Greeting to our comrades in the United States. In the past, you have been members of the International League of Religious Socialists, the longest-lived socialist organization in Europe. For its centennial Congress, the ILRS met in Barcelona in April and also participated in the Global Progressive Mobilisation Conference that brought together 5,000 people from trade unions, social democratic and socialist parties, and movements fighting for justice and peace.

During the ILRS Congress I had the honor of being elected president, along with an 11-member executive committee. In my home country of Norway, I am the leader of Kristne Arbeidere (Christian Labour), an independent organization within the Norwegian Labour Movement.

Photo of the newly elected executive committee of the ILRS: From the left: Vice President Carlos García de Andoín, Treasurer Jochen Geraedts, substitute member of the Executive committee Linda Rehn Sundström, President Jan Rudy Kristensen, Vice President Miryam Ghersi Pérez.

The ILRS is an organization for reflection and action that brings together national organizations of religious people who channel their political commitment through socialist and social-democratic parties. The member organizations are for the most part Christians, but membership is not limited to one faith. As Europe has become multifaith, so has the ILRS. Our hope is to expand beyond eurocentrism.

We don’t believe in religious states, but we believe in practicing our faith and taking the values of our faith out to the people. Faith that does not influence our attitudes toward other humans, becomes a dead and dormant faith. 

Our member organizations want to build bridges among communities and parties committed to policies in favor of peace, social justice, the care of the planet, gender equality and LGBTQI+ rights. We live in an unsafe world, and much of what the labor movement has built is threatened by right-wing populism and right-wing extremism.

In its Constitution, the ILRS states that one of its primary aims is “to reduce the historical prejudices and to overcome the traditional prejudices between religious believers, religious communities and the socialist movement.” 

Religious socialists choose to believe in a future that is good for people. The labor movement has always been working with faith in the future, and we will continue to do so. I believe that goodness triumphs over evil, that solidarity triumphs over selfishness, fair distribution triumphs over injustice, love triumphs over hatred,  and dialogue and peace triumph over war.

We are happy to have reopened communication with the Religion and Socialism Working Group in DSA and we hope to continue dialogue with you.

The world needs us more than ever!

Jan Rudy Kristensen is the president of the International League of Religious Socialists.

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