Working towards a just, participatory, and sustainable society

At its best, what does our world and society look like? One ‘programme’ comes to mind: “working towards a just, participatory, and sustainable society.” It has stayed with me down the years. It’s not only about values and aims it’s also about practice. [1] We need justice, fairness, even-handedness in [for example] our courts; our financial institutions; and in working conditions. [2] We need to lessen our focus on ideas from war and business and competitive sport and utilise participation, cooperation, negotiation. [3] We need to find new ways of making our society and world more sustainable - given limited resources, our human effect on climate, and now covid-19. [World Council of Churches Nairobi Assembly 1975, Ronald Preston Manchester 1980, WCC Vancouver Assembly 1982].