The Social Creed originated to express
Methodism's outrage over the miserable lives of the millions of workers in factories, mines, mills, tenements and company towns.
It was adopted by the
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...
, the first
denomination in
Christendom
Christendom historically refers to the Christian states, Christian-majority countries and the countries in which Christianity dominates, prevails,SeMerriam-Webster.com : dictionary, "Christendom"/ref> or is culturally or historically intertwine ...
to adopt an official ''Social Creed''. As a part of
United Methodist
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
social principles,
United Methodist congregations are encouraged to regularly reflect upon the creed and use it in
worship services.
History
Influenced by the
Social Gospel movement and the Progressive politics of early-20th-century America, the Church wrote and adopted the creed in 1908. Its primary authors were
Harry F. Ward, Elbert R. Zaring, Frank Mason North,
Herbert Welch, and Worth M. Tippy. It has been altered through the years, and still appears in ''
The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church'', following the ''Social Principles'' section.
Social Creed
The current Social Creed as it appears in the 2008 Book of Discipline, ΒΆ 166.
1908 Methodist Social Creed
The Methodist Episcopal Church stands:
{{quote, For equal rights and complete justice for all men in all stations of life.
For the principles of conciliation and arbitration in industrial dissensions.
For the protection of the worker from
dangerous machinery, occupational diseases, injuries and mortality.
For the abolition of
child labor
Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful. Such e ...
.
For such regulation of the conditions of labor for women as shall safeguard the physical and moral health of the community.
For the suppression of the "
sweating system
A sweatshop or sweat factory is a crowded workplace with very poor, socially unacceptable or illegal working conditions. Some illegal working conditions include poor ventilation, little to no breaks, inadequate work space, insufficient lighting, o ...
."
For the gradual and reasonable reduction of the
hours of labor to the lowest practical point, with work for all; and for that degree of leisure for all which is the condition of the highest human life.
For a release for
rom
Rom, or ROM may refer to:
Biomechanics and medicine
* Risk of mortality, a medical classification to estimate the likelihood of death for a patient
* Rupture of membranes, a term used during pregnancy to describe a rupture of the amniotic sac
* ...
employment
one day in seven.
For a
living wage
A living wage is defined as the minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs. This is not the same as a subsistence wage, which refers to a biological minimum, or a solidarity wage, which refers to a minimum wage tracking lab ...
in every industry.
For the highest wage that each industry can afford, and for the most equitable division of the products of industry that can ultimately be devised.
For the recognition of the
Golden Rule and the mind of Christ as the supreme law of society and the sure remedy for all social ills.
When the Federal Council of Churches adopted the social creed in December 1908, they added the following phrase at the end:
To the toilers of America and to those who by organized effort are seeking to lift the crushing burdens of the poor, and to reduce the hardships and uphold the
dignity of labor, this Council sends the greeting of human brotherhood and the pledge of sympathy and of help in a cause which belongs to all who follow Christ.
[{{Cite web, url=http://nationalcouncilofchurches.us/common-witness/1908/social-creed.php, title=National Council of Churches - Common Witness - the Social Creed of the Churches]
See also
*
Catholic social teaching
*
Evangelical left
*
General Board of Church and Society
The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) is a general agency of the United Methodist Church. It is one of four international general program boards of The United Methodist Church as set out the '' UMC Book of Discipline''. The General Board ...
*
Sermon on the Mount
*
Social Gospel
*
Social justice
Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, Equal opportunity, opportunities, and Social privilege, privileges within a society. In Western Civilization, Western and Culture of Asia, Asian cultures, the concept of social ...
*
The Upper Room (United Methodist Church)
References
External links
Methodist Federation for Social ActionThe United Methodist General Board of Church and SocietyThe Social Creed of the Churches
by Harry F. Ward
Methodism
Religion and politics
Practical theology
1908 documents
History of Methodism in the United States