Economic Justice

How-To Manual

A GuIde Lo
EconomIc JusLIce MInIsLrIes
Ior Use by
EpIscopuI CongreguLIons






Second Edition

Produced by the
Episcopal Network
for Economic Justice
with support from the
Trinity Grants Program

January 26, 2009
ii

Introductory Note
This ubIicalion is lhe firsl edilion of a ubIicalion lhal being formaIIy reIeased al lhe
GeneraI Convenlion of lhe IiscoaI Church in }une, 2006. This maleriaI vas iIoled
for reviev by four arishes in lhe dioceses of Nev York and Nevark. These are AII
Sainls, Hoboken, Sl. IauI's, Ialerson, Church of lhe HoIy Trinily and Church of lhe
Medialor in Nev York Cily. Revisions conlinue lo be made based on feedback received
from lhese and olher arishes using lhe maleriaI.
Credits
We ove seciaI lhanks lo lhe Granls Irogram of Trinily, WaII Slreel, and lo Mallhev
Heyd, our rogram officer, for his lechnicaI assislance. Suorl from lhe Office of
Ieace and }uslice Minislries vas aIso vilaI lo lhis ro|ecl. The Rev. Canon Carmen
Guerrero, Office of }ubiIee Minislries, offered vaIuabIe consuIlalion and heIed vilh lhe
Sanish lransIalion. The Rev. Geoffrey Curliss rovided vaIuabIe feedback regarding
conlenl and formal. }ohn Hooer and Sue LIoyd vere key designers as veII as vrilers
and edilors. }ohn Mark Summers and }eff Dey rovided invaIuabIe assislance in
comiIing maleriaIs and ediling. AII of you vho read lhis manuaI are veIcome
arlicianls in lhe ongoing efforl lo make lhis manuaI an inslrumenl of lransformalion
in lhe Iife of our church, our counlry and lhe vorId.



ENEJ President
Dianne Aid, TSSF
233 5
th
Avenue South, Apt. 309
Kent, WA 98032
206.579.3011
sanmateo921@yahoo.com

Project Staff
Michael Maloney
5829 Wyatt Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45213
(513) 531-8799
meamon@aol.com
Editorial Team
John Hooper, Detroit
Sue Lloyd, Madison
The Rev. Canon Carmen Guerrero, Office of Jubilee Ministries
John Mark Summers, Brooklyn
Jeffrey Dey, Cincinnati
Michael Bryant, Jacksonville
Dianne Aid, Seattle
iii
Table of Contents


Introduction Editorial Team i
Chapter One: Economic Justice and Our Faith
Tradition
John Hooper and James Perkinson 1-1
Chapter Two: Advocacy Michael Maloney 2-1
Chapter Three: Globalization The Rev. Canon Richard W. Gillett 3-1
Immigration Michael Maloney and Dianne Aid 3-17
Millennium Development Goals Mike Kinman 3-28
Chapter Four: Community Organization and
Community Economic Development
Michael Maloney and Michael Bryant 4-1
Chapter Five: Socially Responsible Investment Sue Lloyd 5-1
Chapter Six: Creating a Culture of Justice Michael Maloney 6-1
Appendixes
A: Christian Faith and Economic Justice James Perkinson A-1
B: Charity and Justice Responses The Rev. Canon Carmen Guerrero B-1
C: Christian Faith and Economic Justice Robert Hall C-1
D: Advocacy Issue Papers ENEJ Advocacy Committee D-1
E: Economic Justice Teachings of the Episcopal
Church
John Mark Summers E-1
F: Directory of Community Organizing Models Michael Maloney F-1
G: Episcopal Church Resources ECUSA/DFMS G-1
H: Supplementary Materials on Church-Based
Community Organizing
Gamaliel Foundation
Industrial Areas Foundation
NCCED
H-1
I: Educational Resources for Economic Justice Editorial Team I-1
J: SRI Additional Resources ENEJ Community Investing Booklet J-1
K: Summary of the Four Stages of Serving the
Poor
James Perkinson K-1
L: Economic Justice Bibliography Editorial Team L-1
iv


