Description
This case study explores the contributions that ecumenical faith-based activist groups make to economic social justice movements. The study looks at how religious leaders frame social justice issues within their faith communities, the role faith plays in social movements, and how various faith traditions work together to achieve their common goals. Furthermore, I consider how religion motivates faith leaders to participate in activist movements, and look at how these religious figures use their role as a moral authority to bring about social change. In order to investigate these questions I conducted in-depth interviews with 10 members of the Interfaith Center for Worker Justice (ICWJ), a faith-based activism group in San Diego. I also conducted participant observation with the Interfaith Center for Worker Justice and the Justice Can't Wait Coalition. This study found that ecumenical faith groups have four major objectives in social justice movements: educating about social issues, deescalating community issues on an interpersonal level, acting as a witness in situations of injustice, and coalition building with both religious and secular groups. Additionally, faith leaders are skilled at providing a moral framework for social justice movements that links political beliefs to ethical or religious beliefs.
