freedom from fear

The primary source of injustice in our world is the greedy alliance of those engaged in uncaring consumerism, the politics of coercion, corporate exploitation, tyranny, war, and passive pacifism. This system of exploitation relies upon authoritarian governments who leave two billion people politically voiceless and economically impoverished. Governments that are unaccountable to their citizens persistently produce terrorism, poverty, exploitation, war, genocide, refugees, corruption, and environmental harm. These governments, waging often-hidden civil wars against their citizens, are far more likely to engage in international conflict. The first priority of those seeking peace is dismantling this empire of exploitation by assuring government accountability through the free exercise of God-given dignities by all citizens.

Christians fuel much of this outsourcing of slavery. To satisfy Christian consumers addicted to exploited resources, some Christians, working in governments and unjust corporations, regularly collude with dignity-disrespecting Christian dictators. This workshop imagines Christlike opportunities to unite the transnational Church in seeking the abolition of this 1,700-year era in which those who profit from tyranny were largely unchallenged in their claims to follow Jesus. These faithful opportunities are rooted in the God-given dignity of all people and Jesus' call to be life giving servants rather than tyrants. The primary method proposed is the loving practice of the Rule of Christ (Matthew 18:15-20) with complicit Christian consumers, corporate executives, politicians, and dictators. Nonviolent transnational direct action in solidarity with oppressed citizens encourages forms of government accountability most likely to end civil oppression, international wars, and the global system of exploitation.