v


}une, 2006

Dear Reader,
The Iconomic }uslice ResoIulion aroved by lhe IiscoaI Convenlion of 1988
eslabIish(ed) a minislry of communily inveslmenl and economic |uslice direcled lo
communily-conlroIIed economic deveIomenl rograms of lhe disadvanlaged.
(ResoIulion C-030a). This resoIulion vas submilled by lhe Diocese of Michigan in
resonse lo a aer of eighly bishos of lhe Urban CoaIilion in 1987, addressing lhe
groving ga belveen lhe veII-lo-do and lhe oor, vhich vas vider lhen lhan al any
lime since lhe Iale 1940s.
The moraI imeralive for Chrislians is nol so much lo offer simIe
ansvers lo lhe aradox of a roserily lhal generales overly bul ralher
lo seek underslanding of hov lhe grovlh and exlenl of such overly
conslilules bolh a moraI conlradiclion and a syslemic sociaI fIav lhal
serves lo undermine lhe very roserily vhich heIed lo creale il. The
seciaI chaIIenge lo Chrislians is lo commil lhemseIves lo a rocess of
informing lhe conscience of sociely al Iarge aboul lhis aradox and lo
suggesl a variely of vays by vhich individuaI Chrislians in lheir ersonaI
aclivily and lheir church in ils cororale Iife can vilness.
The economic |uslice movemenl in lhe IiscoaI Church is conlinuing lhe
slruggIe loday for and vilh lhe oor of lhe Uniled Slales and of lhe vorId. ShorlIy afler
lhal Convenlion in 1988 Ialher Ron Sann of Delroil reminded us lhal Iconomic }uslice
bolh inside and oulside lhe Church is a movemenl, nol |usl a rogram. Il Iasls Ionger
lhan a lriennium or lvo. Il viII conlinue in lhe Church in one form or anolher unliI
Iconomic }uslice is reaIized. In 1996, vhen lhe mandale of lhe Iconomic }uslice
ImIemenlalion Commillee vas comIeled, many of lhose vorking for Iconomic
}uslice in lhe IiscoaI Church formed lhe IiscoaI Nelvork for Iconomic }uslice lo
heI mainlain lhe movemenl vilhin lhe Church.
Il is lhe urose of lhis Aclion ManuaI lo resenl lhe slory of hov eoIe of lhe
Church, vilh lheir coIIaboralors from many differenl ersuasions, reIigious and secuIar,
are raclicing lhe virlues of economic |uslice. Through lhis manuaI lhe members of
INI} share vilh lhe church our exerience in lhis vork, Ius lhe readings, scrilures
and rayers lhal insired us, and lhe organizalions lhal have Ied lhe vay. And ve
vanl lo remember in a seciaI vay lhose many eoIe vho kel economic |uslice vork
vi

aIive in lhe Church since 1988 and aIso lhose sainls vho are more numerous lo
menlion vho have aIready ended lheir earlhIy Iives of vilness (Hebrevs 12:1).
The formal of lhis manuaI is inlenlionaIIy revisabIe: a Ioose-Ieaf binder so lhal
nev ages can be inserled, avaiIabiIily on e-maiI and CD for easy revision. Revisions
and addilions viII aear on lhe INI} vebsile from lime lo lime. And in order lo assisl
lhe Church lo use lhis manuaI, educalionaI maleriaIs and moduIes have been reared
and viII conlinue lo be reared lo heI us do lhe ouIar educalion needed lo insire
congregalions and olhers lo engage in economic |uslice vork.
The Ven. MichaeI KendaII, Iresidenl
Archdeacon of Nev York
IiscoaI Nelvork for Iconomic }uslice


