Remember the Poor During Economic Crisis

Last week, a journalist asked me for a comment on an article in the Baptist Times last week about Christian leaders urging world leaders not to forget the poor in the midst of the ongoing global financial crisis. That story has cycled off the Times' website, and no follow-up story has appeared, so I guess I'll post my response myself. Here it is:

I applaud those groups who have stepped to the forefront of efforts to assure that world governments honor their commitments to the U.N. Millennium goals. I encourage all moderate and mainstream Baptists to put this on their daily prayer list and make it a priority in their vocal and visible incarnational witnessing efforts.

The current financial crisis irrefutably demonstrates the interrelatedness of the human community and the imperfections of our economic systems. All Christians should measure the adjustments necessary to correct and amend our economic systems by the adjustments and improvements made to asure that the least among us have the resources and opportunities necessary for them to become self-sufficient.

The U.S. has pledged $16 billion toward the U.N. Millenium Development Goals. This amount is pitiful in comparison with the trillions recently committed to rescue the institutions of wealthy American financiers, brokers and bureaucrats whose reckless greed and irresponsible stewardship led to our current economic meltdown. If, or when, inflation and/or devaluation reduces the value of the dollar, Christians should insist that the U.S. meet its obligations toward the U.N. Millenium Development Goals with dollars equivalent to the value of our currency when our commitment was made.