On the Dawn of the 250th Year of the United States

A Creed and Covenant for the Common Good

A Creed and Covenant for the Common Good

We, interfaith leaders and people of faith and goodwill,
gather our voices in a single, braided affirmation of truth, justice, and hope.

1. Universal Human Dignity

We believe that every person carries a sacred spark, honored differently across our many traditions but holy in all.
Therefore, we denounce any system, policy, or rhetoric that treats any life as disposable.
And we commit to defending the inherent worth of every human being in our politics, our communities, and our daily lives.

2. Immigration and Compassion

We believe that families belong together and that migration is a human story, the same story our ancestors lived as they sought safety, bread, and hope.
Therefore, we denounce policies that separate children from parents, weaponize fear, or turn away those fleeing violence and extreme poverty; and we denounce the myth that this nation lacks the capacity, imagination, or heart to welcome those offering their gifts among us, just as it welcomed generations before.
And we commit to advocating for compassionate, comprehensive immigration reform that honors our shared humanity and strengthens the nation through welcome.

3. Freedom of Religion

We believe that true freedom of religion protects all traditions, honors conscience, and enriches our common life.
Therefore, we denounce any attempt to impose one tradition over another or to use religion as a tool of domination.
And we commit to safeguarding the spiritual freedom of all people and cultivating respect across our diverse paths to the Holy.

4. Indigenous Honor and Responsibility

We believe that the First Peoples of this land - their wisdom, sovereignty, cultures, and endurance - remain a living blessing.
Therefore, we denounce the theft of land, the breaking of treaties, the erasure of languages and traditions, and every ongoing injustice that wounds Indigenous nations.
And we commit to honoring their legacy with truth, respect, protection of sacred lands and waters, and the restoration of right relationship for generations to come.

5. Cross-Racial Solidarity

We believe that Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, immigrant, and poor White communities have long led the struggle for justice, carrying the heaviest burdens of economic injustice and political manipulation.
Therefore, we denounce the myths that pit us against one another and the forces that profit from our division.
And we commit to building a broad, united movement for the well-being of all, following the leadership of those most impacted, and standing as faithful allies in the work of truth, equity, and shared power.

6. Human Potential and Shared Flourishing

We believe that every person holds gifts meant to bless the world.
Therefore, we denounce every barrier - economic, racial, educational, cultural, and environmental – that keeps people from discovering, developing, and offering their full potential.
We denounce the degradation of land, air, water, and climate, knowing that the wounds inflicted upon our common home fall first and hardest upon the poor, the young, and the generations yet to come.
And we commit to creating a society where all can flourish, contribute, and share the fruits of their God-given creativity and strength, honoring the Earth that sustains us, protecting the sacred web of life, and ensuring that clean air, clean water, and a livable climate belong to all people.

7. The Right to Organize

We believe that workers have the right to organize for dignity, safety, and fair treatment.
Therefore, we denounce the silencing or exploitation of labor and the intimidation of those seeking justice in the workplace.
And we commit to strengthening labor rights and standing with workers whose hands and hearts sustain the nation.

8. Memory, Truth, and Responsibility

We believe that honest memory is essential for a just future.
Therefore, we denounce denial, distortion, and the refusal to face the harm still carried in bodies and communities.
And we commit to remembering truthfully, acting boldly, and shaping a future worthy of those who suffered and those yet to come.

9. The Common Good

We believe that the well-being of one is bound to the well-being of all.
Therefore, we denounce the ideologies that elevate individual gain over communal care.
And we commit to shaping policies, cultures, and communities that reflect our shared responsibility for one another.

A Final Collective Commitment

Therefore, in this 250th year, we, and all who wish to join us, pledge to walk this path together:
to seek truth,
to repair what has been broken,
to welcome the stranger,
to honor the first peoples of this land,
to stand with workers,
to defend the vulnerable,
to lift up the oppressed,
and to build a nation where justice and compassion are not aspirations, but lived realities.

We invite all people of faith and goodwill to add their names, their voices, and their lives to this shared work.

Let this Creed be not only our words, but the way we live.

Please click here to download the Creed and Covenant