“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” Rev. Martin Niemöller, 1946
Declaration of the Church for Our Common Home March 2025 We stand in solidarity with Mahmoud Khalil and all those threatened with illegal deportation. God calls us to mercy, and we stand with the vulnerable, as Jesus taught—including refugees, the sick, the poor, those suffering from the U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza, and “the least of these,” including non-human creatures who are suffering from ecocide (Matthew 25:40). As a faith community, we are stewards of God’s creation. We are dedicated to serving God, not money; to loving and praying for our enemies and those who persecute us. We imagine an ecological civilization that includes all creatures at God’s table. We commit to working to save our democracy alongside the working poor and all who are persecuted. Our work is for the common good of all creatures in our interconnected web of life.
We are people of conscience, guided by a vision of Peace on Earth and the principles of love, mercy, forgiveness, and justice. We have made a sacred promise to love God and our neighbors—including the natural world—each as an extension of ourselves. We care for our common home, our habitat, for this is the vision and the work that will unite the human family to eradicate nuclear weapons and the addiction to war. We long to share resources more justly so that everyone can survive and thrive. We declare our unwavering commitment to the protection of American democracy, now under threat. We work for world peace and the defeat of authoritarianism in all its forms.
At this moment in history, we recognize the grave dangers posed by dictatorship: the erosion of human rights, the suppression of truth, the concentration of power in the hands of the few, and the weaponization of fear to control the many. These threats endanger the dignity of individuals, ecosystems, the health of communities, and the future of our common home—the Earth.
As citizens of the world, and as members and friends of the Church for Our Common Home, we look to the teachings of Jesus to love our enemies. This was lived out by Mahatma Gandhi in the nonviolent revolution that overturned the British Empire. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought this teaching to the U.S., changing the way the world views racism.
We affirm that humans have an urgent call from God to follow in their footsteps:
Truth must prevail over propaganda – We will speak truth to power, for the truth will set us free. In the face of lies, we reject falsehoods designed to manipulate and divide, and we defend the right of all people to access unbiased information.
Justice must triumph over oppression – We will stand in solidarity with those who suffer under injustice, resisting policies and actions that harm the vulnerable, silence dissent, or exploit the natural world.
Democracy must be defended – We will actively participate in democratic processes, reject all attempts to subvert free elections, and work to ensure that governance reflects the will of the people, not the interests of a ruling elite.
Nonviolent resistance is our moral duty – We will oppose dictatorship through peaceful means, using our voices, the written word, our votes, and our collective creative genius to challenge tyranny and uphold the principles of liberty and equality.
Community is stronger than division – We will build networks of support and solidarity, including Earth Crisis Support Groups and Potluck Parties, recognizing that an injury to one is an injury to all. Together, we will create a just and sustainable future. Creating beloved community is our pledge.
We declare that no ruler, no government, and no system of oppression can stand against the will of a people determined to be free. We commit ourselves to action—by creating beloved community, building loving relationships, envisioning a world of peace, advocating, praying, practicing nonviolent civil disobedience, and pursuing justice without ceasing—until democracy is restored, human rights are upheld, and the Earth, our habitat, is safe from threat. We pledge to protect and heal our common home for future generations.
We, the undersigned, call for mercy and declare this in courage and unity.
Rev. Bonnie Tarwater, Minister
Church for Our Common Home | www.churchforourcommonhome.com | revtarwater@yahoo.com | (858) 248-5123
Dr. Walter Rutherford, Director, Our Common Home Counseling Center
Dr. Elizabeth Johnson CJS, Rev. Dr. Anand Veeraraj, Rev. Dr. Scott T. Crane, Anna Liza Smith, Rev. Carol Hilton, Rev. Bryan Jessup, Edie Jessup, Joan Noyce, Rev. Dr. Lucy Hitchcock, Kathryn Rainbow White, Truman Price, Victoria Young, Erin Shepard, Don DeFord, Rachel Daniel, Andrea Cristina, Kathy Ruyts, Sandra Walden, Martha Garcia, Lindon Hy, Catherine Sterns, Ruth Roberts, Courney Childs, David A. McMurray, Allison Clement, Josh Stewart, Sean Smith, Jolene Brock, John Brown, Kaia Martin, Traci McMerritt, Anand Veeraraj, Alessandra Colfi, Sally Rings, Ted Lau, Cindy Lubar Bishop, Wali David Via, Marirose K. Lescher, Benikia Kressler, Ralph G. Penunuri, Eliyahu Goodman, Michele Newman, Judy Coyle, Beth Brown, Rev. Katherine Jesch, Kathie Murtey, Sonya Howard, Troy Prouty, Rev. Steve Mitchell, Kate Landishaw, Karen Jean Canan, Helen Murphy, Robert Murphy, Victoria George, Adrain Cerny, Linda Richards, Sebastain Cazaera, Gretchen Newlin, Leia Pisor, Bryan Hyuas.