Evangelicals for Social Action
Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA) has been around for over 30 years, starting off with the Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern, which confessed a failure to confront injustice, racism and discrimination against women, while pledging to do better. Later, they opposed the Reagan Administration’s funding of the contras against the Sandinista government, while also opposing the way in which the Sandinistas were restricting freedom. Over the years they have worked on nuclear disarmament, environmental issues, and, yes, pro-life causes. ESA cites the following as their guiding principles:
First that biblical faith demands a special concern for the poor; second that faithful Christians must combine evangelism and social action; and third that since the biblical God seems to care about the family and the poor, the sanctity of human life and racial justice, therefore a biblically faithful political engagement must be pro-family and pro-poor, pro-life and pro-racial justice.
In January of last year ESA sponsored a letter to President Bush concerning the need to follow the Biblical mandate to feed the hungry and take care of the poor. The letter was signed by a couple of hundred individuals, including the President of the Council for Christian Colleges, the Director of Hispanic Ministries at the Church of God, the presidents of numerous Christian colleges, the President of the Evangelical Free Church of America, the President of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, and numerous pastors of evangelical churches.
Here is that letter in full.
Dear Mr. President:
We write as evangelical leaders to urge a strengthened, expanded emphasis on overcoming hunger and poverty both here and abroad in the next four years. Precisely the commitment to moral values (including the sanctity of human life) that shapes all our political activity compels us to insist that as a nation we must do more to end starvation and hunger and strengthen the capacity of poor people to create wealth and care for their families.
We are grateful for your faith-based initiative and the way this approach is strengthening the ability of faith-based organizations to bring their unique gifts and passion to the task of overcoming social brokenness and poverty. We are also grateful for the way your administration has expanded the American contribution to economic development and the battle against AIDS in Africa and other developing countries through the Millennium Challenge Account and the AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Initiative. Thank you also for your moral leadership in the fight against human trafficking, your commitment to rebuild the U.S. refugee program, and your sustained efforts to end decades of war in Sudan.
Tragically, however, both at home and abroad, the number of people in poverty remains unacceptably high.
In 2000, virtually every nation on the planet approved the Millennium Development Goals that included a commitment to halve global poverty by 2015. But adequate funds to meet these goals are not being given, and the U.S. ranks absolutely last (as a percentage of GNP) among all developed nations in its governmental assistance to overcome global poverty. Our nation has fallen far short of the increases in health and development assistance that you proposed. The richest nation in history can and must grasp the opportunity to lead. Poverty in our own nation has increased in the last several years and millions more working poor lack health insurance.
We agree with you that there is a poverty of the soul and a poverty of the wallet and that government should not try to solve the first. We pledge to you to strengthen the armies of compassion in order to do more through our faith-based organizations to overcome the poverty of the soul. But our faith-based social service agencies cannot by themselves solve the problem of poverty of the wallet. As you have often said, government can and should help solve this problem. Tragically, millions of Americans today work full time and still fall below the poverty level. The moral values that shape our lives tell us this is wrong. We believe our rich nation should agree that everyone who works full time responsibly will be able to earn enough to rise above the poverty level and enjoy health insurance.
We know there will be powerful pressures, from some places, as you and the Congress work to reduce deficit spending, to cut even effective programs for poor people. We pray that you will not allow this to happen. We pray that God will give you the strength to act like the righteous king in Ps. 72:12-13 and “deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help, take pity on the weak and the needy, and save the needy from death.” We call on you, Mr. President, to declare, in your Inaugural or State of the Union address, that it is the policy of your administration to make the necessary improvements in the next four years so that all Americans who work full time responsibly will be able to escape poverty and enjoy health insurance.
This policy would strengthen the family, discourage divorce, reduce out-of-wedlock births and strengthen moral values in our nation. If the Bible teaches us anything clearly on this issue, it is, as the recent declaration of the National Association of Evangelicals said, that “God measures societies by how they treat the people at the bottom.” A dramatic reduction in poverty, both here and abroad, would honor our Lord who called us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. It would also be a wonderful legacy for you to leave with the American people and indeed the world. Such an outcome is clearly within the reach of the richest nation in history. The moral values you share with us demand no less. We request the opportunity to meet with you and your administration to discuss ways that we can help you strengthen your administration’s efforts to overcome hunger and poverty.
