Faith Leaders Call for ‘Jubilee for Justice’

In this year of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, we recall the ancient custom of the Jubilee Year, in which debts would be cancelled.

The Hebrew scriptures speak of a Jubilee Year in which unpayable debts should be cancelled. The Gospel writer, Luke, records that Jesus began his public ministry with a call to restore the just economy of Jubilee where all have enough. Jesus also tells those who have assets, to lend without expecting a return. The Holy Qur’an condemns usury and requires zakah (almsgiving) as an essential duty to prevent wealth being accumulated only among the rich.

The Dharmic faiths from the Indian sub-continent also teach the same principle. In the Anguttara Nikaya, Buddhists read, ‘One holds wealth not for oneself but for all beings.’ Sikhs believe in earning ethically, being benevolent and they pray for the common good of all. Mahatma Gandhi, from his Hindu roots, famously said, ‘Earth provides enough to satisfy everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed.’

In recent times, the idea of Jubilee has been applied to the need to cancel the unfair debts of many ‘Third World’ countries. This does not represent charity towards the impoverished but a call for justice: to reform the basis of the global economy and renew relationships between high and low income countries. This call for Jubilee since the 1990’s has led to the cancellation of $120 billion of debt (£80 billion), bringing education and healthcare to many millions of people.

Despite these achievements, over the last thirty years there has been a series of debt crises culminating in the present one in Europe. A self-serving financial system has brought the global economy to its knees and we are now seeing the poorest people in our own society and around the world paying the price for this excess.

That is why we ask people everywhere to join in calling for a renewed Jubilee. Finance must be put back in its place as a means to human well being. We need far reaching changes in the global economy to build a society based on justice, mutual support and community. We need economic and political as well as spiritual renewal in our society. We applaud the efforts of citizens across Europe and the world to engage in democratic audits of their national debts as a first step towards reclaiming public control of national finances. We call on people in the UK to unite in support of this vision of Jubilee, and to make this cause a lasting legacy of 2012.

A Jubilee for Justice in 2012 would mean:

Cancelling the unjust debts of the most indebted nations
Promoting just and progressive taxation rather than excessive borrowing
Stopping harmful lending which forces countries into debt

Signatories:

Bishop Doye Agama, Apostolic Pastoral Association, St John’s Rectory, Moston
Rukmami Agarwal, Committee Member, Arya Samaj
Nasreen Akhtar, Islamic Awareness Week Co-ordinator, Islamic Society of Britain
Bishop Dr Joe Aldred, Executive Secretary, Minority Ethnic Christian Affairs, Churches Together in England
Rev Christopher Aldridge, Retired Priest, Birmingham
Rev David Alford, Methodist Minister
Rev Bill Anderson, Chair, Birmingham Methodist District
Rt Rev Geoff Annas, Bishop of Stafford
Gyanesh Arya, International Preacher, Arya Samaj
Fr Nigel Asbridge, Priest Missioner, St Mary with St John, Upper Edmonton
Rev M. A. Ashby, Minister, Durrington Community Center Church
Rev Richard Atkinson, Bishop of Bedford
Rev Vicki Atkinson, Minister, Birmingham Methodist Circuit
Rt Rev Nick Baines, Bishop of Bradford
G Bamford, Deacon, Methodist Church, Redditch
Rev Warren Bardsley, Methodist Minister
Jonathan Bartley, Director, Ekklesia
Rev Peter Bates, Superintendent Birmingham Circuit, Methodist Church
Lotifa Begum, Development Education Coordinator, Islamic Relief
Rev Goh Peng Beh, Minister, Chinese Methodist Church
Rt Rev James Bell, Bishop of Knaresborough
Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder Singh, Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha
Anil Bhanot OBE, Managing Director, Hindu Council UK
Jatinder Singh Birdi, Warwick District Faiths Forum
Mark Bitel, Clerk, Edinburgh Central Quaker meeting
Rt Rev Richard Blackburn, Bishop of Warrington
Rev Victoria Bravette, Minister, Birmingham Methodist Circuit
Gerald P.S. Breen, Parish Priest, St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham
Rev Gwynne Brindley, Minister, Methodist Church
Rt Revd Pete Broadbent, Bishop of Willesden
Richard Bromley, Reverend
Rev Brian Brown, Minister, Methodist Church
Patrick Browne, Parish Priest
Robert Bryce, Deacon, Baptist Church
Rt Rev Christopher Budd, Bishop of Plymouth
Sarah Bullock, Rector, St James’ Moss Side and St Edmund Whalley Range
Elizabeth Burroughs, Local Preacher, Methodist Church
Rt Rev Peter Burrows, Bishop of Doncaster
Hugh Burton, Team Rector, Church of England
Rt Rev Paul Butler, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham
Julian Booth, Parish Priest
Rev Andrew J Brazier, University Chaplain
Vibha Cale, President, Arya Samaj West Midlands
Rev A. P. Camper, Unitarian Minister
Philip Carlin, Minister, St John’s Hurst
Colin Cartwright, Minister, Trinity Baptist Church, Chesham
Rev C A Chaplin, Minister, Methodist Church
Krishan Chopra, Trustee, Arya Samaj West Midlands
Rev Richard Church, Synod Moderator, North Western Synod, United Reformed Church
Rev John Churcher, Minister, Methodist Church
Ray Collier, Priest, St Catherine of Siena, Birmingham
Christopher J. Collins, Student Presbyter, Methodist Church
Rt Rev Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely
Paul Cornelius, CEO, Food for the Hungry UK
Linda Craig, Clerk, Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre, Birmingham
Matthew Creber, SPEAK Network
Rt Revd Steven Croft, Bishop of Sheffield
Pastor Peter Cunningham, Chairman, Green Pastures
Moses Dakunivosa, Steward, Methodist Church
Canon Peter Davies, Lay Canon of Chapter, Worcester Cathedral
Rev Stuart Davison, Regional Minister, South Eastern Baptist Association
Rev Andrew Dawson, Priest-in-charge, Oldham Werneth
Gillian Day, Local Preacher, Water Orton Methodist Church
Revd David Dean, Churches Training Officer, St Philip’s Centre, Leicester
Malcolm Deboo, President, Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe
Rev Philip Deller, Minister, Baptist Church
Christopher Densham, Lead Minister, Dereham Baptist Church
Sue Dilworth, Reader, St Mary’s Temple Balsall
Clare Downing, Synod Moderator, Wessex Synod, United Reformed Church
Rt Rev Peter Doyle, Bishop of Northampton
Rt Rev Terry Drainey, Bishop of Middlesbrough
Rev Edson Dube, Methodist Minister
Kevin Duffy, Local Preacher, Methodist Church
Donald Eadie, Former Chairman, Birmingham Methodist District
J. Edmond-Smith, Chair, UK Network of Engaged Buddhists
Rt Rev Chris Edmondson, Bishop of Bolton
Joel Edwards, Director, Micah Challenge International
Fr Stephen Edwards, Rector, St Agnes’ Birch in Rusholme
Dr Omer El-Hamdoon, President, Muslim Association of Britain
David Emmott, Retired Priest
Egenonu Erasmus, Parish Priest, St Philip, Smethwick
Rev James Fasakin, Clergy
Dr Marius Felderhof, Hon Research Fellow, Theology and Religion, University of Birmingham
Pete Fishpool, on behalf of Quaker Local Business Meeting, Cotteridge, Birmingham
Fr Jim Fleming, Priest, St Catherine’s, Birmingham
Rev Barbara Fletcher, Priest, Birmingham
Rt Rev Colin Fletcher, Bishop of Dorchester
Colin Foreman, Minister, The United Reformed Church
Sheila Foreman, Assistant Chair, South East District, Methodist Church
