Methodist Federation for Social Action
Encyclopedia
The Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) is an independent network of United Methodist clergy and laity working for justice in the areas of peace, poverty, and people's rights since 1907.
of poverty and social inequality. In an effort to transform the social order and address human suffering, members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
(MEC) created in 1907 the organization that would come to be called the Methodist Federation for Social Service and later the Methodist Federation for Social Action. The aims of their Methodist Federation for Social Service (MFSS) were inspired in a large part by the importance that Methodism founder John Wesley
placed on work for the betterment of humankind, and shared the theological
grounding of the broader Protestant Social Gospel
movement, which articulated a normative relationship between the Biblical
teachings of Jesus Christ and efforts toward systemic
social change.
Originally the Methodist Federation for Social Service, MFSA was founded in 1907 in Washington, DC after meeting with President Roosevelt. Several Methodist Episcopal clergy (including Frank Mason North, author of "Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life") organized the Federation to direct church attention to the enormous human suffering among the working class.
MFSA met with immediate success in rallying American Methodists around Social Gospel issues, and the MEC General Conference of 1908 adopted the denomination's historic Social Creed
which was penned by the leadership of the Federation. The social creed has been adapted several times but is also the basis for many of the civil and human rights laws that exist today. The lines between the nominally independent Federation and the MEC proper were quickly blurred as the former was charged with the coordination of Social Creed-related ministries. The collaboration was a productive one, however, with MFSA members encouraging significant contributions to the labor rights
, Temperance
, and Women's Suffrage
movements by the denomination, while conducting cutting-edge advocacy under their organization's own auspices.
For almost four decades thereafter the Federation was led by Bishop Francis John McConnell
and Harry F. Ward, an outstanding church ethicist and activist. During the 1920s and 1930's this leadership was fully shared by Winifred Chappell, a deaconess and devoted advocate for the workers' struggle.
In the 1930s the Federation adopted as its goal the replacement of an economic system based on the struggle for profit by "social-economic planning to develop a society without class or group discriminations and privileges." By the onset of the 1930s and the Great Depression
, the MFSA consensus position on economic affairs had come to question the basic capitalist
underpinnings of the U.S. economy, and the Federation joined the ranks of those advocating for a functional socialist
alternative.
The 1940s were a time of continued growth for the MFSA, as it continued its economic justice activities while contributing to the World War II
peace movement
.
MFSA attained the height of its growth just following World War II under the leadership of Jack McMichael. However, with the coming of the anti-communist hysteria of the McCarthy period, relations with The Methodist Church became very strained and the Federation came under sharp attack.
In the wake of these events MFSA experienced a serious decline. However, a dedicated remnant, including such leaders as Mark Chamberlin and Lee and Mae Ball, saw the importance of an independent advocate of social action in the church and kept the Federation alive, above all - through the publication of the Social Questions Bulletin (which begun in 1911).
Over the past six decades MFSA has experienced a broad revival and has re-established the Federation as a force within United Methodism. In 1974 MFSA sent organizers to support the striking non-professionals at the UM hospital in Pikeville, Kentucky. In 1979 the Federation issued a documented study of the New Far Right presence in the denomination and rallied forces to stem its influence. MFSA was the leading force in the struggle for UM support of disinvestment from South Africa
, especially by the Board of Pensions. The Federation continues to make a major impact every four years at the denomination's General Conference. New MFSA conference chapters continue to be organized and now total 38 chapters, with representation in every jurisdiction. There are several new chapters in the formation process.
The Federation unites activist United Methodists to promote action on the liberation issues of peace, poverty and people's right while confronting the church and society and to witness to the transformation of the social order that is intrinsic to the church's entire life, including its evangelism, preaching, counseling, and spirituality.
A short history
The first decades of the 20th century were a time of heightened awareness in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of poverty and social inequality. In an effort to transform the social order and address human suffering, members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
(MEC) created in 1907 the organization that would come to be called the Methodist Federation for Social Service and later the Methodist Federation for Social Action. The aims of their Methodist Federation for Social Service (MFSS) were inspired in a large part by the importance that Methodism founder John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
placed on work for the betterment of humankind, and shared the theological
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
grounding of the broader Protestant Social Gospel
Social Gospel
The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the early 20th century United States and Canada...
movement, which articulated a normative relationship between the Biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
teachings of Jesus Christ and efforts toward systemic
Systemic
Systemic refers to something that is spread throughout, system-wide, affecting a group or system such as a body, economy, market or society as a whole. Systemic may also refer to:-In medicine:...
social change.
