The CHRISTIAN COUNCIL FOR MONETARY JUSTICE takes the form of an ‘Open Congregation’ raising and affirming Christian contributions concerning wealth, money and public truth. Its action is as leaven in society.
Abstract: Our ‘open congregation’, unbounded by institutional drag and aided by the internet, aims to raise awareness of the significance, justice and efficiency of a monetary system not based on interest-bearing debt (as at present) but rather on making increasing use of a central bank-issued interest-free loan supply (which would be counter inflationary) for the development and spreading of productive (and the associated purchasing) capacity to all individuals in the population. We study and share widely models that move economics towards an interest-free system that could widen capital ownership and purchasing power and provide a Citizen’s Basic Income. while tackling the most savage of the underlying financial causes behind climate change, rich-poor division and rampant poverty.
We believe all churches should study the underlying driver of climate change, namely the basic nature of a monetary system that requires the creation of more and more interest-bearing debt thereby occasioning both frenetic activity and short termism and which denies the use of interest free loans for environmental capital projects (e.g. tidal barrages for clean electricity). The system also fails to distinguish between administration cost (which is necessary) and interest (which is not necessary) for the construction of public capital works, (e.g. hospitals, sewage works, bridges), and the spreading of productive capacity to all individuals. This is to restore debate about the insidious effect of usury and to examine extant serious alternatives and their implementation.
There has been a marked increase in awareness of late and CCMJ maintains a work-in-progress record of 140 innovative initiatives taken in their appropriate setting by associates of the Council.
At the core of our work lies the weekly meetings of the Global Open Table which were held at Friends House, Euston since 1997, and later at the School of Economic Science, Mandeville Place, near Bond Street. This table has encouraged the writing and international dissemination of a number of books promoting inclusive justice by transformation of the monetary system. [See ‘Publications’ below] .
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CCMJ is a small advancing force in the global justice movement and its members own the GJM website at www.globaljusticemovement.net. Its associates own the sites given at the outset. CCMJ seeks through open groups, now reaching several thousand people, to raise, sustain and develop the Christian perspective on the structures undermining societal well being and planetary stewardship, drawing inspiration from the past and combining that inspiration with insights into the present thereby creating a new understanding of reality as a new paradigm.
From the Christian past come: – • a prohibition of riba (interest) – money making money is exploitative and undermines the Golden Rule • a strong ethical sense – the energy expressed in the word God is ceaseless creativity in a dynamic system • a sense of planetary stewardship or custodian ship [‘our God of gifts is embarrassed by possession’] • a demand for structural social and economic justice (as opposed to mere palliative charity).
From the present come key insights including: – • money today is created out of nothing as debt on which riba/interest is imposed • in respect of newly-created central bank loans which are lent interest-free for the spreading of productive or environmental capital purpose, riba/interest – as distinct from administrative and any other essential cost – is not merely wrong and debilitative of the economy and society but is not necessary • the technological capacity exists to eliminate poverty and thus continuing poverty is the fault of human institutions and practices rather than of any inadequacy of equipment or expertise.
CCMJ says that past and present can then come together to create a new economics, a new politics, a new social morality, an end to economic colonialism, a diminution of the national debt, an improvement in the position of women, a basic income and policy to unite differing groups.
Inter-faith dialogue is important in a dangerous world but CCMJ goes much further than dialogue because its policy and concepts are of deep appeal to both the Islamic and Christian faiths. As an example, one Christian CCMJ member is now Visiting Professor teaching on the Islamic Economics & Finance program at Trisakti University, Jakarta − Trisakti is the birthplace of the Indonesian reformasi revolution –www.binaryeconomics.net – and another associate, himself a Muslim, is a leading Islamic author on the subject of riba/interest. We work with the American Monetary Institute – www.monetary.org – and support bold initiatives in Italy, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere.
CCMJ members exert influence by acting as leaven in existing or generated study opportunities. We attend international conferences, and are interviewed on radio and TV. One member has given a succession of ten interviews on a New York TV. We also run seminars and workshops, attend conferences, give TV and radio interviews and are developing new websites.
CCMJ does not lack boldness and is always prepared to state that behind climate change, consumerism, individualism and many other presenting symptoms, are causes that few feel able to contemplate or tackle. Please visit our website at www.ccmj.org but our general attitude on underlying drivers can also be seen at www.savingcommunities.org/issues
In the four causes below CCMJ particularly concentrates on the first as the most needing correction and, at the same time, a correction that, if the necessary political will can be galvanised, is quite easily done.
1. MONEY MONOPOLY IN A DEBT BASED SYSTEM. We propose a competing supply of interest free money
2. DEMOCRACY. We propose a deepening of democracy by giving people more control over their everyday lives. This means clean water, hospitals, education and, in particular, some form of independent income for all individuals.
3. LAND AND RESOURCES. We propose the Tobin Tax, a transaction tax and experiment with site valuation tax.
4. MNCs AND TNCs. We propose that corporations should be obliged to recognise their social and environmental obligations,being accounatable for any external costs they create.
METHOD: Although we have a minimal form of organisation, we work as an ‘open congregation’ making visits, speaking at and attending conferences and universities as well as crossing normal boundaries via the Internet and through voluntary contributions of time, insight, expertise, and appropriate placement. The leaven now functions through our associates in the UK, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya, Norway, Iran and the Philippines.
