Texts in both the Hebrew Scriptures and throughout the New Testament call for debt cancellation and the righting of relationships every seven years with a super Jubilee every 50th year. The Qu'ran challenges debt by strongly criticizing usury. The Jubilee movement began with an interfaith call for debt cancellation from groups like American Jewish World Service and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

Faith groups continue to play a pivotal role in the debt relief movement. Jubilee USA is a coalition of 650 faith communities around the country and a host of national faith organizations, including the national Lutheran, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ, Methodist and Episcopal churches, American Jewish World Service, the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism and the leadership of numerous Catholic religious orders.

Debt relief is a critical first step in solving these problems, but it is just the first step. To prevent future debt crises, Jubilee USA promotes responsible lending and borrowing principles and works to curb corporate tax avoidance, reform international financial institutions and create an international bankruptcy process. These reforms aim to create a global economy that serves, protects and promotes the participation of the most vulnerable.