Faith-Based Advocacy

Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Defend the rights of the poor and needy.
—Proverbs 31:8-9

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead
—James 2:14-17

Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that you may receive admonition….Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.
—Surah 16:90, 97

In this section:

What is Faith-based Advocacy?

Advocacy has a long history in the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, and finds its roots in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’an. Throughout the sacred texts, guidelines articulate how the faithful should advocate and on whose behalf they should act. Many passages encourage believers to be voices for the marginalized. Our Faith compels us to speak out on matters of justice for the sake of the community. Faith-based advocacy is essential in political discourse so that justice and righteousness can be accomplished locally, nationally and globally. God commands faith-based advocates to engage in those arenas where individuals and whole communities are at risk of being stigmatized, oppressed or silenced.

Faith-based advocacy is most powerful when members from across the faith community unite to speak on behalf of others in a non-partisan manner, speaking truth to power on behalf of marginalized groups and individuals.

The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and freedom from religion. This does not mean that a faithful urge to participate in the legislative process must be stifled. Rather, it is vital to the process that the faithful use their voices to influence policymakers. (Adapted from the Virginia Interfaith Center website)

America's vastly diverse faith community is active at the global, national and local levels. Collaborations across faith communities have a rich history as diverse believers have worked together for social change. They have successfully advanced policies that improve the health and wellness of communities, and their growing role in prompting policy and triggering action is evident across the land.

Foundations for Advocacy in the Sacred Texts

Two central themes run through the sacred texts of the Abrahamic faiths concerning justice. The first is God's all-encompassing love, concern, and mercy for all human beings. The second is our responsibility to love God's earth and to care for God's people.

God placed Adam and Eve in the garden and instructed them to care for it. In the story of Cain and Abel, God sent the clear message that we are, indeed, our brother's and sister's keeper. In the tradition of the exodus from Egypt, we learn of God's compassionate response to misery, oppression, and slavery. God's law not only calls for individual piety but also communal responsibility for the well-being of all.

God never asks us to love only those with whom we are intimately acquainted, but instead a more difficult love is required. Over and over, the law instructs us to remember the stranger, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow—those most vulnerable to hunger, poverty and disenfranchisement—and ties this instruction to the exodus.

Look at Deuteronomy:
When you gather your crops and fail to bring in some of the grain that you have cut, do not go back for it; it is to be left for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. . . . When you have gathered your grapes once, do not go back over the vines a second time; the grapes that are left are for the foreigners, orphans and widows. Never forget that you were slaves in Egypt; that is why I have given you this command. (24:19-22)

For Christians, the justice ethic of Jesus is built upon the foundation of Hebrew Scriptures. The example of Jesus is our guide and inspiration. He had a special sense of mission to poor and oppressed people as evidence that, in him, the messianic promises were being fulfilled.

The gospels depict Jesus repeatedly reaching out to those at the bottom of the social pyramid--poor people, women, Samaritans, lepers, children, prostitutes and tax collectors. Jesus was also eager to accept people who were well-placed, but he made clear that all, regardless of social position, needed to repent. Then, once repentant, we must work together with others in the community (the church) to bring hope and healing to the others. (Adapted from an article by the Rev. J. Bennett Guess, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries website)

Islam considers both Jewish and Christian texts to be sacred, but it is in the Qur’an that Muslims find their guide for living. Leading interfaith activist Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf states in his book, "What’s Right with Islam is What’s Right with America", that the Qur’an teaches a strong sense of social justice:

“Every Muslim has a personal ambition, at the individual level, to become a perfected human being, and the way we perfect ourselves is to try as much as possible to be like the Prophet. At the collective level, many in the Muslim community aspire to build a society that embodies the values established by the prophet in Medina…The first four caliphs after the Prophet were the most concerned about social justice. The caliph ‘Umar, for instance, could not sleep if there was a hungry woman in Medina, and he would roam the streets at night to ensure that all were protected against the injustice of hunger.” (p.148-149)

All three Abrahamic faiths, then, call their people to action—to heal the sick, care for the indigent, welcome the stranger and advocate for social justice.

Advocacy is an action taken by individuals, groups, or organizations to defend, support, protect, or enhance others. Generally, advocacy is standing with or standing for a person or group that is disadvantaged or denied justice in society. In the effort to bring about justice, advocacy may include education, affecting public policy, joining coalitions, and participating in nonviolent direct actions. Effective advocacy enables and supports individuals and groups working to correct the injustices or abuses to which they are subjected.

Oftentimes, people of faith struggle with how to respond to situations of injustice at home and abroad. Yet, there is a widespread desire for people of faith within secular society to bring ethical leverage to discussion and action by addressing the social and political causes of injustice. People of faith bring such a perspective to the table. If injustice is seen as those forces in our society that separate people from one another, then clearly changing the narrative about Islam and Muslim communities in the U.S. and overseas is—at its core—about justice. (adapted from the Latin America Working Group website)

How Do I Build An Effective Advocacy Strategy?

As you seek to move from dialogue to action, it is important to begin by addressing some basic questions.