Our perspective is founded in belief in God set in holistic theology and earth system science. We recognise that the inter-disciplinary emergence of a deeper understanding of cosmic interdependence must lead us to a better understanding of social ethics and an economy that works for everyone and protects the earth. [see appendix – ‘Starting with theology to contribute to public truth’]. We understand that one finds a personal saviour in the context of symbiotic creation and earth jurisprudence, translating into social and planetary ethics. We assume universal terms and earth jurisprudence within which to discover the economic order and potential that will tackle the problems confronting humanity.
We outline proposals for effecting gradual change in the monetary system, knowing that any proposal must be seen to be viable and intellectually proofed against any sort of attack if it is to stand any chance at all. We work by our members’ voluntarily initiating and participating in meetings, study groups and Internet networks to raise and sustain awareness of the power and obduracy of the underlying causes, and of the practical proposals for change. We work through books, university teaching, our attendance at various local and international conferences and the personal agency of many members and associates.
* Our websites: www.ccmj.org • www.globaljusticemovement.net • www.globaltable.org.uk • www.binaryeconomics.net • www.prosperityuk.com • www.monies.cc • www.moneyreformparty.org.uk • www.simpol.org • www.monetaryreform.com/ [no. of visits not known, but we receive many responses.]
NETWORKS served, all of which now give open consideration to the case for monetary justice [Numbers involved, known or estimated in brackets]:
* Weekly ‘Open Global Table’ [80 receive a weekly notice] established in 1997
* ‘Forum for Stable Currencies’ [355] established 1997 and the Bromsgrove Gp. Holding annual conference on progress in education and action.
* LETSLink London – advocating, developing and co-ordinating community currencies
* The RSA’s ‘Company as a Living Systems Group’ [24] established in 1997
* The GaiaNet – an interdisciplinary group [30]
* Mission in London’s Economy – MILE – [200] established 2006 – study gp
* ECCR – sensitive dialogue w UK MNCs – attention to the drivers [100] Assoc Corporate member.
* Globalisation for the Common Good [200] Oxford – international
* American Monetary Institute [300] Chicago USA and its Chapters in many US cities.
* Centre for Economic and Social Justice [200] based Washington USA
* SIMPOL a movement to adopt a commitment to co-operation in place of competition as the major societal driver. [300 in UK many more abroad.]
* Work Structuring [100] building on Christian and Diana Schumacher’s practical work
* Methodist World Mission annual conference [250] – workshop and planning
* ‘Shrinking Economies’ and Transition Towns – local action groups [1000s]
* Environmental Law Fdn. – developments in Earth Jurisprudence [200]
* IBF International Islamic banking and finance network [3000] & IEF-Review network]
* The 2009 launch of the Coalition for Economic Justice – bringing fiscal and monetary proposals for radical change into cooperative engagement
# UNITED NATIONS SUBMISSION 2007
‘Islamic money supply and real economy’ conferences – 5 in 2008
# Seminars, workshops and preaching in Local churches by invitation
# Money Reform Party – Belsey [30]
# NZ’s Democrats for Social Credit Party and Living Economies [600] – Challen lecture tour in 2005 – as in Malaysia 2002 and Mauritius 2006 [300]
# Tax Justice network www.taxjustice.net Richard Murphy, PremSikka and John Christensen
# Struggle Against Financial Exploitation – SAFE -Robert Owen
# Founding documents:
– A Christian View of Wealth – Scottish Congregational Union 1963
– Unto the Least – John Ruskin
Publications advised, encouraged, promoted or produced by associates.
Seven Steps to Justice – Rodney Shakespeare and Peter Challen
The Modern Universal Paradigm – Rodney Shakespeare [Binary economics is the expression of a new universal paradigm or new understanding of reality that creates a new economics, a new politics, a new justice and a new morality.] available via www.Moneybooks.co.uk .
Binary Economics – Rodney Shakespeare and Robert Ashford
The Coming First World Debt Crisis. Ann Pettifor
The Grip of Death – Michael Rowbotham
Grace and Mortgage – Bishop Peter Selby [Selby is President of CCMJ]
Sacred Gaia –holistic theology and earth system science’ – Anne Primavesi
Deism and Social Ethics – Robert Corfe – and his other books on social ethics
People-Centred Global Governance – Making it Happen! – John Bunzl
Gaian Democracies: Redefining Globalisation & People-Power –John Jopling and Roy Madron
The Lost Science of Money – Stephen Zarlenga
’Living System – making sense of globalisation’ – Bruce Nixon
‘The Web of Debt – the shocking truth about our money system –the sleight of hand that has trapped us in debt and how we can break free’ – Ellen Hodgson Brown 2007
Quarterly Review – Money reform a regular feature – John Coleman, Sir Richard Body
Islamic Banking – Ian Yearsley – in ‘The Reader’ of the Anglican Church and Fith in Business
‘Absolutely not about Robots – the analysis and perceptions for the engineering of information systems’ – Prof. Ronald Stamper
New Money Text Book – Dr Edward Hamlyn
Where’s the Money to Come From? Brian Leslie
About CCMJ -CCMJ is a non-aligned coalition of thinkers, researchers and activists with a shared concern about the harmful impacts of the present monetary system
The associated network includes: academics; faith groups • financial professionals • development organisations and NGOs • economists; journalists • public-interest groups • trade unions;
Our objectives are: • to raise the level of awareness about the secretive world of money issuance.
• to promote links between interested parties around the world, particularly involving developing countries • to stimulate and organise research, debate and action • to encourage and support national and international campaign activity.
