By Courtney Hall, Lutheran Office of Public Policy – California [ABOUT THE AUTHOR]
In all honesty, I feel I have lost sense of what the phrase “common good” even means today. In a world so divided, what I view as the common good may be the antithesis of my neighbor’s beliefs; so, who decides? Is it those with power, is it a popular vote, is it those with the most influence? As I try to understand how my role as a faith-based advocate contributes to the common good, I am left with more questions than answers.
It is in times like these, I think, that our faith is most important—not just our faith in a God, but our faith in each other – our faith in our neighbors that despite any differences we may have, we all want the same thing.
STRUGGLES WITH LEGALITY AND MORALITY
In college, I studied history, so that is often the lens through which I view the world. History can often be cyclical, providing a road map of what is to come based on what has already happened. Today, I believe we find ourselves headed down an all too familiar road, facing an internal struggle of legality and morality opposing each other. Throughout history, there have been many examples of this. Just because something is legal does not mean it is moral. There are, of course, the obvious examples of this, such as the apartheid in South Africa. However, there are also smaller instances that we may not think about day to day. For example, it is illegal to steal; however, is it moral to punish a starving person who is stealing food to survive? Should the legal consequences of such an act be placed on the individual who is suffering or the system that puts them in that situation to begin with?
Neither train of thought is inherently evil nor corrupt; rather, it is simply a variety of opinions. In both instances, it would be valid to say that holding the chosen party accountable is for the common good.
GUIDING LIGHT
I often find myself feeling hopeless and disillusioned with the world around me as if I am a ship lost at sea, surrounded by darkness. The world is overwhelming, and it is easy to feel lost. Our differences and disagreements can often cloud our judgment and make us lose sight of what is truly important.
And just when I think it is time to give up, I see a faint light off in the distance. This light is my faith, guiding me like a lighthouse guides a ship to safety through the darkness.
INSTEAD OF BLAME
Faith-based advocates can point to that guiding light when people feel overwhelmed and lost in the world of politics. One of their roles is to help people make sense of the confusion and chaos of all the different policies that are proposed, especially when policies conflict with our values.
A lot of my work thus far has been focused on the governor’s proposed budget and how we can work to ensure the safety of vital programs that help marginalized communities. Understandably, there are major concerns over the continued support of such programs in the wake of the devastating wildfires in Southern California, which will take up a lot of available resources. Realistically, programs that are important
will be cut, and people we know will have to deal with the consequences of those decisions.
These budget cuts will likely sow further divisions in our communities if we place the blame on each other for an impossible situation. However, it is not your neighbor’s fault if a program they use is saved and a program you use is not. Instead of blaming each other, we need to lean on each other, lean on our shared communities to help those who are struggling.
POINTING TO THE GUIDING LIGHT
Yes, these times of divisiveness raise questions about our futures, however, my work with faith-based advocates has given me hope that as long as we continue to follow that guiding light, we will make it to shore safely. We simply need to keep track of our shared goals, where our actions support a world and humanity created in God’s image, with love, grace and compassion for all who inhabit it.
Courtney Hall (she/her) began working with the Lutheran Office of Public Policy in California as an ELCA Hunger Advocacy Fellow in October 2024. Miss Hall is originally from Long Beach, California but lived in South Carolina for the past four years attending Clemson University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History with a double minor in Political Science and Religious Studies.