Cassius Francis, WKFM coordinator, Mosley Wesleyan Holiness Church
Rt Rev Richard Frith, Bishop of Hull
Revd Ray Gaston, Tutor, Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education
Alison Geary, Supernumerary Methodist Minister
Nicola Grey, Ordinand in training, Anglican Church
Simon Grey, Clerk, Edgbaston Quaker Meeting
Rev Michael John Grimsley, Methodist Minister, Leamington Spa
Peter M Grimwood, Methodist Presbyter
Peter Hall, Hon Assistant Bishop of Birmingham
Joyce Hallam, Local Preacher, Methodist Church
Rt Rev David Hamid, Bishop in Europe
Revd Ian P Hamilton, Member of Superintendency Team, Manchester Methodist Circuit
Canon Nigel Hand, Birmingham Cathedral
Rev David Haslam, Convenor, Methodist Tax Justice Network
Dorothy Haughton, Unitarian Service Leader
Rev John Hayes, Minister, Methodist Circuit (Huddersfield)
Brian Haymes, Baptist Minister
Margaret Healey Pollett, All Saints Kings Heath Social Justice Action Group
Rev Graham Hellier, Minister, Church of Scotland
John Hellyer, Chair, South-East District, Methodist Church
Malcolm Hickox, Minister, Methodist Church (Salisbury)
Rt Rev Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford
Rt Rev Mike Hill, Bishop of Bristol
Symon Hill, Associate Director, Ekklesia
Paul Hills, Regional Minister, Eastern Baptist Association
Rt Rev John Holbrook, Bishop of Brixworth
Rev Caroline Homan, Minister, Birmingham Methodist Circuit
Fleur Houston, Minister, United Reformed Church
Walter Houston, Honorary Fellow, University of Manchester, Department of Religion and Theology
Rev John Howard, Chair, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District, Methodist Church
John Hughes, Priest-in-charge, St John’s Old Trafford
John M. Hull, Professor of Practical Theology, The Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education
Rev Jennifer Hurd, Presbyteral Minister, Methodist Church
Rev Jenny Impey, Chair, London District, Methodist Church
D. Innamorati, Parish Priest
Rabbi Margaret Jacobi, Rabbi, Birmingham Progressive Synagogue
Revd Dr Michael Jagessar, Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church
Arvinder Jain, President, International Mahavir Jain Mission
Rt Rev Martyn Jarrett, Bishop of Beverley
Helen Jobling, Minister, Lozells Methodist Church Centre
John Johansen-Berg, Founder and International Director, Community for Reconciliation
Rev Neil Johnson, Superintendent minister, Birmingham Methodist Circuit
William Johnston, Priest, Church of England, Midhurst
Rev Gareth Jones, Methodist Chaplain, University of Birmingham
The Revd Dr Keith G Jones, Rector, International Baptist Theological Seminary
Peter Jones, Parish Priest, Sacred Heart, Birmingham
Stewart Jones, Rector, St Martin in the Bull Ring, Birmingham
Rev Dr Stuart Jordan, Chair, London District, Methodist Church
Peter Kemp, Justice and Peace, St John’s Cathedral
Rt Rev William Kenney, Bishop of Birmingham
Rev Stephen Keyworth, Head of Faith and Unity, Baptist Union of Great Britain
Rev Peter Killick, Retired Minister
Rev Michael King, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference
Rev Marcin Kordel, Parish Priest
Ravi Ladva, Representative, Birmingham Council of Faiths
Prem Lal, Vice-Chair, Wolverhampton Inter-Faith and Regeneration Network
Rt Rev Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter
Rev Chris Lane, Senior Pastor, Vineyard Church St Albans
Rev Nick Lear, Senior Minister, Colchester Baptist Church
Jayne Lee, Priest, Church of England
Rev Dr Kenneth Leech, Retired Priest
Gerard Lennon, Priest, Birmingham
Rev Art Lester, Unitarian Minister, Croydon
Rev Stephen Levett, Methodist Minister, Bromsgrove and Redditch
Rt Rev Bernard Longley, Archbishop of Birmingham
Alisdair Longwill, Regional Minister, West of England Baptist Association
Ashley Lovett, Minister, Baptist Church
Rev Roy Lowes, Moderator, West Midlands Synod of the United Reformed Church
Revd Dr Andrew MacIntosh, Fellow and Emeritus Dean, St John’s College Cambridge
Rev A. Malcolm, Minister, Birmingham Methodist Circuit
Gajan Malholtra, Committee Member, Arya Samaj
Imran Malik, Methodist Student minister
John P. Mall, Minister, Baptist Church
Colin Marsh, Birmingham Churches Together
Rt Rev Peter Maurice, Bishop of Taunton
Rt Rev Christopher John Mayfield, Former Bishop of Manchester
Vidhu Mayor, President, Arya Samaj
Derek McAuley, Chief Officer, General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
Roger Medley, Canon, Diocesan Missioner
Peter Merson, Chairman, Jubilee Debt Campaign Multifaith Project
Steve Miller, Chair, Tzedek – Jewish Action for a Just World
Craig Millward, Pastor, Baptist Church
Rev Ros Murphy, Retired Methodist Minister
Gerald Nembhard, Chair, West Midlands Faith Forum
Rt Rev Adrian Newman, Bishop of Stepney
Rev John Nightingale, Canon Emeritus
Con O’Connell, Cordate Community
Rev Catherine Ogle, Dean, Birmingham