First, identify who you are. Are you a concerned individual, willing to take the risk to build an interfaith action group? If so, determine who you will seek to join you. Maybe you are a homemaker with small children and will approach others at play dates or in the park; maybe you are a professional and will invite your colleagues to join you; maybe you will reach out on MySpace or Facebook. Be clear about your intended group in order to avoid frustrations of casting about endlessly for others to join you.

Or are you part of a group brought together by an interest, neighborhood, faith, ethnicity, heritage or avocation. If so, are different faiths represented? An important underlying principle in the effort to ChangeTheStory is that persons from multiple faith groups work together, honoring the unique traditions that each brings, and forging common ground. So, if possible, include a variety of faiths and cultures in your group. Be clear about what unites you and what the relationship of this unifying factor is to your overall objectives.

Next, what do you want to accomplish? Do you want to start a soup kitchen for the homeless or clean up the local park? Do you want to lobby the town council to hold an official “diversity day” or do you want to ensure fair housing practices in your community? Do you want to encourage the school board to hold classes in Middle Eastern studies or do you want to create an interfaith festival at Thanksgiving? These and countless other possibilities are clear objectives for interreligious groups to work on that can help ChangeTheStory by building relationships and understanding.

Work with others to develop meeting times and locations and a strategic plan for accomplishing your objective(s). Implement the plan and then gather to evaluate the effectiveness of your work. Be sure to include a mechanism for capturing the e-mail information of those who participate with you so that on the next occasion, you will have a data base of persons interested in this kind of work. Be sure, also, to include as many voices as possible into the decision-making process. This will be cumbersome and frustrating, but in the end it will produce a more satisfactory result since you will have a broader base of support for your efforts. Also, you will undoubtedly uncover some extraordinary and unexpected gifts, talents and perspectives along the way. This will enhance your understanding of your own story and allow you to know others in a deeper and more accurate way.

Top Ten Ways to Work with Religious Partners

Faith-based organizations and their leaders can be strong allies in efforts to change the narrative about Islam in America and the relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims in the U.S. In fact, it has been said that no social reform effort has been successful in this country without the participation of the religious community. Unlike some social justice issues, religious understanding is central to bridging the gaps between Muslims and non-Muslims. Therefore, given the historical commitments of religious people to efforts of healing and justice, the following are suggestions for engaging the faith community in changing the story.

#1 - Build relationships. Get to know the religious leadership in your community. Find out if there is an existing network of interfaith leaders. See if state or local offices of faith groups are located in your community. Determine whether or not any of these groups already are working on issues related to the ones that interest you, and then reach out to them through personal contacts.

#2 - Determine your members’ religious affiliations. If your group is not a faith-based group, find out if your members are affiliated with religious groups and encourage them to work within their own communities of faith to engage in your efforts and to help open doors to their leaders.

#3 - Get a variety of religious leaders on board, and get them involved early. Given the variety of faith traditions in our country, recruit religious leaders who reasonably reflect the religious diversity of your community, being attentive to include those from smaller congregations or less populous faith groups. Get this leadership involved early, so as not to be perceived as an afterthought, and to get their input on your objectives and strategies.

#4 - Get invited to religious events. Connect with the unique opportunities available within the various faith traditions. Determine whether there are special events being held that would welcome participation from your group. Inquire of the possibilities (workshops, presentations, etc.) of bringing your message to such events.

#5 - Find significant ways to involve the faith community. Faith communities can and want to do more than pray! While prayer is important, don’t underestimate the significant potential for mobilization available in faith communities. Involve the religious leadership in determining how to tap those resources.

# 6 - Emphasize common ground. Changing the story includes discovering the common ground that unites us. Emphasize this as opposed to differences when approaching members of diverse faith communities.

# 7 - Treat all people with respect. While it is important to emphasize common ground, it is equally important to honor the differences among us. The goal is not to make everyone alike, but to respect the differences among us as we seek to create a vibrant social mosaic where dignity, equality and opportunity are available to all.

# 8 - Build locally . . . and grow! Inquire of faith leaders whether it is possible to use their buildings for meeting space, storage and other purposes. One asset held by local congregations that often goes overlooked is physical space. Use the building of your local base to extend to the wider circles. Effective strategies will include both top-down and grassroots-up organizing and outreach. Recognize the importance of grassroots outreach to state and national offices.

# 9 - Keep the supporters from the faith community informed. Be sure to provide regular updates — by phone, mail, e-mail, fax or in person — so that supporters know the status of your work together. Use your communication tools to share ideas, strategies, and successes among the different groups within your organization.

#10 - Say "thank you". As you receive support for your work, be it from faith leaders or community leaders in general, be sure to say, “Thank you.” Affirm the importance of each individual’s participation in the overall strategy and success of the campaign.

Top Ten list adapted from the Latin American Work Group

Does Advocacy Make a Difference??

This is an important question and the answer is a resounding YES! Advocacy efforts are what will set apart your work on interfaith dialogue apart from other attempts that may find limitations in the depths to which they impact change. To work together on a common task, to advocate for one another, to speak out on behalf of those with whom you differ, to develop strategies that influence legislation and the media all build bonds that dialogue alone often cannot create.

So as you seek to change the story about the role of Muslims in America and the relationship between the U.S. and Muslim majority countries, an advocacy component becomes essential if the story’s new narrative is to lead to lasting change in our society.

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