Word from Winkler — A prophet-driven economy

Five years ago, a group of leaders from five faith communities issued a declaration that helped to change the terms of debate in the halls of power.

We believe our federal budget is a moral document.

The declaration — from The United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church USA and the United Church of Christ — was: "We believe our federal budget is a moral document and should reflect our historic national commitment for those in our own country who suffer from hunger, lack of education, jobs, housing, and medical care as well as concern for our global community."

Since that time, unfortunately, a global economic crisis has thrown many millions of people into poverty.

How we spend our money as individuals, as congregations, and as a nation reflects our priorities. The United Methodist Social Principles state:

As a church, we are called to support the poor and challenge the rich. To begin to alleviate poverty, we support such policies as: adequate income maintenance, quality education, decent housing, job training, meaningful employment opportunities, adequate medical and hospital care, humanization and radical revisions of welfare programs, work for peace in conflict areas and efforts to protect creation’s integrity. (¶163, The Economic Community, E.)

As 2010 dawns, the General Board of Church & Society has resolved to introduce a focus on a “Prophet-Driven Economy.” We will make every effort to help United Methodists raise their voices on behalf of those in need.

As a denomination, we have a history of speaking out and working on the behalf of the disadvantaged among us. More than a century ago, our denomination’s first Social Creed called for “a living wage in every industry. For the highest wage that each industry can afford, and for the most equitable division of the products of industry that can ultimately be devised.”

And, today one of The United Methodist Church’s four focus areas is ministry with the poor: Not ministry for the poor but ministry with the poor.

Sometimes, people will tell me the church should not be concerned with specific policies and legislation.

Sometimes, people will tell me the church should not be concerned with specific policies and legislation. I respond: Since when? From the earliest days, our ancestors in the faith have been very specific in both the Old and New Testaments about actively caring for human needs and ensuring justice for all.

Israel’s early law codes required the meeting of human needs and the guarantee of basic economic and legal rights: food (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 23:21-22; 24:19-22), clothing (Exodus 26-27), just business dealings (Deuteronomy 25:13-16), and access to just judicial process.

Special concern is expressed for the marginalized in society: the poor (Exodus 23:6; Deuteronomy 15:7-11), the disabled (Mark 2:1-12), the stranger (Exodus 22:21-24; 23:9), the sojourner (Deuteronomy 10:19), the widow and the orphan (Deuteronomy 24:19-22).

And, these are far from the only verses instructing God’s people to get involved and stay involved on behalf of the marginalized in society.

Our ministry is biblically based. Just as the prophets were concerned about mistreatment of the poor, we too must seek to change structures of injustice.

The United Methodist Church, as a covenant community committed to God’s justice, must work toward a just global economy. To be God’s real community, we must realize that people are not here to serve an economic system, but rather, economic systems must serve people to ensure all can live in God’s abundance.