THE IONA COMMITMENT FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE

                                                           
                                                                           

                      
                                                                   
                                                        THE IONA COMMUNITY



                                                                           

                                                                           


                                                        THE IONA COMMITMENT



 The Iona Community, as a radical movement and organisation, is committed to living out the Christian faith in the areas of:

• Hospitality, diversity and inclusive community
• Worship, faith and spirituality
• Social justice and human rights
• Politics and campaigning
• Gender justice and human sexuality
• Environmental stewardship
• Peacemaking and non-violence
• Healing and reconciliation

We actively and urgently seek to work in partnership with all people of goodwill who share our commitment to just and non-violent action, irrespective of nationality, religion or political creed.

                                                                           

                                                                 OPERATING PRINCIPLES

Our social values

We deplore social injustice. We respect all our members, staff, guests and partners, irrespective of age, race, gender, religion, sexuality, disability, or health status. We actively campaign for social justice at all levels and have a particular commitment to inclusion of people living in poverty.

Our economic values

We deplore economic injustice. We are committed to the common good, to trade justice and to a critique of economic policies that increase poverty and inequality. We support our work through our own giving and our trading operations. We operate a balanced budget, try to bank and invest ethically and purchase fairly-traded goods. Our residential staff are paid the same, regardless of job. We seek to minimise salary differentials for non-residential staff.

Participation

Ours is a common task. Everyone has the opportunity to share in leadership in policy-making and spiritual practice. Our structures are democratic, and we strive for consensus. We give our leaders a mandate to act fast and effectively, but expect them to listen and respect the views of all. In particular, we are committed to extending the full participation of young people, within
and beyond our movement.


                                                                         

                                                                                 THE RULE

 As Members and Family Groups we will:

8. engage in forms of political witness and action, prayerfully and thoughtfully, to promote just and peaceful social, political and economic structures;
9. work for a policy of renunciation by our own nations of all weapons of mass destruction and for the encouragement of other nations, individually or collectively, to do the same;
10. celebrate human diversity and actively work to combat discrimination on grounds of age, colour, disability, mental wellbeing, differing ability, gender, race, ethnic and cultural background, sexual orientation or religion;
11. work for the establishment of the United Nations Organisation as the principal organ of international reconciliation and security, in place of military alliances;
12. support and promote research and education into nonviolent ways of achieving justice, peace and a sustainable global society;
13. work for reconciliation within and among nations by international sharing and exchange of experience and people, with particular concern for politically and economically oppressed nations.
14. act in solidarity with the victims of environmental injustice throughout the world, and support political and structural change in our own countries to reduce our over-consumption of resources.

                                                                          CORACLE MAGAZINE


                                                                           

                                                       KAIROS PALESTINE

"The document declares that the Occupation is a "sin against God" and that any theology that tolerates it cannot be Christian "because true Christian theology is a theology of love and solidarity with the oppressed, a call to justice and equality among peoples." It calls on all peoples to put pressure on Israel to put an end to its oppression and disregard for international law. It also describes non-violent resistance as a "duty" for all Palestinians, including Christians."

"that any theology, seemingly based on the Bible or on faith or on history, that legitimizes the occupation, is far from Christian teachings, because it calls for violence and holy war in the name of God Almighty, subordinating God to temporary human interests, and distorting the divine image in the human beings living under both political and theological injustice."