I58-Network

I58 Collective Statement

I58 is a fellowship of radical Christians involved in direct action movements and grassroots political activities. We make our decisions together as a community bound by faith and have no need for leaders. We stand together against injustice in its various forms and the economical and political structures that allow them to exist.

Power and profit have brought us a world of war, environmental destruction and global exploitation. We stand against these for the dignity of all God's creation.

Our faith motivates and sustains us as we build a better world, free of
discrimination on any grounds, including race, gender, sexuality, legal
status, age, etc. We both pray and act and we are conscious that God
really is with us.

(Collective Statement agreed at October 2007 gathering).

A bit more about us...
I58 is about calling Christians to participate in direct action movements. Since the G8 visited Scotland in 2005, we've been present in some form at various gatherings of activists and have taken action on a range of issues, including Climate Change, the injustices of 'Global Capital' and Nuclear Weapons Replacement.

We've prayed at campsites and social centres being used as launchpads for action, taken part in many different actions (sometimes still praying as we go), and even lain in a road dressed as Mary, Joseph and the Donkey to blockade a nuclear submarine base. There's always opportunities for people to get involved in supporting roles, as well, ranging from cooking to 'legal observing'. We've also done the odd training workshop, giving people skills to handle common situations that arise in Non-Violent Direct Action and protests in general.

'I58' itself is a reference to a chapter in the bible, Isaiah 58, in which God demands his followers act justly towards the poor before spending time on elaborate worship exercises; when his followers allow injustice to prevail, God sees his followers' worship as empty and meaningless. (read it here). It's also a reference to the method of naming the major anti-capitalist protests of the late 90's, like J18 and N30 (i.e. N30 = Nov 30th 1999, Seattle).

It is a sad fact that while Jesus teachings were very radical, not just spiritually but also economically and politically, the church today, especially in the UK, has almost completely lost its saltiness on the issues which affect the lives of the most vulnerable. We've gotten too close to power, watered down the bits that got in the way, and become a lot too comfortable, while going on with our regular cycles of worship.

Look around, and often there's plenty of other people pushing in the right direction. Its not the presence of non-Christians which we see as a problem, its the lack of Christians. As I58 we've worked to change that, and have begun to get recognition amongst some groups of activists, even if we've a long way to go with the church! We continue to be involved with activism in the UK, especially the emerging movement of direct action against Climate Change.

We work through an email list when not together in the same place, and attempt to use the same consensus decision making methods used by other direct action groups. Occasionally we get together away from the action to discuss theology/theory and/or where we go next, and you are welcome to come along and find out more.