In 1945, the (then) United Council of Church

color in employment, housing, and other settings. 

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Women agreed to only recognize councils that were open

As an activist organization, CWU supports and has

to all races.  Assignment Race  (1962) and  Reassignment

committed itself to the following:

Race  (1980) were major projects, each involving

thousands of women at the local level for several years in

  Affirmative Action

programs that helped them explore racism in general,

  The enactment of stranger hate crime legislation

exclusivity in their own relationships, and the ways in

  Increased funding for the U.S. Commission on Civil

which structural racism is perpetuated in U.S. society.

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Rights

Continuing its tradition for racial justice, Church

  Increased minimum wage

Women United (CWU) adopted  Common Goals  in

  Increased funding for Social Service

1989 that included, in part, expanding awareness of the

  Recognition and enforcement of Native American

forms and causes of injustice, individual and systemic,

Sovereignty

including racism, sexism, classism, and ageism;

  Restoration of full benefits to legal immigrants 

encouraging healing encounters in areas of tension due to

  Decreased corporate welfare

racial and economic injustice; becoming advocates on

  Decreased military spending

behalf of those who suffer injustice; working for a more

  Analysis of all public policy in light of its effects on

just, economic, and political order; recognizing our own

marginalized populations

involvement in social justice and holding ourselves

  The establishment of an Interagency Council on Race

accountable for social justice within our movement.

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The foundation of CWU is rooted in biblical scripture

CWU also instituted its official policy statement on race:

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and ecumenical worship. Using ecumenical worship

We intend to work for a just, peaceful, and caring

services, called  celebrations,  CWU established a bridge

society...by combating social injustice through:

to unite members from diverse backgrounds.

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CWU

encourages its members to live out their faith convictions

  Expanding awareness of the forms and causes of

to bring about social transformation in local communities,

injustice, individual and systemic, including racism,

in the country, and throughout the world. 

sexism, classism, and ageism

In 1998, CWU established a relationship with Native

  Encouraging healing encounters in areas of tension due

Americans and adopted a policy statement:  Early

to racial and economic justice 

Christian efforts among native peoples had both positive

  Becoming advocates on behalf of those who suffer

and negative consequences. The history of exploitation

injustice

and eradication of traditional Indian practices cannot be

  Working for a more just social, economic and political

undone, yet as Christians we are called to acknowledge

order

that all human beings reflect the image of creator God

  Recognizing our own involvement in social justice and

(Genesis 1:17) and are worthy of dignity and respect. The

holding ourselves accountable for social justice within

creator acknowledges the diversity of the whole creation as

our movement 

good (Genesis 1:31). Native peoples are among those for

whom the tear of the Lord's favor is proclaimed (Isaiah

61) and fulfilled (Luke 4:16; 21). The Apostle Peter was

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF

challenged by God to embrace a vision of inclusiveness,

because nothing in God's creation is to be considered

EVANGELICALS

unclean  (Acts 10: 1 11, 18).

The CWU adopted a policy statement on violence in

al Association of Evangelicals (NAE) publicly

2000, which classified racism as a form of violence.  In

abhors  the insidious sin of racism. 

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It proclaims that

the United States, race has been the social construction

the gospel of Christ  transcends barriers of race and social

that sets strangers and `foreigners' apart from white

class  (I Corinthians 12:13), and racial discrimination

European immigrants. Racial and ethnic inferiority were

 constitutes a rejection of God's will and brings scandal to

used as justification for such violent acts as the genocide

the very gospel we profess to proclaim  (II Corinthians

of Native Americans and confiscation of their lands, the

5:18 20).

174

enslavement of Africans, the interment of Japanese

Throughout its history, the NAE has insisted on

Americans during World War II, and the ongoing

improving race relations in both the church and

discrimination against Latinos/as and other persons of

society.

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NAE denounced  racial discrimination as a

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DENOUNCING RACISM