I would like your input and suggestions as I try to figure out how to reinvigorate our efforts -- individually and collectively -- on matters of "justice, peace, and the integrity of creation."

Please offer your reflections on any (or all) of the following questions, whichever ones speak to you:

1. How important is JPIC to a Franciscan spirituality?

2. Amidst the infinite directions one could go on JPIC-related issues, which particular issues are most important to you? Which do you feel most called to? Where are you most active in your own life?

3. How can the Order support your individual efforts on JPIC-related issues?

4. Is there anything the Order can (or should) do collectively with respect to JPIC?

5. If OEF designated one or more JPIC Animators again, what could these people do to further our individual and collective actions on JPIC issues?

6. Do you have any other thoughts on this matter that might help us discern a way forward?

Thanks!

Judging by the conversation ongoing over at the email list, I guess I need to define JPIC a little more clearly. (This itself is a clear indication that our designation of JPIC Animators has not been effective for the last half-dozen years!)

Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation are areas of action and concern. When you protest any of a number of ongoing wars or provide anger management training to reduce domestic violence, you are working for peace. When you work to stop bullying in K-12 classrooms or ensure that all schoolchildren receive adequate nutrition, you are working for justice. When you replace your burnt out lightbulbs with energy-efficient CFLs or participate in Earth Day cleanups of your local neighborhoods, you are working for the integrity of creation.

Justice and Peace are long time areas of concern for religious people everywhere. Integrity of Creation was added half a century ago. As Brother Jacobus reminds us, the UCC -- on the advice largely of Native American groups -- did put Integrity of Creation first. The logic was that if one wanted peace, one should work for justice, but if one wanted justice, one must first work for the integrity of creation. National and international organizations, however, tacked the new focus area on at the end of the existing Justice and Peace movement, so JPIC is the more common acronym.

My point is that JPIC itself is NOT an organization. There are organizations that we look to that are (a) Franciscan in charism and (b) focused on JPIC issues that help us unite our small voices to larger political movements. The two organizations with which OEF is most closely allied are Franciscans International (FI) and the Franciscan Action Network (FAN). Craig Robert has been our contact with FI; Ysidro has been our contact with FAN.

So, again, where in your lives are you working for justice, for peace, or for the integrity of creation? How might anyone in OEF help you in those efforts?

Thanks for that clarification!

As I thought about this this morning, what came to mind were the times when I happened to be in one workplace or another and the community practices around recycling varied incredibly. One place stocked all the copiers with paper that had been previously used, so we got used to having all our documents marked up on the backside. Other places had no recycling at all and no habit of reusing paper. - Yet I adapted to the norms of the group, whichever way they pulled me.

I think when I come voluntarily to a community like OEF, I'm hoping to enter an environment where the norms push me towards beneficial actions. I'd like to be called to adapt to a higher standard, particularly around my awareness of things JPIC.

To do that, I think a few things would be useful: to know what other people are doing, so I can celebrate, support and be challenged by their choices. Actions others are already doing (and I know we have OEF people doing amazing things) can help inspire the community. Having an opportunity to hear about, read about, maybe links to websites or blogs that offer information about some of the work that OEF individuals are doing would be exciting to me and remind me of how I am glad to be part of this community.

I think secondly it was really nice when we had a monthly fast in awareness of certain JPIC needs in the world. Or the intercessory prayers we sometimes have had emailed to us. Something that on a regular basis calls me to mindfulness and prayer about situations and needs in the world that I may be ignorant about. (This is I think a minimum, it could easily be expanded, made richer, if people felt inclined to share ideas, news, concerns that have reached them.) What I like about this is the overt linkage between our spirituality and our JPIC concerns.

And third, I know very little about the "green"ness of our organization. It would be helpful to hear what ways we, as a group, are working to be mindful of our fuel and energy usage. Could we strive for carbon neutrality, could we work towards waste-reduction goals? Might our meetings be commited to using free-trade or local foods or be zero-waste (or at least use less paper)? Seems like, to me, if our group was able to commit to some of the tougher choices, we'd be helping change the culture of those of us within it.

I believe that JPIC is intergral to a Franciscan spirituality.

