Tapestry of Faith: Resistance and Transformation: An Adult Program on Unitarian Universalist Social Justice History

Faith In Action: Different Approaches

Description of Activity

Take a moment to reflect on the diversity of approaches to social justice work in your own congregation. Do you feel indifferent about or uncomfortable with any of the social justice work in your congregation? At the next social gathering or coffee hour, seek out someone who is involved in a social justice project you have not been involved with. Explain that you are participating in the Resistance and Transformation workshops and you are interested in different approaches to social justice. Ask them about their work and what motivates them to take up a particular cause. This is an opportunity to set aside ideology and strategic preferences and really listen to a different perspective. You might ask the person how their cause fits into the larger life of the congregation. How does this work relate to their spiritual life? Do they feel supported? Marginalized? Was this cause something they brought with them, or did the congregation introduce them to the issue? Rather than debating with this person, use this conversation as an opportunity to reflect on the three social justice leadership strategies and the different approaches taken in your congregation.