Community of Christ – Arizona Interfaith Movement

Community of Christ published in AZCentral

Faith Matters

Diana Hansen

Guest Columnist

Community of Christ has been my chosen faith since baptism as a child. I haven’t always actively attended, yet the core of who we are and who we hope to become is a journey so compelling I’ve continually been drawn back into its embrace. This article is about what compels me to reside, grow, and serve within this faith group. It is both personal (‘me’) and communal (‘we’), and while our future beckons and grounds us more strongly than our past to honor the shoulders we stand upon in this moment, our past is where I’ll briefly begin.

We are part of the faith group that, in 1830, followed Joseph Smith, Jr. until his murder 12 years later. We are the several small groups who, rather than following Brigham Young westward, stayed and waited for Joseph Smith III to come of age and lead. These groups’ faith leaders disagreed on many issues, and Joseph III, a respected local attorney by trade, listened with an understanding that where we stepped next mattered as much, if not more, than where we stood then. In 1860, we came together as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. After 171 years of steps, both large and small (i.e., ordination of women), in 2001, we became the Community of Christ – a name that still beckons us to make Christ’s mission our mission. We moved forward through national conferences to uphold and perform same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQI+ persons.

Our mission statement throughout the world is… ‘We proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace.’ We have five mission initiatives: Invite people to Christ, Abolish Poverty, End (needless) Suffering, Pursue Peace on Earth, Develop Disciples to Serve, and Experience Congregations in Mission. These mission initiatives guide and help focus our congregational and church-wide endeavors.

Our nine Enduring Principles, based in scripture and Jesus Christ’s example, help guide us deeper into Christian compassion and an understanding of God’s divine love for all peoples, and all of creation. Our Enduring Principles are… Grace and Generosity; Sacredness of Creation; Continuing Revelation; Worth of All Persons; All are Called; Responsible Choices; Pursuit of Peace (Shalom); Unity in Diversity; and Blessings of Community. We remain works in progress and are still taking steps.

Through these principles I am challenged to grow into who God created me to both be and become. While human nature may want faith to be unchangeable or monolithic, for me, God is an artist and architect, and change is part of life’s equation. There are unknowns and new tomorrows. Our principles help me see the world and all life upon it as worthy and sacred and change as holy when selfless compassion is at the core.

So, wherever you are in life, I hope you know how deeply you are loved by the One God who made you. May you be blessed by the goodness of creation and encircled by a community that sees your worth. May you compassionately share that worth with others in ways that foster understanding, hope, and peace. May the peace of Christ be with you.