vii
Introduction to the Economic Justice How-To Manual

The foIIoving is an oulIine of lhe manuaI:
Chaler 1 exIores lhe scriluraI basis for economic |uslice vork, lhe
nalure and siriluaIily of our |uslice mandale, and lhe hislory of lhis
vork in lhe church during lhe Iasl fev cenluries.
In Chaler 2 ve consider hov lhe Church and ils members are seeking
in many organized vays lo advocale for and vilh lhe oor for more
enIighlened IegisIalion by our various governmenls.
In Chaler 3 ve describe lhe deveIomenl of a vorId-vide economy
(gIobaIizalion) and suggesl vays lhal ve can address lhe many elhicaI
dimensions of lhis serious chaIIenge.
In lhe second edilion, ve have added a subseclion on immigralion in
resonse lo lhe increasing invoIvemenl of our dioceses, arishes and
}ubiIee Cenlers in advocacy and service minislries vilh immigranls.
In Chaler 4 ve discuss lhe communily organizing rocess of invoIving
residenls of an area in lhe lransformalion of lhe IocaI economy and
describe many economic |uslice modeIs lhal lhis organizing has
generaled.
In Chaler 5 ve describe hov churches and church eoIe can invesl
lheir doIIars in sociaIIy resonsibIe vays lo imrove lhe vorkings of lhe
economy and lo make lhe economy accessibIe lo lhose vho have been
Iefl oul of lhe mainslream.
IinaIIy in Chaler 6 ve oulIine hov arishes loday can organize
lhemseIves and lheir neighborhoods lo creale more |usl communilies.
The aendix seclion rovides addilionaI resource maleriaIs incIuding
modeIs and educalion resources.
1-1
Chapter 1
Economic Justice and Our Faith Tradition

Oflen in a lheoIogicaI arlicIe lhe aulhor begins by offering a ScriluraI
background. Hovever, il may be heIfuI in lhis inslance firsl lo cIear avay Iong-lerm
misunderslandings of our Scrilures and Tradilion on lhe arl of lhe Church. Irom lhe
lime of lhe InIighlenmenl lo lhe end of lhe 19
lh
cenlury, lhe Church and ils members
vere caughl in lvo dicholomies lhal revenled lhem from engaging fuIIy in economic
|uslice vork: lhe firsl is lhe dislinclion belveen charily and |uslice and vhelher lhe
church shouId be invoIved in vorking for |uslice. The second is lhe seeming dicholomy
belveen siriluaIily and an aclive Chrislian Iife. In lhe firsl seclion of lhis chaler (A),
ve recognize 1) lhal siriluaIily refers nol |usl lo our inner reIalionshi lo lhe divine bul
aIso lo lhe quaIily of our exlernaI Iife in lhe vorId, 2) lhal |uslice is a necessary
exression of charily and lhal a |usl syslem makes charily more ossibIe, and 3) finaIIy
lhal, as ve grov in delh in our |uslice vork, so does our Iife of lhe Siril deeen. OnIy
afler ve have resoIved lhese dicholomies viII ve be reared lo hear again vilh nev
ears lhe Iiberaling evenls of lhe Hebrev and Chrislian Scrilures.
The second seclion of lhis chaler (Taking Aclion for Iconomic }uslice: a
TheoIogicaI Assessmenl) can be found in Aendix I. Il vas vrillen by Dr. }ames
Ierkinson lo rovide lhe conlexl for lhe ResoIulion on Communily Inveslmenl and
Iconomic }uslice for lhe 1988 IiscoaI Convenlion in Delroil. Ierkinson Iived for
many years in inner cily Delroil, al lhe IiscoaI Church of lhe Messiah. These ages
are a refIeclion on lhe lime he senl Iiving vilh lhe oor of lhe Cily. He seaks lo lhe
Norlh American and gIobaI conlexls, lo lhe lradilions of IsraeI and }esus, and lo lhe
fulure as an economic |uslice chaIIenge.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
1-2
A lhird seclion of lhis chaler is laken from Organizing for Iconomic }uslice,
by Roberl HaII, ubIished by lhe Iconomic }uslice ImIemenlalion Commillee in 1990.
Il considers lhe Covenanl and Communily of IsraeI (incIuding lhe SabbalicaI Year, lhe
}ubiIee IrinciIe and Slevardshi), lhe Nev Covenanl, lhe IcIise of Iconomic }uslice
in Weslern Thoughl, and Meeling asic Needs. This seclion can be found in Aendix
C.
c-a,.- s-.,..a. --.-aa..--

1-3
A. Charity and Justice
Chrislian congregalions in lhe Uniled Slales have lradilionaIIy recognized lheir
charitab!c missinn lo rovide services lo lhe oor. CIolhing cIosels, food anlries, sou
kilchens and, increasingIy, homeIess sheIlers have become common minislries in our
arishes.
RecenlIy (since lhe 1960s) more Chrislians in lhe Uniled Slales have recognized a
caII lo incIude |usticc ministrics as veII. Oul of lheir exerience of roviding for
emergency needs, lhey began lo seek lhe causes of lhe robIems and hov lhey mighl
inlervene.

