About Advocacy
What is advocacy?
Advocacy means taking a stand. It involves studying an issue or a problem and trying to decide what should be done about it. Advocacy also means speaking for--or preferably with--a person or group that might otherwise have a difficult time being heard.
Why must the church do advocacy?
In many congregations, social ministry and advocacy are seen as non-essential "add-ons" after the pews, offering plates and Sunday School rooms are filled on Sunday mornings. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament, however, are full of references telling us that the true sign of faithfulness to God is how we live with and care for one another both within and beyond the bounds of our family of faith. For example:
[God] has told you...what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? ---Micah 6: 8
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[Jesus said,] I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me... Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.---Matthew 25: 35-36, 40
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What about the "separation of church and state?"
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbids Congress from making any law "respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" (emphasis added). The so-called wall of separation between church and state, established by Supreme Court rulings is intended to insure that the government does not intrude on private religious belief and practice. It does not--and cannot!--remove religious belief and motivations from the lives of the people who shape our public policy, including the citizens themselves. The question is not whether individual values and sensibilities, including religious beliefs, should be reflected in public policy, but rather, which core values will influence public policy. For Christians, that question might be summarized as, "What would Jesus do?"
Doesn't advocacy cause divisions in the church?
When women and men of good will study issues together and then determine to act on their beliefs, it is amazing how powerful their witness can be. Advocacy in the church is not about narrow partisan issues. It is Christians acting out their baptismal calling to be caretakers (stewards) of creation. Christian advocacy is the people of God, standing together for justice, compassion, mercy, and healing for all people. Advocacy can actually build unity as people learn and grow into more active ways of living out their Christian identities within their communities.
What can I do to put my faith into action through advocacy ministry?
Register to vote
Learn about issues and candidates
Discuss the issues with others like and unlike yourself
Pray for wisdom to know God's will
Be sure to vote
Join the LutheranAdvocacy.org
What is LutheranAdvocacy.org?
The LutheranAdvocacy.org is a ministry of Lutheran Social Services of Illinois and the three synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Illinois. Its purpose is to educate its members about public policy issues and to mobilize them for effective action in the public sphere.
Specifically, LutheranAdvocacy.org:
Publishes "Legislative Updates" and occasional "Action Alerts" calling attention to justice issues and encouraging members to communicate with their elected representatives about the issues.
Provides training and support for members, synods, conferences, and congregations toward more effective advocacy ministry.
Creates "Advocacy Teams" in each state legislative district to meet with legislators .
Host member gatherings in Springfield to bring LutheranAdvocacy.org members directly into the legislative process.
For more information, contact
Dan Schwick
Lutheran Social Services of Illinois
1001 E. Touhy Avenue, Suite 50
Des Plaines, IL 60018
847/390-1418
Dan.Schwick@LSSI.org |
