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As Americans, we believe strongly in the separation of church and state.
However, this perspective of the moral dimensions of budget decisions can be applied to a secular outlook as well as to virtually any other religious tradition.
A Circle of Protection:
A Statement on Why We Need to
Protect Programs for the Poor
In the face of historic deficits, the nation faces unavoidable choices
about how to balance needs and resources and allocate burdens and
sacrifices. These choices are economic, political—and moral.
As Christians, we believe the moral measure of the debate is how the
most poor and vulnerable people fare. We look at every budget proposal
from the bottom up—how it treats those Jesus called “the least of
these” (Matthew
25:45). They do not have powerful lobbies, but they have the most
compelling claim on our consciences and common resources. The
Christian community has an obligation to help them be heard, to join
with others to insist that programs that serve the most vulnerable in
our nation and around the world are protected. We know from our
experience serving hungry and homeless people that these programs meet
basic human needs and protect the lives and dignity of the most
vulnerable. We believe that God is calling us to pray, fast, give alms
and to speak out for justice.
As Christian leaders, we are committed to fiscal responsibility and
shared sacrifice. We are also committed to resist budget cuts that
undermine the lives, dignity, and rights of poor and vulnerable
people. Therefore, we join with others to form a Circle of Protection
around programs that meet the essential needs of hungry and poor
people
at home and abroad.
1. The nation needs to substantially reduce future deficits, but not
at the expense of hungry and poor people.
2. Funding focused on reducing poverty should not be cut. It should be
made as effective as possible, but not cut.
3. We urge our leaders to protect and improve poverty-focused
development and humanitarian assistance to promote a better, safer
world.
4. National leaders must review and consider tax revenues, military
spending, and entitlements in the search for ways to share sacrifice
and cut deficits.
5. A fundamental task is to create jobs and spur economic growth.
Decent jobs at decent wages are the best path out of poverty, and
restoring growth is a powerful way to reduce deficits.
6. The budget debate has a central moral dimension. Christians are
asking how we protect “the least of these.” “What would Jesus
cut?” “How do we share sacrifice?”
7. As believers, we turn to God with prayer and fasting, to ask for
guidance as our nation makes decisions about our priorities as a
people.
8. God continues to shower our nation and the world with blessings. As
Christians, we are rooted in the love of God in Jesus Christ. Our task
is to share these blessings with love and justice and with a special
priority for those who are poor.
Budgets are moral documents, and how we reduce future deficits are
historic and defining moral choices. As Christian leaders, we urge
Congress and the administration to give moral priority to programs
that protect the life
and dignity of poor and vulnerable people in these difficult times,
our broken economy, and our wounded world.
It is the vocation and obligation of the church to speak and act on
behalf of those Jesus called “the least of these.”
This is our calling, and we will strive to be faithful in carrying out
this mission.
Circle of Protection Signers
April 21, 2011
Leith Anderson President National Association of Evangelicals
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr. President Progressive National Baptist
Church
David Beckmann President Bread for the World
Geoffrey Black General Minister and President United Church of Christ
Bishop Stephen E. Blaire, Bishop of Stockton and Chairman, Committee
on Domestic Justice and Human
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Bishop Charles E. Blake Presiding Bishop Church of God in Christ
Bishop Claire S. Burkat Bishop of Southeastern Evangelical Luteran
Church in America
J. Ron Byler Executive Director Mennonite Central Committee
Bishop Minerva Carcaño Bishop of the Southwest United Methodist
Church
Very Rev. Thomas P. Cassidy, SCJ President Conference of Major
Superiors of Men
Dale Evans US President Food for the Hungry
Daniel Garcia International Coordinator Kairos Prison Ministry
International
Wes Granberg-Michaelson General Secretary Reformed Church in America
Ken Hackett President Catholic Relief Services
Ambassador Tony Hall Executive Director Alliance to End Hunger
Dick Hamm Executive Director Christian Churches Together in the USA
Bishop Mark S. Hanson Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America
Herman Harmelink III Ecumanical Officer International Council of
Community Churches
Mitch Hescox President Evangelical Environmental Network
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard Bishop of Albany and Chairman, United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops
Sister Mary Hughes, OP President Leadership Council of Women Religious
Joel Hunter Senior Pastor Northland: A Church Distributed
Michael Kinnamon General Secretary National Council of Churches of
Christ
The Very Reverend Leonid Kiskovsky Director of External Affairs and
Orthodox Church in America
Kate Kooyman Christian Reformed Church
Michael Livingston Director, Povery Initiative National Council of
Churches of Christ
Carlos Malave Associate for Ecumenical Relationships Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.)
John McCullough Executive Director and CEO Church World Service
Wendy McFadden Executive Director and Church of the Brethren
A. Roy Medley General Secretary American Baprist Churches USA
Rich Nathan Senior Pastor Vineyard Columbus
Stanley J. Noffsinger General Secretary Church of the Brethren
Gradye Parsons Stated Clerk of the General Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.)
Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader Ecumenical Officer, Council of United
Methodist Church
Commissioner William A Roberts National Commander The Salvation Army
Samuel Rodriguez President National Hispanic Christian Leadership
Bishop Monroe Saunders Presiding Bishop United Church of Jesus Christ
(Apostolic)
Ron Sider President Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. Dr. Stephen Sidorak General Secretary, General United Methodist
Church
Rev. Larry Snyder President Catholic Charities USA
Ervin R. Stutzman Executive Director Mennonite Church USA
Stephen J Thurston President National Baptist Convention of America
R. Lamar Vest President and CEO American Bible Society
Daniel Vestal Executive Coordinator Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Berten A. Waggoner National Director Vineyard USA
Jim Wallis President and CEO Sojourners
Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins General Minister and President Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rt. Rev. Elijah Williams General President The United Holy Church of
America
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Co-facilitator National African American
Clergy Network
Jim Winkler General Secretary, Genral Board of Church and Society,
United Methodist Church
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