The United Church Issues Bold, Hopeful Call for Action on Peace and Justice

The United Church of Canada today released a renewed declaration of its commitment to justice, peace, the integrity of Creation, and the flourishing and well-being of all peoples and the world. “Dreaming a Better World Into Being: For the Sake of God’s Beloved World” stems from a number of decisions made this week at General Council 45 in Calgary, Alberta. Held from August 7–11, General Council saw United Church members from across the nation unite in faith and reflection on the church’s path forward, joined by global, ecumenical, and interfaith partners.

The church raises its voice to call for urgent action on peace and justice issues internationally, especially with regard to the ongoing genocide and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, as well as the violence and violation of human rights in many parts of Latin America and lasting tensions on the Korean peninsula.

“As a Christian denomination, The United Church of Canada holds firmly to the promise of a better world, where human rights and dignity for all are upheld and where all have abundant and flourishing life,” the statement reads. “As Christians, we cannot remain silent in the face of oppression, injustice, and violence. This is what we believe and therefore what we proclaim to the world.”

Recognizing its own complicity in settler colonialism and in keeping with its commitment to right relationship with Indigenous Peoples in Canada, the church also continues to actively work to decolonize its practices in the name of reconciliation. The statement urges all levels of Canadian society to defend those Indigenous Peoples most affected by the climate crisis and those without access to clean drinking water.

The statement also reiterates the church’s apology to 2S and LGBTQIA+ communities for harms done by the United Church in history and into the present, and calls for government action to “revoke legislature that denies trans folk life-affirming medical procedures, that either ignores or rejects chosen names and pronouns, and that erases the existence of 2S and LGBTQIA+ from classrooms, bookstores, and libraries,” following the official apology offered at Knox United Church, Calgary, last week. 

The statement also includes urgent calls for action by government and wider society on several other issues, including:

• Housing and mental health crises faced by youth and young adults
• The overdose crisis and lack of harm reduction resources
• Increasing polarization
• Erosion of democratic processes

The full statement is available below, in the Downloads section of this webpage.