Faith Leaders Echo Occupy Movement’s Call for Economic Justice, Equality
Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 2 at 10 a.m. CST, Jewish and Christian clergy will gather at City Hall (at the corner of Randolph and LaSalle Streets) to stand up for the Occupy Chicago protestors and denounce any attempts by local authorities to crack down violently on the Occupy movement’s presence in the city.
As the Occupy Wall Street movement spreads to hundreds of cities worldwide and diverse Americans unite to protest skyrocketing economic inequality, faith leaders are reaffirming religious values of economic justice, and opportunity, and condemning the idolatry of greed.
Thousands of people of faith, part of the nationwide online activist network Faithful America, signed a petition calling on local authorities to treat Occupy Wall Street protestors with respect and nonviolence. The petition, which clergy will deliver to Mayor Rahm Emanuel tomorrow morning, reads in part:
As people of faith, we condemn all violence and repression targeting the Occupy Wall Street movement. In communities across America, occupiers are providing a peaceful witness against corporate greed and economic injustice. We call on local authorities to respect their freedom of expression.
WHAT: Clergy leaders delivering petition from thousands of people of faith opposing violence against Occupy Wall Street protestors
WHO: Diverse faith leaders including
Rabbi Menachen Cohen, Mitziut Jewish Community
Rev. Robert T. Yeager, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago and UAW Local 2320
Rev. Tom Gaulke, Pastor of First Lutheran Church of the Trinity
Rev. C.J. Hawking, Executive Director of ARISE Chicago
Rev. Dirk van der Duim, Ordained Minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Rev. Bonnie Osei-Frimpong, Ordained Minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
WHEN: Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 10 a.m. CST
WHERE: Chicago City Hall (meeting at corner of Randolph and LaSalle Streets)
Religious leaders constructed golden calves in New York and San Francisco to symbolize the idolatry of greed and have joined protests across the country and globe.
Read the Faithful America petition here: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2518/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8542&tag=homepage. Faithful America is a national network of over 100,000 people of faith motivated by values of justice and compassion to take action on pressing moral issues. For more information on Faithful America, visit www.FaithfulAmerica.org.
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**Catholic Experts Available to Discuss New Vatican Document on Financial Reform**
As economic debates dominate our nation’s political agenda, with Occupy Wall Street protests gaining increasing coverage and presidential candidates and Members of Congress sparring over economic priorities and approaches, the Vatican is preparing to release a timely document on Monday (Oct. 24) that calls for stronger regulation of financial markets and a renewed focus on the ethical dimensions of economic policies.
Catholic theologians, scholars and priests (bios and contact info below) note that the forthcoming document from the Vatican will offer a message in stark contrast to conservative efforts in the U.S. to gut Wall Street reform and those who tout unfettered capitalism that ignores the common good.
“While conservative leaders and several presidential candidates want to eviscerate financial reform, the Vatican has sent a powerful message that prudent regulation of our financial system is a moral priority,” said Vincent J. Miller, Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture at the University of Dayton. “I expect Catholic neo-cons who usually present themselves as the defenders of orthodoxy will ignore or scramble to defuse this timely teaching. It’s clear the Vatican stands with the Occupy Wall Street protesters and others struggling to return ethics and good governance to a financial sector grown out of control after 30 years of deregulation.”
Catholic News Service has reported that according to the Vatican the document will address “reform of the international financial system with a view toward a general public authority.” It will be released in four languages.
A number of Catholic leaders are available for media interviews. A short bio and contact information are provided below. Please contact John Gehring at Faith in Public Life for more information: 410-302-3792, jgehring@faithinpubliclife.org
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Nationally prominent pro-life evangelical leaders are speaking out to criticize Republican presidential candidates’ claims at Tuesday night’s debate that our nation should cut critical international aid investments. At the debate, Governor Perry suggested defunding the United Nations, Governor Romney said we shouldn’t “borrow money from the Chinese to go give to another country for humanitarian aid,” and Congressman Paul incorrectly described such programs as “taking money from poor people in this country and giving it to rich people in poor countries.”
Megachurch pastors and other evangelical leaders, including Rev. Joel Hunter and Rev. Richard Cizik, released a statement today (available below) challenging irresponsible and immoral cuts to international development and relief efforts.
