Weekly Action - 9 October 2023 - Party Conferences
Party conferences
We are in the middle of party conference season in the UK. The Liberal Democrats held their party conference in Bournemouth from Saturday 23 – Tuesday 26 September. The Conservatives held theirs in Manchester from Sunday 1 – Wednesday 4 October. The Labour Party is currently in the midst of theirs from Sunday 8 – Wednesday 11 October in Liverpool, and the Scottish National Party will hold theirs in Aberdeen from Sunday 15 – Tuesday 17 October. Other smaller political parties have also been holding their conferences. As we run up towards a general election next year the parties are all beginning to set out their competing visions for the country. A huge part of this is setting out their visions for the economy, public services and addressing the climate challenge.
4 Shifts economics
Is there anything that we as Christians can offer into this market place of economic ideas? Well, if we turn back to the teaching of the Bible, and examine the lessons from history, we find there is much we can learn to help the UK and the world build an economy in the twenty-first century that is green and fair, and fit for the future. The Bible tells us that we need an economy that both tackles poverty, for “The righteous care about justice for the poor” (Prov 29: 7), and also protects the environment, for as we read in Genesis, humanity was instructed both to work God’s creation and to “take care of it” (Gen 2: 15). Arise’s 4 Shifts Report attempts to capture these key lessons. It finds that 4 essential shifts are needed. 1) Nations need to develop strong and fair national economies to create jobs and wealth. 2) They can then tax these to provide social spending and basic services like healthcare and education, to ensure all benefit, not just the richest in society. 3) Going forward these economies need to be powered by 100% clean renewable energy to avoid global climate change. 4) They also need to be circular economies that reuse precious natural resources rather than overconsume and dump them. Four Shifts economics holds the answers, based on Biblical principles, that can enable us to rewire our UK economy (and indeed our global economy) to be green and fair, so it still creates the jobs and wealth that lift people out of poverty, but does so without relying on fossil fuels and overconsumption which is wrecking our planet. Arise is campaigning to get all political parties to adopt 4 Shifts economics as their vision for the UK’s economy, public services and natural environment.
Will you take action as part of Arise’s 4 Shifts Campaign this week, and tell our political parties that the answers they are searching for can be found in approaches like 4 Shifts economics?
Take Action
Speak out in advocacy
Message your MP via social media. Share the link to the 4 Shifts Report with them. Ask them to urge their party to adopt 4 Shifts economics and to support such policies in their voting in parliament. Find your MP and their social media contact details here, or search for them on your favourite social media platforms.
Pray
Pray for your MP and for all the political parties. Pray that they will adopt 4 Shifts economics as their vision for the UK’s economy, public services and natural environment, and increasingly vote in parliament along these lines. Pray for wisdom, clarity and a heart for justice for all MPs and for all political parties as they vote on legislation and govern the country.
Give
Give to Christian organisations like CAP or the Trussel Trust who are supporting those living in poverty in the UK who are being failed by our current broken economic system. Give to Christian organisations like A Rocha or secular organisations like your local Wildlife Trust who are doing crucial work protecting the UK’s natural environment.
Practical Action
Get involved in the decision-making by joining a political party, and in due course running for office at local or even national level. Use your position within that party to advocate for 4 Shifts economics, and generally for policies that establish social justice, eliminate poverty, restore the environment and build God’s Kingdom.
Ethical Consumption
Buy products and services from companies that are already modelling 4 Shifts principles of care for the environment, supporting the poorest and reducing inequality, like those with the Fairtrade or Living Wage marks.
Encourage us and others by letting us know what actions you have taken – message us at info@ariseuk.org, or via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Find out more
It’s great to take this action as individual Christians, but even better to come together with others to pray, discuss, worship, learn, have fun and take action together. Contact Arise if you are interested in joining or starting a local Arise group in your church or area. If you are already in an Arise group, take this action to your wider church, and get them all to do it too.
Find out more about why the world needs 4 Shifts to transition to a green and fair global economy in Arise’s 4 Shifts Report, and how this forms part of God’s bigger vision for our world in the Arise Manifesto.
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