In terms of which of these three issues are most important in my life, hands down, "Intergrity of Creation," which to me, is not limited to the ecological whole, or "what's in it for the human species". e.g. , environmental racism/classism, but "Intergrity of Creation" for me emcompasses also animal rights/welfare issues (ecological individualism issues) and deep ecology issues, concepts, and values (mainly the Natural World exists for its own sake, e.g, wilderness preservation I also see as an eco-justice issue, not just toxic waste dumps in poor neighborhoods).

Also, I see "Peace, Justice, and Integrity of Creation" as interpentrating each other, which I have not seen yet in the larger discussion, e.g., this discussion is still at the level that thier is not conflict between social justice and environmentalism, which I agree is an important step in the right direction. But, taking it further, "Peace and Justice" also impacts the "Integrity of Creation." For example one is being nonvoilent toward the nonhuman world, when for example, one becomes vedgatarian or engages in passive Nature activities, e.g., birdwatching, instead of violent blood sports, e.g., such as hunting or bull fighting. Justice, I contend does not just apply to the human world, but also the nonhuman world, e.g., preserving wilderness areas in natural states, is not eliticism or a distraction from the poor, but an act of social justice, for the nonhuman world, providing space for all the other millions of species of organisms which call Earth, habitat and home.

I also strongly disagree, that "Intergrity of Creation" should be viewed and treated as a tack-on issue, that is I contend one of the problems with the Christian environmental movement. Because of the seriousness and urgancy of the ecological crisis, "Intergrity of Creation" is every bit as important as "Peace and Justice" issues.

Also, when people talk about "Peace and Justice," most people think of racial, feminist, or sexual orientation issues. For me, as a person with Asperger's, the plight of peoples with disability in religion and culture, is also a "Peace and Justice" issue, not a "Charity Issue."

In terms of where I feel called in JPIC, I feel called to several very specific functions.

1. Build-up the "Intergrity of Creation" part of
the JPIC mission.
2. Interpentrate "Peace and Justice"
with "Intergrity of Creation."
3. Put animal rights/animal welfare on the agenda.
4. Put disability justice on the agenda, too.
5. Educate and sentitize JPIC to the Jewish-
Zionist, point-of-view.

These, four areas, also reflect, where I am most active in my life.

The Order can support my JPIC areas in my life better by:

1. Cont. to pray for my ministries, causes, and
projects.
2. Give me respectual and constructive feedback on
my ideas, writings, and projects.
3. Read, purchase (by individual OEFers), and
write reviews of my writings and projects, to
help me market my ministry and "Move the
Message."
4. More leadership responsibilities in OEF.
5. Better communication on a social level.

Collectively as an Order in-terms of JPIC, I liked that one Chapter/Convocation, we did a community service project as an order. Maybe more experiential, practical opprotunties during our Chapter/Convocation, would get people more interested and motivated.

Also, devoting a Convocation or part of Convocation, to educating people in our order about "Intergrity of Creation" issues, how it intersects with our Franciscan vocation and Christian faith, in addition to providing opprotunities to experience and learn-about the Natural World, e.g., A community Nature hike, where we identify local species of plants and animals, at the place of our chapter, an Openning Book of Nature retreat activity, a worship service outside, a Franciscan hermitage retreat which is done in community in silience, Christmas in the Manger service with live animals or on an organic farm, Blessing of Animals, for the local community where Chapter/Convocation, or any other idea you can think of. But, anything that would move the discussion beyond just sitting around "talking about the environment."

Also, an "Intergrity of Creation" could also include an environmental community service project, e.g., a stream clean-up, tree planting. To give people a place to start, in terms of also putting ecological theory into practice. Which is also a very Franciscan approach.

JPIC animators need to engage everyone in our Order and encourage ownership of the process by all in our order, involving and using the diverse gifts of all who are in the Order, toward JPIC ends. It can't be a clic or somebody's baby. It also can't be about identity politics, Brother James is right on, it should not for exampple, it needs to adress the issues and concerns of a variety of groups, with "Peace and Justice" being applied consistantly to all oppressed groups, including peoples with disabilties and the nonhuman world, which consistantly gets left off such agendas.

