Churches push for alternative American election agenda

The National Council of Christians have said that it should not be allowed for the Gospel to be distorted by the use of faith-based organisations for supporter gains in the American Presidential election stand-off.

The NCCCUSA, a fellowship of 36 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican Christians, totalling 49 million across 100,000 congregations, has called for the election agenda to focus on just ten vital issues.

The Ecumenical Council introduced its Christian Principles for an Election Year, which stated, “Our Christian faith compels us to address the world through the lens of our relationship to God and to one another.”

The council aimed to strike a chord with candidates and competing parties that the Christian message “admonishes us not to bear false witness against our neighbour and to love our enemies.”

Therefore, the NCCUSA’s alternative manifesto includes the following:

1. War is contrary to the will of God. While the use of violent force may, at times, be a necessity of last resort, Christ pronounces his blessing on the peacemakers. We look for political leaders who will make peace with justice a top priority and who will actively seek non-violent solutions to conflict.

2. God calls us to live in communities shaped by peace and cooperation. We reject policies that abandon large segments of our inner city and rural populations to hopelessness. We look for political leaders who will re-build our communities and bring an end to the cycles of violence and killing.

3. God created us for each other, and thus our security depends on the well-being of our global neighbours. We look for political leaders for whom a foreign policy based on cooperation and global justice is an urgent concern.

4. God calls us to be advocates for those who are most vulnerable in our society. We look for political leaders who yearn for economic justice and who will seek to reduce the growing disparity between rich and poor.

5. Each human being is created in the image of God and is of infinite worth. We look for political leaders who actively promote racial justice and equal opportunity for everyone.

6. The earth belongs to God and is intrinsically good. We look for political leaders who recognize the earth's goodness, champion environmental justice, and uphold our responsibility to be stewards of God's creation.

7. Christians have a biblical mandate to welcome strangers. We look for political leaders who will pursue fair immigration policies and speak out against xenophobia.

8. Those who follow Christ are called to heal the sick. We look for political leaders who will support adequate, affordable and accessible health care for all.

9. Because of the transforming power of God's grace, all humans are called to be in right relationship with each other. We look for political leaders who seek a restorative, not retributive, approach to the criminal justice system and the individuals within it.

10. Providing enriched learning environments for all of God's children is a moral imperative. We look for political leaders who will advocate for equal educational opportunity and abundant funding for children's services.

The NCCUSA ‘Election Year Principles Guide’ also requests, “We ask that the campaigns of political candidates and the coverage of the media in this election season be conducted according to principles of fairness, honesty and integrity.