RELEVANT
RELEVANT magazine was launched in 2003 by Cameron Strang, a then 27-year old. Cameron's father, Stephen Strang, founded
Charisma magazine, ministries, and publishing house. And now his son is following in his footsteps. The RELEVANT empire includes: RELEVANT Books, the RELEVANT Network (resources for pastors), RELEVANT Apparel, RELEVANT Solutions (a creative firm), and RELEVANT TV. Here’s a little about Relevant in their own words:
Relevant's tagline is: God. Life. Progressive Culture. We target culture savvy twentysomethings who are looking for purpose, depth and spiritual truth. We speak to an audience of independent thinkers, ones who were raised on pop culture and who are hungry for God but don't embrace dead religion. Our purpose is to challenge Christians to a deeper spiritual walk and a larger worldview.
The website and magazine have stories on Moby and Sufjan Stevens, a directory of churches, articles on how to deal with life (including marriage, the loss of a child, your career), help with your finances, book reviews, original poetry, prayer requests, etc.
A recent article of interest on the website was about
fair trade: “We need to begin making a conscious effort to buy our food in a way that does not oppress others."
Another interesting comment was published in article from
USA Today in 2004: "While evangelical leaders, including his father, call for a ban on gay marriage, Strang says RELEVANT "upholds the same moral standard but questions whether we need the government to enforce our beliefs, our religion, on people who don't adhere to the same faith.""
Merry Christmas
I know the War Against Christmas is long over, but I thought this was interesting: a Christian blog
"thoughts from the cheap seats" picked up this "Letter from Christ" from a couple of
secular bloggers.
Letter From ChristDear Believers,
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking my name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors that decided to celebrate my birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate my birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now that I have that off my chest let me go on:
If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting my birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity on your own front lawn. If all my followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be one every few feet all over town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a "holiday tree" instead of a Christmas tree. That tree never actually symbolized me anyway. The tree was a part of an old pagan ritual people just started calling it by my name, then a few folks added an angel on top and a Nativity at the bottom to remind them of my birth.
If you want to give me a give me a present in remembrance of my birth here is my wish list—just choose something from it.
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way my birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up, it will be nice hearing from you.
4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of my birth. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
5. Pick someone that's hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt take their own life this season because they are feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile—it could make the difference.
7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word.
8.If you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to me,then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in my presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
Finally don't ever forget that I'm God. I can take care of myself. All you need to do is obey my commandments and let me take care of the rest.....
Donald Miller and Blue Like Jazz
I first heard about the clamor around Donald Miller’s book,
Blue Like Jazz: Non-religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality, through an evangelical friend of mine. I was leafing through the pages on the “for sale” desk at
Chapel Hill Bible Church in North Carolina, “Yeah, everyone’s reading it. It’s the new thing. My mom even bought it.” She and many others. As of today, Blue Like Jazz was ranked #147 on Amazon.com books (compare that to Thomas Frank’s
What’s the Matter with Kansas written after
Blue Like Jazz ranked at #1,913). As a 33-year old prominent Christian author,
Wikipedia has even created a spot for him. He’s been interviewed in numerous Christian publications, and sales from his other books aren’t so shabby either.
Blue Like Jazz is about Miller's relationship with Jesus, and his desire for others to have that same type of journey. He begins the book:
I once listened to an Indian on telelvision say that God was in the wind and the water, and I wondered at how beautiful that was because it meant that you could swim in Him or have Him brush your face in a breeze. I am early in my story, but I believe I will stretch out into eternity, and in Heaven I will reflect upon these early days, these days when it seemed God was down a dirt road, walking toward me. Years ago He was a swinging speck in the distance; now He is close enough I can hear His singing. Soon I will see the lines on His face.
