Justice News
Uniting for Peace
The Uniting Church is a peacemaking church. The Church's vision is for a world where there is no need for military arms and weapons. We hope for a world where conflict is resolved through peaceful means and where people and nations live together in dignity and hope, respecting each other's cultural and religious traditions and relating to each other as loving neighbours whose future is shared. This hope is based in the understanding that God came in the crucified and risen Christ to make peace and that God calls all Christians to be peacemakers, to save life, to heal and love their neighbours.
The Uniting Church believes that true justice and peace can only be achieved through means that do not consist of violence, nor perpetuate the cycle of violence. UnitingJustice supports, and urges the Australian Government to support, the international mechanisms for dismantling the global culture of violence and for building a culture of peace and justice. These mechanisms include the United Nations and the nuclear non-proliferation multilateral bodies.
Key Ecumenical Documents
World Council of Churches, Statement on hope in a year of opportunity: seeking a nuclear-weapon-free world
WCC Central Committee, Geneva, Switzerland, 26 August - 2 September 2009
click here to view this statement
World Council of Churches, Minute on the elimination of nuclear arms
WCC Ninth Assembly, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2006
click here to view this statement
Christmas Island chaplaincy: a light in the darkness
Christmas Island is a tiny speck in the Indian Ocean, yet it will seem vast compared to some of the tight spaces Rev Christine Senini worked in. And she won’t have to sleep in a bunk bed.
The President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev. Alistair Macrae has added his name to the list of prominent Australians calling for reform to our asylum seeker policies. UnitingJustice has continually advocated for a more compassionate approach to these vulnerable members of our society.
UnitingJustice and the Uniting Church in Australia Assembly has joined the chorus of voices calling for Constitutional recognition of the unique contribution that First Peoples have made to this country. Amendments to the Australian Constitution should also include removal of racist and discriminatory language and clauses. The open letter was accompanied by a submission to the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition made by UnitingJustice.
UJA Reference Committee member, Professor John Langmore, discusses the political momentum behind and the public benefits of introducing a financial transactions tax.
Rethink Refugees - watch UJA National Director, Rev. Elenie Poulos, reflecting on her work in refugee advocacy as part of Amnesty's information campaign
Preamble posters and Covenanting resources
Download or print your own here.
Position Vacant: Senior Media Officer
The Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia seeks to appoint an experienced media professional to the role of Senior Media Officer. Read more...
Churches solid on poker machine reform
The major Christian churches in Australia have reaffirmed their commitment to the Government’s proposed poker machine reform this morning in the face of Catholic priest Father Chris Riley’s apparent support for the inaccurate, well-funded industry campaign. Read more...