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The United Methodist Social Principles (6 Major Social Issues)
Click on each link to read more and explore the issues by scrolling down in each of the links
Civil Rights & Human Rights
“We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young adults, the aging, and people with disability; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of all persons.” — United Methodist Social Creed
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/civil-and-human-rights
Racial Justice: www.umc.org/en/how-we-serve/advocating-for-justice/racial-justice/
Economic Justice (Poverty)
“We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God, collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress.”
— United Methodist Social Creed, ¶166
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/economic-justice
Environmental Justice (Climate)
“All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings.”
— United Methodist Social Principles, ¶160
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/environmental-justice
Health & Wholeness
“Health is a condition of physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being.”
— United Methodist Social Principles, ¶162.V
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/health-and-wholeness
Peace with Justice
“As disciples of Christ, we are called to love our enemies, seek justice, and serve as reconcilers of conflict. We must insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to work together to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them.”
— United Methodist Social Principles, ¶165.C
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/peace-with-justice
Women & Children
“We understand our gender diversity to be a gift from God, intended to add to the rich variety of human experience and perspective; and we guard against attitudes and traditions that would use this good gift to leave members of one sex more vulnerable in relationships than members of another.”
— United Methodist Social Principles, ¶161.F
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/women-and-children
To read the whole Social Principles, click here.
Civil Rights & Human Rights
“We commit ourselves to the rights of men, women, children, youth, young adults, the aging, and people with disability; to improvement of the quality of life; and to the rights and dignity of all persons.” — United Methodist Social Creed
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/civil-and-human-rights
Racial Justice: www.umc.org/en/how-we-serve/advocating-for-justice/racial-justice/
Economic Justice (Poverty)
“We believe in the right and duty of persons to work for the glory of God and the good of themselves and others and in the protection of their welfare in so doing; in the rights to property as a trust from God, collective bargaining, and responsible consumption; and in the elimination of economic and social distress.”
— United Methodist Social Creed, ¶166
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/economic-justice
Environmental Justice (Climate)
“All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings.”
— United Methodist Social Principles, ¶160
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/environmental-justice
Health & Wholeness
“Health is a condition of physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being.”
— United Methodist Social Principles, ¶162.V
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/health-and-wholeness
Peace with Justice
“As disciples of Christ, we are called to love our enemies, seek justice, and serve as reconcilers of conflict. We must insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to work together to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them.”
— United Methodist Social Principles, ¶165.C
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/peace-with-justice
Women & Children
“We understand our gender diversity to be a gift from God, intended to add to the rich variety of human experience and perspective; and we guard against attitudes and traditions that would use this good gift to leave members of one sex more vulnerable in relationships than members of another.”
— United Methodist Social Principles, ¶161.F
https://www.umcjustice.org/what-we-care-about/women-and-children
To read the whole Social Principles, click here.
Our United Methodist Membership Vows
1. To renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of the world, and repent of their sin;
2. To accept the freedom and power God gives them to resist evil, injustice, and oppression;
3. To confess Jesus Christ as Savior, put their whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as their Lord;
4. To remain faithful members of Christ’s holy church and serve as Christ’s representatives in the world;
5. To be loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church and do all in their power to strengthen its ministries;
6. To faithfully participate in its ministries by their prayers, their presence, their gifts, their service, and their witness;
7. To receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
2. To accept the freedom and power God gives them to resist evil, injustice, and oppression;
3. To confess Jesus Christ as Savior, put their whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as their Lord;
4. To remain faithful members of Christ’s holy church and serve as Christ’s representatives in the world;
5. To be loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church and do all in their power to strengthen its ministries;
6. To faithfully participate in its ministries by their prayers, their presence, their gifts, their service, and their witness;
7. To receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
Our United Methodist Social Creed
Other UMC Resources
Advocating for Justice
"The United Methodist Church has a long history of concern for social justice. John Wesley and the early Methodists expressed their opposition to societal ills such as slavery, smuggling, inhumane prison conditions, alcohol abuse, and child labor. Learn how we continue in ministries of justice today, and find places where you can serve. "
https://www.umc.org/en/how-we-serve/advocating-for-justice
Does The United Methodist Church support workers' rights?
"When John Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist movement, began his ministry in rapidly industrializing England, there was no "labor movement" the way we understand it today. But Wesley preached to and cared for coal miners and other oppressed workers, opposed slavery, and advocated for protecting people from dangerous working conditions."
https://www.umc.org/en/how-we-serve/advocating-for-justice
No Holiness but Social Holiness by Steve Manskar
"Holiness is social because God is social. He created human beings in his image to be relational creatures. We become fully human when we share in the relationships God initiates with us through the people he places in our way. Social holiness is the practice of obeying Jesus’ commandments to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, loving your neighbor as yourself, and loving one another one another (fellow members of your local congregation) as Christ loves."
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/blog/no-holiness-but-social-holiness
"The United Methodist Church has a long history of concern for social justice. John Wesley and the early Methodists expressed their opposition to societal ills such as slavery, smuggling, inhumane prison conditions, alcohol abuse, and child labor. Learn how we continue in ministries of justice today, and find places where you can serve. "
https://www.umc.org/en/how-we-serve/advocating-for-justice
Does The United Methodist Church support workers' rights?
"When John Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist movement, began his ministry in rapidly industrializing England, there was no "labor movement" the way we understand it today. But Wesley preached to and cared for coal miners and other oppressed workers, opposed slavery, and advocated for protecting people from dangerous working conditions."
https://www.umc.org/en/how-we-serve/advocating-for-justice
No Holiness but Social Holiness by Steve Manskar
"Holiness is social because God is social. He created human beings in his image to be relational creatures. We become fully human when we share in the relationships God initiates with us through the people he places in our way. Social holiness is the practice of obeying Jesus’ commandments to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, loving your neighbor as yourself, and loving one another one another (fellow members of your local congregation) as Christ loves."
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/blog/no-holiness-but-social-holiness