Rev L Osborn, Chair, Newcastle-upon-Tyne District of the Methodist Church
Rev Stuart Owen, Vicar, All Saints Edmonton
Crispin Pailing, Vicar, St John’s, Perry Barr
Rowena Pailing, Priest-in-charge, St Michael Handsworth
Jonathan Pain, Treasurer, St. Gabriel’s Church, Basingstoke
Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain
John I Parkin, Reader, All Saints Kings Heath
Rev Robert Parkinson, Minister, Didsbury Baptist Church
Rt Rev Robert Paterson, Bishop of Sodor and Man
Rev John E. Paxton, Mission Development Officer, Diocese of Worcester
Rt Rev Geoff Pearson, Bishop of Lancaster
Rev Dr Ann Peart, former president, General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
Gillian Peel, Unitarian Minister, Rochdale
Rev Michael Perry, Rector, Cam Vale Benefice, Somerset
Enid Pinch, Quaker
Andrew Piggott, Archdeacon of Bath
Rev Pete Pillinger, Chair, Plymouth and Exeter District, Methodist Church
Stephen Pimlott, Pastor
George Pitcher, Priest, Church of England
Rt Rev Stephen Platten, Bishop of Wakefield
Canon Denise Poole, Chaplain, Bradford
Rt Rev Tony Porter, Bishop of Sherwood
Rev Eric Potts, Minister, Methodist Church
Revd Gillian Poucher, Gainsborough United Reformed Church
Bob Pounder, Minister, Oldham Unitarian Chapel
Colin Arthur Powell, Clerk in Holy Orders (Retired), Church of England
Rt Rev Peter Price, Bishop of Bath and Wells
David Primrose, Director of Transforming Communities, Lichfield
Don Pritchard, Deacon
Rev James Pritchard, Methodist Minister and Chaplain, Aston University
Alan Race, Rector, St Margaret’s, Lee
James Ramsay, Vicar, St. Barnabas Church
Stephen Rand, Leadership Team, Fresh Streams
Rt Rev John Rawsthorne, Bishop of Hallam
Rt Rev Alastair Redfern, Bishop of Derby
Ben Rich, Chief Executive, Movement for Reform Judaism
Rev Alison Richards, Methodist Minister, Malvern
Gillian Roberts, Lay leader, St Michael’s and All Angels, Stockton
Rev Maud Robinson, Unitarian Minister, Edinburgh
Rt Rev Tony Robinson, Bishop of Pontefract
Anne Roussel, Methodist Local Preacher
Professor Christopher Rowland, Queen’s College, University of Oxford
Mark Rowland, Minister, Methodist Church
Rev E.C. Russell, Methodist Minister
Rev Peter Russell, Minister, Methodist Church
Rev Donald Sampson, Supernumerary, Birmingham Methodist Circuit
Denys Saunders, Retired Minister, Methodist Church
John Scrivens, Minister, Methodist Church (Fordingbridge)
Anne Sear, Reader, St Peter’s Church, Somerset
Moqapi Selassie, Vice-President, Ethiopian World Federation
Israel Selvanayagam, Professor of Religions
Andrew Shanks, Canon Theologian, Manchester Cathedral
Rev G Howard Sharp, Moderator, Mersey Synod of the United Reformed Church
Rev Peter Sheasby
Amrick Singh, Director, Nishkam Centre
Pall Singh, Community Development Worker, Lozells Project
Rt Rev Alan Smith, Bishop of St Albans
Deacon Janet Smith, Birmingham Methodist Circuit
Mt Rev Peter Smith, Archbishop of Southwark
Rev Emma Sykes, Associate Rector, St Martin in the Bull Ring, Birmingham
Martin Taylor, Chaplain
Michael H. Taylor, Emeritus Professor of Social Theology, University of Birmingham
Rev Roger Taylor, Minister, Brightlingsea Baptist Church
David T Thomas, Anglican Priest
Rev Graham Thompson, Chair, East Anglia District, Methodist Church
Revd John Thompson, Retired Baptist Minister
Rt Rev Tim Thornton, Bishop of Truro
Shirley Torrens, Clerk, Stoke-on-Trent Quaker Meeting
Rev Dr Simon Topping, ISR – Churches for Work and Social Justice
Rev Edward Turner, Vicar, St Aldhelm’s Church, London
Dr Kiran Vaja, Birmingham Council of Faiths
Mark Van Beeumen, Priest
Rev Canon Peter Vowles, Retired Clerk in Holy Orders
Manu Vyas, Chairman, Walsall Multi-Faith Forum
Francis Wainaina, Vicar, St Andrew’s Church, Starbeck
Rt Rev David Walker, Bishop of Dudley
Rt Rev Martin Wallace, Bishop of Selby
Amy Walters, Minister, Methodist Church
David Warbrick, Priest-in-charge, All Saints Kings Heath
Rev Judith M Ware, Rector, St Matthew with St Mary, Crumpsall
Rt Rev Andrew Watson, Bishop of Aston
Kevin Watson, Moderator, Yorkshire Synod of the United Reformed Church
Rev Martin and Penny Wells, Catholic clergyman and wife
Rt Rev Peter Wheatley, Bishop of Edmonton
Canon John and Mrs Jean Wheatley Price, Retired clergyman and wife
John White, Team Vicar, Kings Norton Birmingham
Priscilla White, Vicar, St Faith and St Laurence
Rev John Wilkinson, Priest, Birmingham
Stuart Murray Williams, Chair, Anabaptist Network
Mark Willott, Community Group leader, Riverside Church
Rev Jane M Wilson, Minister, South West Worcestershire Methodist Circuit
Rev Dr Simon Woodman, Minister, Bloomsbury Baptist Church
Sue Woolley, Unitarian minister
Rev Canon Martin Wright, Clergyman
Umesh Yador, Minister of Religion, Arya Samaj West Midlands
Rev Michaela Youngson, Chair, London District, Methodist Church
A. Zwart, Cordate Community