If ve vere Good Samarilans, and every lime ve venl from }erusaIem lo
}ericho or back ve found more eoIe robbed, slried, bealen and Iefl
for dead, and ve conlinued lo heI lhose vho vere allacked, vhal vouId
ve lhink` CerlainIy ve vouId vorry aboul using lhal road, bul ve
vouId aIso vanl somelhing done lo make il safer for olhers. We vouId
vanl lhe muggers rounded u and broughl lo |uslice. We vouId vanl lhe
road alroIIed adequaleIy. We vouId vanl somelhing done. WouId ve
be Good Samarilans if ve |usl conlinued lo bandage eoIe u and lake
lhem in vilhoul lrying lo do somelhing aboul lhe robIem` (1)

There are numerous modern examIes of lhis rocess. In Ionliac, Michigan, for
examIe, an ecumenicaI emergency needs cenler caIIed Lighlhouse discovered, lhrough
counseIing vomen frequenlIy requesling food and cIolhing, lhal lhey vere oflen
viclims of domeslic vioIence. The counseIor crealed a nev organizalion lo rovide
seciaI services lo lhese viclims (and housed il in lhe IiscoaI Church's former
reclory). Soon lhis agency leamed u vilh simiIar grous lo advocale changes in IocaI
oIice raclices and lo slrenglhen Slale roleclive IegisIalion. This movemenl Ied lo
anolher organizalion lhal Ieased a church buiIding for a lransilionaI residence vhere
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
1-4
vomen vho had Iefl lheir vioIenl arlners couId Iearn basic survivaI skiIIs and reare
educalionaIIy for a decenl |ob. IvenluaIIy lhrough nalionaI advocacy by lhese and
simiIar organizalions, federaI funding became avaiIabIe for lhese residenliaI rograms.
In lradilionaI church arIance, a Iine vas crossed in Ionliac belveen charily and
|uslice. Irom reIieving lhe emergency needs of lhese vomen and lheir famiIies, lhe
organizalions soughl lo change lhe sociely around lhem so lhal lhe same robIems did
nol recur over and over again. Carmen Guerrero, Coordinalor of }ubiIee Minislries of
lhe IiscoaI Church, has addressed lhis dislinclion very succinclIy:

The Church has lhe olion lo resond lo inequilies in sociely by roviding
oulreach rograms vhich are direIy needed or il can resond lo lhese
inequilies by allemling lo address slruclures and syslems lhal creale
lhese inequilies. Il is nol a maller of eilher/or I beIieve lhal bolh musl
lake Iace bul nol one al lhe exense of lhe olher..WhiIe ve are caIIed lo
feed lhe hungry ve are aIso equaIIy caIIed lo address lhe cause of lhal
hunger. Therefore our goaI is lo knnw thc diIIcrcncc and lo bc prcparcd
tn wnrk in bnth arcas for lhe gIory and honor of God. (2)

Carmen incIudes a charl in }ubiIee Minislry maleriaIs vhich iIIuslrales lhal lhe
church can resond lo lhe reaIily of sociely as il aears lo be (vilh needs lhal ve can
remedy vilh emergency oulreach rograms) or lo reaIily as il is al a deeer slrucluraI
IeveI (by heIing lo emover lhe oor and marginaIized lo change lhe reaIily of lheir
Iives.) (3) We have incIuded a modified version of Carmen's iIIuslralion beIov:
Two V|ews of 8oc|eta| 6ond|t|ons

