Social justice advocacy is been defined as organised efforts aimed at influencing public attitudes, policies, and laws to create a more socially just society, guided by a vision of human rights that may include awareness of socio-economic inequities, protection of social rights as well as racial identity, gender diversity, bodily autonomy, experiences of oppression, and spirituality.
Social justice advocacy is believed to be one of the most powerful mechanisms for creating social change.
When appropriate and necessary, our social justice advocacy includes taking legal action against parties who violate members religious, personal and human rights.
Religious Reproductive Rights
Consistent with our decades-long advocacy for unfettered bodily autonomy without the threat of intimidation, bullying and violence from “Right to Life” terrorists, our Religious Reproductive Rights Protections project stands with faith leaders from the Jewish, Unitarian Universalist, United Church of Christ, Episcopal Church, Lutheran Women’s Caucus and the Satanic Temple to raise religious and ethical objections to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, state-enacted restrictions and human rights violations, and the grotesque interference in the religious protections included in the Free Exercise Clause, added as part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, in 1791.
Project Pluralism
Created to affirm and cultivate greater community involvement in the recognition, affirmation and celebration of social, racial, ideological and spiritual pluralism in North America. The Contemplative Order of Compassion is dedicated to preserving and promoting pluralism, and providing resources, advocacy and pastoral counseling for members who seek to have their spiritual traditions represented alongside other religious voices, particularly in the public forum.
LGBTQIA+ Voices (The GenderQueer Spirit Project)
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersexxed people have a unique history as spiritual people, and our expressions of spirituality are being manifested in powerful and healing ways today.
Spirituality comes from the Latin root, spirare, which means to breathe. Our spirit is what animates or quickens us. It is what makes us alive. Spirituality, then, is the practice of staying consciously connected with what makes us alive. And the Genderqueer Spirit Project advocates for members who do not identify by traditional binary gender roles, as well as providing support for those whose gender exploration has led them to affirming their transgender or gender-fluid identities.
Committed to becoming a leading advocate for ensuring members of the LGBTQIA+ community a place at the table… every table… everywhere… every day.
Mental Wellness and Mental Health Initiatives
Designed to support the development of and increased access to safer, science-based programs to address the mental health crisis in North America; while holding accountable the pseudo-science, religious and entrepreneurial quackery that represent a danger to those needing mental health services.
Sobriety and Spirituality – The Ryan Project
Designed to transform the traditional 12-Step approach to addiction and recovery, removing the unhealthy and detrimental constructs of “powerlessness”, and replacing them with a science and evidence-based approach that empowers those suffering from addiction with greater options for reclaiming personal and spiritual empowerment through recovery and sobriety. The Ryan Project is dedicated to the memory of Ryan Biedenbach.
Project E.R.A.S.E.R.
(Eliminating Revisionist Authoritarian Subversion of Education by Religion)
Recognising the agenda of the right-wing authoritarian religious fundamentalists to subvert sound and well-established education in history, science and civics with dangerous revisionist rhetoric, Project ERASER will fight to overturn the decisions made in states such as Texas and Florida, to manipulate the school textbooks and restrict teachers from being able to appropriately, accurately and factually present educational material on topics such as racism, social justice, gender diversity, and science.
TRANScending Gender – Project F.L.A.W.L.E.S.S.
(Finding Love & Acceptance Without Losing Expressive Sovereignty or Significance)
Designed to promote gender diversity, support and free-expression; and to protect access to gender-affirming healthcare for children and adults, protected by religious protections under the Free Exercise Clause.