Originally the Methodist Federation for Social Service, MFSA was founded in 1907 in Washington, DC after meeting with President Roosevelt. Several Methodist Episcopal clergy (including Frank Mason North, author of "Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life") organized the Federation to direct church attention to the enormous human suffering among the working class.
MFSA met with immediate success in rallying American Methodists around Social Gospel issues, and the MEC General Conference of 1908 adopted the denomination's historic Social Creed
Social Creed (Methodist)
The Social Creed originated to express Methodism's outrage over the miserable lives of the millions of workers in factories, mines, mills, tenements and company towns. It was adopted by the Methodist Episcopal Church, the first denomination in Christendom to adopt an official Social Creed...
which was penned by the leadership of the Federation. The social creed has been adapted several times but is also the basis for many of the civil and human rights laws that exist today. The lines between the nominally independent Federation and the MEC proper were quickly blurred as the former was charged with the coordination of Social Creed-related ministries. The collaboration was a productive one, however, with MFSA members encouraging significant contributions to the labor rights
Labor rights
Labor rights or workers' rights are a group of legal rights and claimed human rights having to do with labor relations between workers and their employers, usually obtained under labor and employment law. In general, these rights' debates have to do with negotiating workers' pay, benefits, and safe...
, Temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
, and Women's Suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
movements by the denomination, while conducting cutting-edge advocacy under their organization's own auspices.
For almost four decades thereafter the Federation was led by Bishop Francis John McConnell
Francis John McConnell
Francis John McConnell was an American social reformer and a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1912.Born on August 18, 1871, in Trinway, Ohio, he died on August 18, 1953, in Lucasville, Ohio....
and Harry F. Ward, an outstanding church ethicist and activist. During the 1920s and 1930's this leadership was fully shared by Winifred Chappell, a deaconess and devoted advocate for the workers' struggle.
In the 1930s the Federation adopted as its goal the replacement of an economic system based on the struggle for profit by "social-economic planning to develop a society without class or group discriminations and privileges." By the onset of the 1930s and the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the MFSA consensus position on economic affairs had come to question the basic capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
underpinnings of the U.S. economy, and the Federation joined the ranks of those advocating for a functional socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
alternative.
The 1940s were a time of continued growth for the MFSA, as it continued its economic justice activities while contributing to the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
peace movement
Peace movement
A peace movement is a social movement that seeks to achieve ideals such as the ending of a particular war , minimize inter-human violence in a particular place or type of situation, often linked to the goal of achieving world peace...
.
MFSA attained the height of its growth just following World War II under the leadership of Jack McMichael. However, with the coming of the anti-communist hysteria of the McCarthy period, relations with The Methodist Church became very strained and the Federation came under sharp attack.
In the wake of these events MFSA experienced a serious decline. However, a dedicated remnant, including such leaders as Mark Chamberlin and Lee and Mae Ball, saw the importance of an independent advocate of social action in the church and kept the Federation alive, above all - through the publication of the Social Questions Bulletin (which begun in 1911).
Over the past six decades MFSA has experienced a broad revival and has re-established the Federation as a force within United Methodism. In 1974 MFSA sent organizers to support the striking non-professionals at the UM hospital in Pikeville, Kentucky. In 1979 the Federation issued a documented study of the New Far Right presence in the denomination and rallied forces to stem its influence. MFSA was the leading force in the struggle for UM support of disinvestment from South Africa
Disinvestment from South Africa
Disinvestment from South Africa was first advocated in the 1960s, in protest of South Africa's system of Apartheid, but was not implemented on a significant scale until the mid 1980s...
, especially by the Board of Pensions. The Federation continues to make a major impact every four years at the denomination's General Conference. New MFSA conference chapters continue to be organized and now total 38 chapters, with representation in every jurisdiction. There are several new chapters in the formation process.
The Federation unites activist United Methodists to promote action on the liberation issues of peace, poverty and people's right while confronting the church and society and to witness to the transformation of the social order that is intrinsic to the church's entire life, including its evangelism, preaching, counseling, and spirituality.
External links
- SWTMFSA.org, Southwest Texas Conference Chapter of MFSA (SWTMFSA)]
- Cal-pacmfsa.org, California-Pacific Conference Chapter of MFSA (Cal-Pac MFSA)
- OIMFSA.org, Oregon - Idaho Chapter of MFSA (OIMFSA)