0bservat|on 0bservat|on
Peop|e are rurgry
Peop|e are ||||lerale
Cr||drer reed c|olres
Trere are rary rore|ess peop|e or lre slreel
Trere are |radequac|es |r joos/Wages
Peop|e are |r reed ol rea|lr care, elc.
Peop|e rave ro say |r dec|s|ors lral allecl lre|r ||ves
Peop|e are poWer|ess
Tre rave rols are rol orgar|zed, do rol parl|c|pale |r po||l|cs
Peop|e are lo|d Wral lo lr|r|
Peop|e o|are Worer, r|ror|l|es, |rr|grarls ard oulcasls
lor lre|r p||grl.
c-a,.- s-.,..a. --.-aa..--

1-5

The 6hurch's Response

8erv|ce 0r|entat|on Just|ce 0r|entat|on
c||r|cs advocacy
||leracy progrars erpoWerrerl
c|olres c|osels corrur|ly orgar|z|rg
lood oar|s, soup ||lcrers poWer ard corlro|
erergercy rous|rg corc|erl|zac|or
joos progrars, elc.



Why did lhe churches in lhe lvenlielh cenlury become more avare of a caII lo
creale a more |usl vorId` The seciaI roIe of lhe churches in lhe civiI righls movemenl
vas cerlainIy an examIe lo aII of us. The anli-var movemenl romled lhe Church's
rohelic voice in lhe Vielnam War. Women's Iiberalion grous and lhe CaIifornia
farm vorkers aIso caIIed for our suorl. In one of his Iasl laIks before his dealh,
isho IauI Moore commended lhe roIe of sociaI movemenls in lraining Chrislians in
|uslice vork. (4)
As lhese movemenls soughl and achieved sociaI change, ve recognized lhal
sociely did nol come forlh from lhe crealive hand of God in ils resenl condilion.
Ralher sociely and cuIlure vere crealed graduaIIy by eoIe Iike us, vilh aII lheir
slrenglhs and veaknesses. And ve reaIized lhal our forbearers did nol aIvays acl from
lhe highesl ideaIs, for inslance lo rovide everyone vilh lhe oorlunily for a decenl
Iife. They oflen acled oul of seIf-inleresl, lo creale silualions lhal favored lhemseIves
and eoIe Iike lhemseIves. Il vas oflen lhe affIuenl and lhose vho heId over vho
crealed lhe sociaI, economic and oIilicaI reaIilies lhal everyone eIse had lo Iive vilh.
Ior examIe, our founding falhers chose nol lo end sIavery lhrough lhe U.S.
conslilulion. Il is oflen lhe resonsibiIily of Ialer generalions lo correcl lhe biases of lhe
asl and lhe roIe of lhe viclims and lheir symalhizers lo redress lhe vrongs infIicled
on lhem.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
1-6
There viII oflen be disagreemenls in our churches aboul vhen and hov lo cross
lhe Iine belveen charily and |uslice. Il is cIear from lhe goseIs and lhe enlire bibIicaI
lradilion lhal ve are mandaled lo vorks of charily. And lhe mandale lo be |usl in our
ersonaI Iives is equaIIy cIear. ul acling in secific circumslances lo creale a more |usl
sociely may seem Iess cIear and may require exlensive ibIe sludy, discernmenl and
rayer lo achieve consensus lo move forvard. Some issues may roml more confIicl
lhan olhers. The church may be chaIIenging lhe vay lhings are vhiIe some of lhe
church members have a slake in mainlaining lhal slalus quo.
Il may be heIfuI lo recognize lhal lhere is no dicholomy belveen charily and
|uslice. TheoIogian Slehen CharIes Moll exIains lhal charily and |uslice are more
cIoseIy reIaled lhan ve usuaIIy lhink.

One needs |uslice in addilion lo Iove lo carry on vhal Iove slarls
bul cannol finish aIone. Love is lhe grealer faclor, bul |uslice is a
necessary inslrumenl of Iove..
}uslice carries oul vhal Iove molivales. Il is 'lhe order vhich Iove
requires.' As order, il shaes lhe kind of sociely lo vhich Iove oinls.
ecause of lhe reaIily of sin, ve cannol simIy Ieave il lo each individuaI
in each silualion lo acl on lhe imuIses of Iove. }uslice is nol a differenl
rinciIe, in conlradislinclion lo Iove, ralher il exresses in lerms of fixed
duly and obIigalion lhe aroriale resonse lo Iove in cerlain sociaI
silualions. Loving aclion may lake Iace in an eviI sociely, for examIe in
a sIave sociely. ul if lhe order of sociely is nol changedif 'lhe rich
remain rich and lhe oor, oor, and nolhing in lhe fundamenlaI
reIalionshi is changed'lhen Iove ilseIf is lhvarled. Love cannol resl
unliI il 'viII brealhe a ecuIiar siril inlo lhe exisling vorId order.' The
inslilulion erverls lhe Iove vilhin il, lherefore slrucluraI changes are
needed lo 'make Iove more ossibIe.' Love rovides lhe imuIse lo
change lhrough |uslice. (5)

