The Ministers for Racial, Social and Economic Justice (MRS EJ) are an association of Christian ministers that actively pursues political resolution of Racial, Social and Economic Justice issues. MRS EJ is the clergy component of the African-American historically under represented peoples of the United Church of Christ. Although it operates separately from United Black Christians, the lay component of the African-American historically under represented peoples, the two entities do sometimes work together on pronouncements within the UCC.
According to their web page, they are a group that seeks to "address racial justice, within the structure of the church and within the world, to focus on economic justice, noting that economic denial is one facet of racism, and to give voice and power to the many social issues where people are denied justice."
The organization has been involved in the anti-war movement in opposition to the invasion of Iraq and its National President, Rev. Graylan Hagler, was featured as a peace movement leader in the Martin Sheen-narrated documentary film Finding Our Voices: Stories of American Dissent".
In addition to peace-related activities, MRSEJ was also in the news in September 2005 for calling upon the U.S. Congress to censure President George W. Bush for his mishandled response to Hurricane Katrina.
Famous quotes containing the words ministers, social, economic and/or justice:
“One of the ministers of Truro, when I asked what the fishermen did in the winter, answered that they did nothing but go a- visiting, sit about, and tell stories, though they worked hard in summer. Yet it is not a long vacation they get. I am sorry that I have not been there in winter to hear their yarns.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Can you conceive what it is to native-born American women citizens, accustomed to the advantages of our schools, our churches and the mingling of our social life, to ask over and over again for so simple a thing as that “we, the people,” should mean women as well as men; that our Constitution should mean exactly what it says?”
—Mary F. Eastman, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4 ch. 5, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)
“We have heard all of our lives how, after the Civil War was over, the South went back to straighten itself out and make a living again. It was for many years a voiceless part of the government. The balance of power moved away from it—to the north and the east. The problems of the north and the east became the big problem of the country and nobody paid much attention to the economic unbalance the South had left as its only choice.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“Though Justice against Fate complain,
And plead the antient Rights in vain:
But those do hold or break
As Men are strong or weak.”
—Andrew Marvell (1621–1678)