Evangelicals for Social Action

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Summary:

Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA) is an association of Christians seeking to promote Christian engagement, analysis and understanding of major social, cultural and public policy issues. ESA's board of directors includes many prominent leaders of moderate and progressive evangelicalism. ESA emphasizes both the transformation of human lives through personal faith and also the importance of a commitment to social and economic justice as an outgrowth of Christian faith.

ESA began with the "Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern," written at a Thanksgiving gathering that the Chicago Sun-Times described as the most significant church-related event of 1973. Until 1978, ESA's activity was an annual conference on biblical faith and social concern. From 1978-87, ESA had a broad educational focus informing Christians about the importance of social concern via newsletters and conferences. In September 1987, Ronald J. Sider (currently professor of theology and culture at Eastern Baptist Seminary), who had been ESA's founder and chair of the board, became executive director and launched a period of expansion. Major growth has occurred.

ESA publishes PRISM, a bi-monthly magazine on holistic church ministry and sponsors Word & Deed Network, a resource-rich website whose mission is “To nurture and strengthen local congregations, pastors, and lay leaders who are committed to and engaged in holistic mission by offering materials, developing new channels of communication, and researching what congregations most need to increase their holistic ministry.”

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