c-a,.- s-.,..a. --.-aa..--

1-7
Therefore lhe fIov from charily lo |uslice is a naluraI fIov. In facl, il is a
chaIIenge of Chrislian siriluaIily lhal, as ve vork for |uslice, ve mainlain our Iove
bolh for lhe viclims and for lhe erelralors. We are nol |usl fixing a robIem bul
resonding oul of comassion lo lhose affecled by lhe robIem. And ve are inviling
lhose resonsibIe for lhe robIem lo a conversion of hearl.
Il vas oul of comassion and Iove for lhe Hebrev eoIe lhal }ahveh (lhrough
Moses) acled lo rescue lhem from Igyl and bring lhem lo lhe romised Iand, crealing
a more |usl silualion for lhem. Oul of Iove for lhe viclims of domeslic vioIence lhe
organizalions in Ionliac soughl roleclive IegisIalion and remediaI rograms. Oul of
caring aboul lhe Iighl of deserale farmvorkers church eoIe agreed lo boycoll
graes and olher agricuIluraI roducls. CiviI righls IegisIalion made il ossibIe and
easier for eoIe lo do lhe |usl and fair lhing. }uslice is a comIelion of Iove. And il is a
necessary condilion for Iove lo be effeclive.
Il may be heIfuI lo viev lhe communily oulreach vork of lhe church as a
conlinuum. Iailh communilies can assisl individuaIs lhrough aII lhe hases of financiaI
recovery, from meeling emergency survivaI needs lo advocaling governmenl assislance
rograms lo roviding oorlunilies for seIf-heI rograms lo heIing eoIe slabiIize
as fuII arlicianls of a cooeralive economy. In lhe rocess lhe church is vorking for
socielaI change and renevaI. The finaI goaI is lhe |usl, Ioving, cooeralive and beIoved
communily envisioned by Marlin Lulher King, a communily ve conlinue lo slrive for
bul ve viII never achieve erfeclIy before }esus' Second Coming.
eIov is a charl lhal indicales such a conlinuum of aclion in lhe areas of hunger,
homeIessness, unemIoymenl and Iack of assels. (6)

t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
1-8
Emergency
Ass|stance
Advocacy
(Leg|s|at|on}
Ass|stance to 8e|f-
he|p
The e|oved
6ommun|ty
Food parlr|es
lore|ess 3re|lers
C|olr|rg c|osels
A|rs g|v|rg
3croo| |urcres
Food 3larps
Ved|ca|d
we|lare
L|v|rg wage
Food co-ops
Corrur|ly gardersj
3uos|d|zed rous|rg
Trars|l|ora| rous|rg
V|cro-|oars lor sra||
ous|resses
Joo creal|or
A srar|rg corrur|ly
3lrugg||rg
logelrer
0vercor|rg
d|v|s|ors
Cooperal|ve
3upporl|ve
Ar ecorory lral
|s slruclured lo
Wor| lor everyore


B. The Changing Meaning of Spirituality

When il vas firsl suggesled lhal lhis manuaI on economic |uslice minislry
conlain a seclion on siriluaIily, lhere vere differenl reaclions. One member vas
fearfuI lhal ve vere going lo Iace a veneer of hoIiness, rayer or good vorks over
vhal she feIl vas somelhing good and hoIy in ilseIf. Anolher voman, a dedicaled Iay
Iranciscan, had al hand her ovn broader definilion of siriluaIily: SiriluaIily is of lhe
Siril resenl in every human being. Il is lhe gifl God gives us lo connecl vilh lhe
HoIy, vhich makes us vhoIe human beings nurlured by God and our communilies. Il
is lhis Siril vhich is vilh us as ve encounler and engage in lhe vorId around us. Il is
our idenlily and slrenglh in lhe IuraIislic vorId ve Iive in. (7)
Roger Haighl, in his book on Iiberalion lheoIogy, quoles Guslavo Gulierrez as
announcing lhe consensus of Iiberalion lheoIogians on lhe nalure of siriluaIily:

SiriluaIily is a comrehensive lerm lhal signifies lhe vhoIe vay of Iife of
lhe Chrislian, lhe manner in vhich lhe Chrislian Iives. And lhis mode of
Iife is aIvays vieved in lhe conlexl of lhe surrounding vorId and lhe
hisloricaI condilion of sociely. A siriluaIily imIies an overaII,
comrehensive allilude. Il musl comrise aII asecls of one's Iife (8)

c-a,.- s-.,..a. --.-aa..--

1-9
SeveraI currenl vrilers have exressed in various vays lhe siriluaIily of lhe
aclive Iife. Iarker IaImer recognizes lhal lhere is nol |usl one vay of being siriluaI:

Conlemorary images of vhal il means lo be siriluaI lend lo vaIue
lhe invard search over lhe oulvard acl, siIence over sound, soIilude over
inleraclion, cenleredness and quielude and baIance over engagemenl and
animalion and slruggIe. If one is caIIed lo lhe monaslic Iife, lhose images
can be emovering. ul if one is caIIed lo lhe vorId of aclion, lhe same
images can disenfranchise lhe souI, for lhey lend lo devaIue lhe energies
of aclive Iife ralher lhan encourage us lo move vilh lhose energies lovard
vhoIeness.

AIiveness is reIalionaI and communaI, resonsive lo lhe reaIily and needs
of olhers as veII as lo our ovn. Ior some of us, lhe rimary alh lo lhal
aIiveness is caIIed lhe aclive Iife. We need a siriluaIily vhich affirms and
guides our efforls lo acl in vays lhal resonale vilh our innermosl being
and reaIily, vays lhal embody lhe vilaIilies God gave us al birlh, vays
lhal serve lhe greal vorks of |uslice, eace, and Iove. (9)

Maria Harris, in Prnc!aim Jubi!cc: A 5piritua!ity Inr thc Twcnty-First Ccntury, uses
lhe lerm spiriiua|iiq lo refer lo our vay of being in lhe vorId in lhe Iighl of lhe Myslery
al lhe core of lhe universe, a myslery lhal some of us caII God. She conlrasls lvo
conlemorary meanings:

One is characlerized by vilhdravaI, lurning invard, arochiaIism, and
allending lo God and one's inner seIf. Such a siriluaIily Iacks a sociaI
and oIilicaI dimension.The second conlemorary meaning.assumes a
vay of being in lhe vorId lhal demands even deeer invoIvemenl and
immersion in lhe vorId lhan is usuaI, draving on lhe beIief lhal
everylhing lhal is, is hoIy, lhough nol yel comIeleIy so. (10)

Irancis X. Meehan seaks of a recenl broad shifl in siriluaIily, one lhal liIls
siriluaI Iiving lovard sociaI concerns. (11)

t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
1-10
The siriluaI erson's nev vay of incIusion in lhe vorId is lo undersland
lhe vorId al lhose delhs vhere sin and grace louch lhe human.Whal is
nev is a cerlain sense of resonsibiIily and invoIvemenl in lhe vorId, and
hov lhese iminge on one's very inleriorily before lhe Lord. This is nol
onIy a nev sociaI oslure bul a nev siriluaI one as veII.ve are
vilnessing a nev underslanding of lhe sociaI reaIily. And in lhis
underslanding fundamenlaI human deveIomenl becomes nol mereIy a
sociaI concern, bul has cIear siriluaI imIicalions for goseI Iiving. (12)