Statement from Evangelical Leaders on International Development Investments:
As pro-life evangelical Christian leaders committed to caring for our poorest neighbors around the world, we are called to protect them from cuts to programs that make a difference between life and death. The call for cutting “foreign aid” by several presidential candidates at last night’s debate undermines our nation’s moral commitment to humanitarian investment and is not in keeping with our values.
International development programs, which represent less than 1 percent of our federal budget, are practical and compassionate investments in global health. Minimal resources go a long way by providing malaria nets that save children’s lives in Africa, AIDS medication to tens of thousands who would otherwise die, and clean water to people in the poorest regions on Earth. Treating this critical aid as unaffordable is factually inaccurate. Viewing it as expendable is morally wrong. We call on all candidates for political office, especially the presidency, to protect life by preserving these crucial programs. The most vulnerable must be protected from irresponsible cuts, not imperiled in the name of political expediency.
Ron Sider
President
Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. Joel Hunter
Senior Pastor
Northland, a Church Distributed
Rev. Gabriel Salguero
President
National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner
Co-Chair
National African American Clergy Network
David Gushee
Board Chair and Co-Founder
New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good
Richard Cizik
President
New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good
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Sunday, 3:30p, October 9th, 2011
MEDIA ADVISORY
Sunday, October 9, 2011
CONTACT: James Salt, Catholics United, 202-246-2583 or Rev. Jennifer Butler, Faith in Public Life, 202-577-4773
Heads up that today at 3:30, faith leaders will hold a service supporting the Occupy Wall Street efforts in Zuccotti Park (Broadway side) in New York. They’ll have a large golden calf to symbolize the idolatry of greed. Check out the photo below and contact James (202-246-2583) to find out more or interview a faith leader in New York for the service. Thanks — Kristin
Multi-Faith Service in Support of
“Occupy Wall-Street”
Sunday, 3:30p, October 9th, 2011
That’s what Faith Leaders from 100+ NYC Communities of Faith
Are calling the Wall Street “Bull”
Join them for a Service of
Prayer & Reflection down at
Zuccotti Park – Broadway Side.
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Before Orlando Debate, Online Action Network Faithful America Urges Voters to Endorse”Real Values Agenda”
Before tonight’s GOP presidential debate in Orlando, Faithful America sent the candidates a message: their political priorities must reflect real faith voters’ values and protect poor and vulnerable people. A 20′ by 10′ mobile truck ad, sponsored by Faithful America and emblazoned with a Scripture verse reminding candidates of the moral imperative to treat the poor with dignity and justice, circled the debate site all day.
“Faithful America is reminding these presidential candidates and the Tea Party base that their class warfare policies don’t reflect the faith community’s values,” said Rev. Jennifer Butler, Executive Director of Faithful America. “Protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring that the wealthiest Americans share in the sacrifice as we reduce the deficit is a moral imperative for the faith community.”
The ad also served as a backdrop for an afternoon press conference with faith leaders from the Orlando area and health care advocates from Protect Your Care. The speakers denounced chants at recent debates celebrating the death penalty and letting the uninsured die, and they rejected policies that directly harm families, seniors and the most vulnerable while rewarding the richest and most powerful.
“We want to hear these candidates state their clear and unambiguous commitment to helping the poor, the vulnerable, the hungry, the homeless in our nation,” said Rev. Bryan Fulwider, Senior Minister of First Congregational Church of Winter Park in Winter Park, FL. “It is simply and purely wrong to sacrifice these members of our communities, often represented among our senior citizens and our children, on the greedy altar of protection for the wealthiest members of our society. It is high time for those with significant wealth to pay their fair share… fairness is a real faith value – greed is not.”
Rev. Fulwider was also joined at the press conference by Rev. Randolph Bracy, Jr., Senior Pastor and Founder of New Covenant Baptist Church in Orlando.
Faithful America is an online action network of over 100,000 people of faith. The Scripture verse featured on the mobile billboard was Isaiah 10: 1-2: “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,” reminding the candidates of the religious call for justice and dignity for all people.
The reverse side of the ad encourages viewers to endorse Faithful America’s Real Values Agenda, available here. The Real Values Agenda, which has already been signed by over 6,000 people of faith, calls on elected officials to act with honesty and integrity in the political arena, stand up for the poor and vulnerable, and put the common good above self-interest.
To learn more about Faithful America, visit www.faithfulamerica.org.
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