At the root of my work on ending poverty is knowing that we are all equal as humans and, in my faith, all equally loved by God. This leads to justice. Justice calls us to provide opportunity for all.

At a time when it is important to speak up and be counted for equality, justice and opportunity for all, I have written the Mary Manifesto. It calls for men, especially, and women to support 318 WOMEN to gather in 2025 to review the Christian notion of God and the Creed, 1,700 years after 318 MEN met in Nicaea to do the same.

Why? Because for 1,700 years the very notion of God in Christianity has been defined with a male dominant image by a group of men in the year 325. This impacts and impedes our sense of equality, justice, and opportunity. When one portion of world sees itself as superior to another there is less opportunity for those who are put down.

I am launching the Mary Manifesto to spark a conversation and to join conversations underway #genderequality, the UN #heforshe movement, #sustainabledevelopment #NiUnaMenos #metoo #OrangeTheWorld #endgenderbasedviolence #GenerationEquality.

A man said to me that he was not sure he would sign the Manifesto, as it calls for an all-women meeting and would it not be better if men and women came together in agreement. My answer is that for 1,700 years we have lived with a men’s male-only version of God. If we cannot first encourage and listen to a women’s version, we will never get to a synthesis that gives us a sense of God that speaks to equality, justice and opportunity and ending poverty for all.

Let me know of leading Christian women theologians, clergy, artists and leaders, especially those committed to ending poverty, who want to come together.

Click to read the Mary Manifesto

Thank you,
Jamie Coats