In other words, it needs to take a human rights approach even an ecosystem rights approach (rights and justice for everyone) versus a civil rights approach (getting rights and justice for certian oppressed groups). The problem with a civil rights approach is that it's pierce-meal, which can result in certian groups and individuals falling through the cracks, while two or more minority groups, fighting each other. As Amesty International Says, "If rights can not be guarnteed for everyone, they can be guarnteed for any one."

Also, special sentivity should be given when Irsael issues are adressed. We should not un-critically and blindly support either side, but take into special consideration the history and complext nature of this conflict. I know as a cultural Jew, that we in the "Peace and Justice" movement are being precieved by the Jewish community as being anti-Semetic. And, at time, rightly so.

So, it is also critical when these issues come-up, that we are sentitive to both langauge and history. The Holocaust was not in the so-distant past. To give you a bench-park, that we are not dealing with the not so distant past, I am only a 30-year late Generation Xer, I personally know Holucaust surviors, who were elders in my community. One of them I knew, is still alive, and is still very much traumatized by this and is suffering greatly because of something which happened decades ago. And, they are still convicting Nazi War criminals to date.

I do appreciate though, that as Christian and Franciscans, we have concerns about wanting Peace in the Middle East, concerns about unquestioned violence and oppression, and the "Just War" approach of the Zionist movement. But, we also need to reckgonize that the Jewish people have also been oppressed too, oftentimes by the Christian Church, e.g., Programes in Easter Europe. So, when Christians speak-out against Zionism or Irsael, it is very much looked at through these lens by the Jewish community. And, it deepens bad feelings Jews have towards Christians and Christianity.

Thanks very much for listening to me and giving me a chance to offer feedback.

Thanks to Alison and Daniel for your thoughtful and constructive comments and suggestions. I am hoping to focus our 2011 Chapter/Convocation (in Detroit) around JPIC issues and hope some more energy on these matters will arise among individual members of OEF as folks read your ideas and offer their own.

Glad to be of help, Sister Nancy. Thanks very much!

A JPIC themed, Chapter/Convocation, is a good way to go, too.

That is part of why I am here! Justice is spoken of but seldom practiced. I love the words of Dan Berrigan, "If you are going to take the Good News seriously, then you better look good on wood." I am here looking for a spiritual expression that tries to do that. Quakers my own tradition are often afraid to really stand up for Justice, afraid to take risk like James Reeb,Eta Ford, Dorothy Stang, Martin and Malcolm. Oscar Romero, and our own Tom Fox, ignored, so we don't have to somewhere stand in his shoes. Our own Brother Francis is remembered more for hanging out with animals, then risking his life to try and stop a Crusade. Standing against Racism, Sexism, Economic Injustice, that brings about the death of thousands of young people of color in our urban streets. There are so many concerns but I only name a few. My role if I become a brother is to stand as a sign to live as a sign of hope and Justice. Bring on a JPIC themed Chapter/Convocation. I will do my best to be there!!!

Hey Greg, the August retreat is going to be focused on JPIC, so come on down!

1) How important is JPIC to a Franciscan spirituality? What issues can the Order pursue?
It is essential –at least it is if there is not a priority implied in the arrangement of the words. If what I think is a rearrangement of the original configuration from ICJP gives stress to “Justice”, however, it will inevitably open up the possibility of a single focus and definition of what is just and whose ox has been unjustly gored by the unjust. This has been my experience with the UCC in which the political process has been used to define what “justice” should be sought.
I believe that when JPIC becomes a matter of individual issues rather than a holistic life-style pursued by individuals and communities – taking in the whole integral creation -- numerous caucuses with equally numerous agendas arise – often in competition for resources of time, funds and the energy of groups and individuals.
On the other hand if each person and group of persons joined n JPIC (or ICJP) communion is committed to
“not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned…” then JPIC in any manifestation is not only essential to a Franciscan spirituality, I believe it to be integral to Franciscan charism as a whole. In other words, it is defines what and how we live daily.

2) The order and individual efforts on JPIC-related issues:
Each individual effort could be recognized, honored and “publicized” with an invitation to support each effort in whatever way the Holy Spirit moves individuals and groups of individuals to respond.