ortega.
Charity Majiza, a Uniting Church in Australia minister who
attended the panel, said the confession needs to be lived out by
“churches on the ground.”
“It’s going to be tough in our different contexts,” Majiza said.
“But that is the gospel imperative. We have no choice.”

The Uniting General Council 2010 in Grand Rapids, United States
(June 18-28) marks the merger of the World Alliance of Reformed
Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council to form the World
Communion of Reformed Churches.

Contact: Kristine Greenaway
Executive Secretary, Communications
World Communion of Reformed Churches

UGC News Room – Calvin College - Hoogenboom Center Room HC 204
Cell phone: 1-616-826-5540 or 1-616-826-8636
email: kgr@warc.ch
web: www.reformedchurches.org (
http://www.reformedchurches.org/#_blank )