But there's also a strong undercurrent of social justice in Miller's writings. His website
Blue Like Jazz features a photo collage of city skylines, portraits, and a protest where one of the most visible signs reads, “That’s right Mr. Bush, we’re against you.” The site also has an “activism” page with links to MoveOn, the ACLU, Amnesty, and many others. He writes:
Christ's endless concern for the poor, oppressed and neglected displays something of the heart of God. And so there may be no greater reward than joining in his concerns by donating our time to organizations which are working diligently to see the wrongfully imprisoned set free, the hungry fed, the oppressor brought to justice, and the sick made well. While few of the organizations listed [MoveOn, ACLU, Amnesty] are specifically Christian organizations, each of them seems to be participating, at least to some degree, in the concerns of our God. Our calling is not to isolate and then help, but to join our fellow men serving the poor and oppressed, whether they share our specific political and religious views or not.
I'll end with another excerpt from Miller, taken from Blue Like Jazz (pps 18-21). Here Miller is on a journey – a journey which may sound strikingly familiar to many progressives across the country:
Earlier that afternoon, the afternoon I got together with Tony, my friend Andrew the Protestor and I went downtown to protest a visit by the President. I felt that Bush was blindly supporting the World Bank and, to some degree, felt the administration was responsible for what was happening in Argentina. Andrew and I made signs and showed up a few hours early. Thousands of people had already gathered, most of them protesting our policy toward Iraq. Andrew and I took pictures of ourselves in front of the cops, loads of cops, all in riot gear like storm troopers from Star Wars.
Andrew’s sign said “Stop America’s Terrorism” – he spelled terrorism wrong. I felt empowered in the sea of people, most of whom were also carrying signs and chanting against corporations who were making slaves of Third World labor; and the Republican Party, who gives those corporations so much power and freedom. I felt so far from my upbringing, from my narrow former self, the me who was taught that the Republicans give a crap about the cause of Christ. I felt a long way from the pre-me, the pawn-Christian who was a Republican because my family was Republican, not because I had prayed and asked God to enlighten me about issues concerning the entire world rather than just America.
When the president finally showed, things got heated. The police mounted horses and charged them into the crowd to push us back. We shouted, in unison, that a horse is not a weapon, but they didn’t listen. The president’s limo turned the corner so quickly I thought he might come tumbling out, and his car was followed by a caravan of shiny black vans and Suburbans. They shuttled him around to a back door where we watched through a chain-link fence as he stepped out of his limousine, shook hands with dignitaries, and entered the building amid a swarm of secret service agents. I was holding my sign very high in case he looked our way.
The president gave his speech inside the hotel and left through a side door, and they whisked him away before we could shake hands and explain our concerns. When we were done, I started wondering if we had accomplished anything. I started wondering whether we could actually change the world. I mean, of course we could – we could change our buying habits, elect socially conscious representatives and that sort of thing, but I honestly don’t believe we will be solving the greater human conflict with our efforts. The problem is not a certain type of legislation or even a certain politician; the problem is the same that it has always been.
I am the problem.
I think every conscious person, every person who is awake to the functioning principles within his reality, has a moment where he stops blaming the problems in the world on group think, on humanity and authority, and starts to face himself. I hate this more than anything. This is the hardest principle within Christian spirituality for me to deal with. The problem is not out there; the problem is the needy beast of a thing that lives in my chest.
The thing I realized on the day we protested, on the day I had beers with Tony, was that it did me no good to protest America’s responsibility in global poverty when I wasn’t even giving money to my church, which has a terrific homeless ministry. I started feeling very much like a hypocrite.
More than my questions about the efficacy of social action were my questions about my own motives. Do I want social justice for the oppressed, or do I just want to be known as a socially active person? I spend 95 percent of my time thinking about myself anyway. I don’t have to watch the evening news to see that the world is bad, I only have to look at myself. I am not browbeating myself here; I am only saying that true change, true live-giving, God-honoring change would have to start with the individual. I was the very problem I had been protesting. I wanted to make a sign that read “I AM THE PROBLEM!”
That night, after Tony and I talked, I rode my motorcycle up to Mount Tabor, this dormant volcano just east of the Hawthorne District. There is a place near the top where you can sit and look at the city at night, smoldering like coals and ashes beneath the evergreens, laid out like jewels under the moon. It is really something beautiful. I went there to try to get my head around this idea, this idea that the problem in the universe lives within me. I can’t think of anything more progressive than the embrace of this fundamental idea.
