> ## Knowledge Base Index
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> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
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# What We Believe How We Serve Ways We Grow Who We Are News and More New to the UMC? Donate 
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_The United Methodist Church believes God's love for the world is an active and engaged love, a love seeking justice and liberty. We cannot just be observers. So we care enough about people's lives to risk interpreting God's love, to take a stand, to call each of us into a response, no matter how controversial or complex. The church helps us think and act out a faith perspective, not just responding to all the other 'mind-makers-up' that exist in our society."_

Excerpt from _The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church 2016_. Copyright © 2016 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.

## [Preface: Social Principles](https://www.umc.org/en/content/preface-social-principles)

The Social Principles are a prayerful and thoughtful effort of the General Conference to speak to the issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/preface-social-principles)

## [Preamble](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-preamble)

We affirm our unity in Jesus Christ while acknowledging differences in applying our faith in different cultural contexts as we live out the gospel. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-preamble)

## [The Natural World](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-natural-world)

All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-natural-world)

## [The Nurturing Community](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-nurturing-community)

We believe we have a responsibility to innovate, sponsor, and evaluate new forms of community that will encourage development of the fullest potential in individuals. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-nurturing-community)

## [The Social Community](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-social-community)

We affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of God's sight. We reject discrimination and assert the rights of minority groups to equal opportunities. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-social-community)

## [The Economic Community](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-economic-community)

We claim all economic systems to be under the judgment of God no less than other facets of the created order. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-economic-community)

## [The Political Community](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-political-community)

We hold governments responsible for the protection of people’s basic freedoms. We believe that neither church nor state should attempt to dominate the other. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-political-community)

## [The World Community](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-world-community)

God’s world is one world. We pledge ourselves to seek the meaning of the gospel in all issues that divide people and threaten the growth of world community. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/social-principles-the-world-community)

## [Our Social Creed](https://www.umc.org/en/content/our-social-creed)

Our Social Creed is a statement of faith reflecting our Social Principles. [Read More](https://www.umc.org/en/content/our-social-creed)