Picturing Theology

/ 9 9

P i c t u r i n g T h e o l o g y

Empowering People for Freedom, Wholeness, and Justice (continued)

in light of biblical revelation and theology. It enables us to think and act clearly so that we can discern what is right to do and how it should be done. Ethics is concerned that our theology be applied to our behaviors and attitudes. It is not content to simply understand the truth. Instead, it continually seeks to help us discover how to apply the truth (and attempts to motivate us to do so). True ethical behavior means that ethical principles are understood, internalized, and applied to the situation through the development of specific strategies and practices. In an organization, true ethical behavior also requires that strategies and practices undergo regular testing, evaluation and refinement. This ensures that the organization is accomplishing in practice what it affirms in principle. Finally, it should be noted that our experiences always confront us with paradoxes, anomalies and competing priorities. An ethic of development does not attempt to condense life into a neatly packaged system. Rather, it provides principles that will help us to clarify what is most important in the particular situation that are facing. Each ethical decision must involve discussion about how the various principles outlined below interrelate and about which are the most significant values for a given decision. Only in dialogue and in prayer can the correct decision be discerned. The ethical principles of the Kingdom of God can be expressed in the values of freedom, wholeness, and justice. These values are the root and the fruit of doing development from a kingdom perspective. Freedom is the ability to exercise our God-given capacity to make choices that express love. Therefore, development should engender freedom by helping individuals: • Gain dignity and respect. • Be empowered to make wise choices. • Take responsibility for themselves and others. This process involves helping individuals understand and achieve what they need to live freely in community as biblically responsible, self-directing, maturing servants of God’s Kingdom. It implies the development of relationships characterized neither by dependence nor independence, but by loving interdependence that results in partnership, mutuality, and increased freedom.

6. World Impact’s Development Work is Committed to Freedom