Remarks at the first "Faithful Tuesday" at the Colorado State Capital

Yesterday, I spoke at the first of what will be weekly gatherings at the Colorado State Capital.  Entitled "Faithful Tuesdays," these will consist of leaders of Colorado Faith Communities coming together to pray for, advocate on behalf of and address vitally important imbalances in our State. This interfaith effort is sponsored by a wide variety of faith organizations and communities.  Here is what I said about the issue of creating a "Moral Economy."  
For more information about "Faithful Tuesdays," click here.

As people of faith we see the world from the prism of relationships.  This means that we believe the following:

·    We are created in the image of a benevolent creator

·    We have free will

·    We live in community

All of our lives are connected and, as a result:

·    We are responsible for one another

·    Our responsibility does not end at the doorsteps of our homes, our places of worship or the voting booth

Our lives are intertwined – regardless of faith, race, gender, sexuality, political affiliation or creed.  As such, we are obligated to work for a society that is just, moral and equitable.

·    To state that we are people of faith means that we are obligated to see the holiness in every person created in the image of God.

·    To state that we are people of faith means that we are compelled and commanded to speak out when we see injustice.

·    To state that we are people of faith means that we cannot be silent when we see inequities in housing, employment, wages, healthcare, childcare and a myriad of other ills that plague our cities, states and nation.

In the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 16, verse 20, we find the Divine injunction:  Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof – Justice, Justice shall you pursue.  In my tradition, the ancient Rabbis asked the question:  Why is the word for “Justice” repeated twice?  One of the answers is to remind us that are many kinds of justice that need to be addressed. Some issues are beyond our control.  That does not mean that we cannot and should not attempt to rectify them. Economic injustices are the easiest to address because they are both caused by humans and can be solved by just and fair laws, practices and righteous indignation. The concept of a Moral Economy means that we have a responsibility to create an economic system that not only provides for growth and sustenance, but that also ensures that no one is excluded from sharing in the bounty of our society.

We come here today, on this first “Faithful Tuesday” not to demand change – but to state that we are willing and dedicated partners with people of good faith. We will work together to shine a light on the imbalances in our society. We will also support all efforts to bring balance and equality to the Great State of Colorado.

We are commanded by our Creator to partner with the Divine and one another to bring about change. The responsibility for making a difference does not begin and end with our elected officials – each of us must do our part.