Keeping the Commandments. Following the Golden Rule. Acting justly, loving tenderly, and walking humbly with your God. Loving your brother and sister as you do yourself. These are our core values.

We turn to God in times of scarcity and travail, but we often forget God's will in times of abundance. We too often rely on a 'rational' material vision of our world putting faith in amoral market forces and economic organizations rather than in God. Deuteronomy (8: 11-20) challenges us to act in accordance with "God's commandments, ordinances, and statutes" even when we have 'eaten our fill, had our herds and flocks multiply, and we have built fine houses."

God challenges us not to say "My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth" for it is not by our own doing alone that we prosper. God's grace and many other people have supported you in a thousand seen and unseen ways. Neither does your prosperity give license to abandon or sacrifice others along the way. "I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land" (Deuteronomy 15:11) We must 'act justly, love tenderly" and be mindful of those with whom we share the planet.

The quest for a Moral Economy lies in reshaping our world into one where work and reward are more fully shared. The fundamental principles, laid down in Deuteronomy, have carried us into the American colonies, onto the frontier, and into many realms of our modern 'social contract'. There are two premises: involvement in decisions about how our economic society operates and engaging people in work and consumption more fairly.

California Council of Churches and California Church IMPACT have embraced the Moral Economy as the fundamental test by which we evaluate public policy. Does each issue before us encourage our responsibility and mutual respect for shared outcomes? Does it lift people from dependence and want? Does it engage every person in making a contribution to their neighbors and to the communities in which we live? Does it make the future more secure? Does it manifest distributive justice? Is it kind to all our people and not just the few? This is our call. Please make it yours as well.