Social and Political Issues

Last Updated on Thursday, 05 April 2012 15:55 Thursday, 10 June 2010 14:00

Faith and Unity wants to encourage Baptists to hear the call of the gospel to work for freedom, peace and justice.

Much of our work is carried out through the Joint Public Issues Team, in collaboration with colleagues in the Methodist and United Reformed Churches. The indents on the left have information about the JPIT and the current areas of work.

Joint Public Issues Team  

The Joint Public Issues Team exists to enable Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches to work together in living out the gospel of Christ in the church and in society.

The Team aims to promote equality and justice by influencing those in power and by energising and affirming local congregations.  

They are here to help:

• Promote the importance of Christian engagement with public issues
• Provide resources and support for those active in the public issues in local churches
• Campaign according to the priorities set by the three Churches
• Respond to Government consultations as appropriate
• Provide briefing on current issues of public concern
• Report to the committees and Councils of the three Churches as required

You can also find out more by visiting the JPIT website, or the JPIT blog.

Current Work

The JPIT are currently working on:

• Poverty Issues - resourcing local churches to understand and care about poverty and to respond to poverty in their local communities, participation in the Robin Hood tax campaign and the Fair Work Coalition
• Climate Change - calling for a binding international agreement on limiting carbon emissions, local church action through Energy Monitoring Service, participation in Creation Challenge
• Peacemaking - focus on human rights in the context of peacemaking, encouragement to ditch the plans for the Trident replacement.

Key Resources

Currently available resources are listed on the left by topic.  Newly published resources include:

• A briefing paper on the English Local Elections and Mayoral Elections on 3 May 2012: Local Elections Briefing Paper 2012
• A briefing paper on changes to the Housing Benefit system.
• The Government has been consulting with faith groups and others on whether provision should be made that will allow civil partnerships to be registered on religious premises. At present this is not possible. A response to the consultation document has been made on behalf of BUGB, and this is now available to download:
   Civil Partnerships on Religious Premises: A Consultation
• Worship resources for Peacemaking Sunday, including a powerpoint of images for intercessory prayer.
• Created In God's Image - a new study guide intended to help groups and individuals engage with the issues raised by the 2008 report.