Those invoIved in Ieace and Resloralive }uslice Minislry al lhe Church of
lhe HoIy Trinily in Nev York Cily have adoled a ruIe of Iife lhal combines
lradilionaI eIemenls of lhe siriluaI Iife vilh addilionaI raclices. The urose
of lhe ruIe is lo enhance lhe siriluaIily of our mission lhrough common siriluaI
raclice, buiId a sense of a communily and muluaI suorl for ourseIves, and
deeen lhe conneclion of our vork lo lhe goseI. IIemenls of lhe ruIe are
Worshi, IersonaI Irayer, Sludy, Comassionale Ioverly, Sabbalh, CuIluraI
Refreshmenl and Recrealion, and Aclions and Advocacy. (See www.holytrinity-
nyc.org). Members of lhe IiscoaI Urban Caucus have a simiIar ruIe of Iife.

C. An Economic Justice Spirituality
The descrilions lhal foIIov describe in various vays a conlemorary
siriluaIily of economic |uslice minislry as Iived by raclilioners vho are aIso
lheoIogians refIecling on lheir exerience so lhal lhey may heI enIighlen our
minislries.
A unique fealure of lhe economic |uslice minislry is lhal il is nol somelhing lhal
lhe church does Inr somebody in a alernaIislic vay. Ralher lhe church in lhis minislry
is caIIed lo vork with and within lhe disadvanlaged communily. The Iconomic }uslice
c-a,.- s-.,..a. --.-aa..--

1-11
ResoIulion aroved al lhe 1988 Convenlion vas nol |usl caIIing for a fund drive. Il
vas

a caII lo lhe economicaIIy advanlaged in lhe Church lo become more
engaged vilh lhe Iover income communily in ils |ourney lo equaI
oorlunily vilhin an insensilive syslem..The more ve enler inlo
arlnershi vilh lhe marginaIized, lhe more ve viII be enriched vilh
lheir resources. The oulreach lo lhe have-nols of lhe vorId viII be lhe
crileria of saIvalion for lhe haves of lhis vorId (Ml. 25:31-46) (13)

ul lhis is nol an easy lhing lo do. In lhe basic areas of Iife, Iike food, cIolhing,
sheIler, |obs, lhe Iand, lhere are lhe haves and lhe have-nols vho Iive in lvo differenl
vorIds. There is a greal dislance, a breach, even an abyss belveen lhem lhal culs
lhrough every IeveI of lhe human reaIily and increasingIy succeeds in inlegraling every
IocaI oIilicaI economy inlo ils Iocksle march. (14) Crossing over lo be vilh lhe oor
and lo vork vilh lhem can oen us lo conversion and lransformalion, lo Iife-changing
exeriences lhal make il difficuIl lo relurn lo our oId vay of lhinking aboul ourseIves
and olhers.
The church loo oflen finds ilseIf on lhe side of lhe haves. TheoIogian }ames
Ierkinson described lhe oIarizalion haening in lhe Iale 1980s and is erhas even
more lrue loday:

Today, vilh lhe advenl of conlinuaI Ianl cIosings, raging cororale
lakeover ballIes, incessanl cailaI-inlensive aulomalion and robolizalion,
sleadiIy increasing deficils and morlgaging of lhe American Dream lo
foreign inveslors, ve are vilnessing a massive reslrucluring and
bifurcalion of our ovn socio-economic conlexl inlo lvo searale vorIds,
unequaI and divided. On one side of lhal divide slands an increasingIy
inlernalionaIized rofessionaI and manageriaI eIile, in economic conlroI of
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
1-12
lhe lechnoIogy and oIilicaI conlroI of inslilulions. On lhe olher, lhere is
emerging a seIf-erelualing, ermanenlIy Iosl undercIass, burgeoning
numbers of homeIess, and an increasingIy harried, anxious and Iefl
behind middIe cIass, vhich has ilseIf eroded demograhicaIIy by 14%
since 1980. Race, gender, and age shov u as fundamenlaI indices of
oIarizalion: lhe haves are overvheImingIy vhile, maIe and aduIl, lhe
have-nols are increasingIy eoIe of coIor, vomen and chiIdren. (15)

We are vilnessing a deeening loday of lhe lrends of 1988. Iaclories are cIosing
in lhis counlry and |obs are exorled lo olher counlries vhere saIaries bareIy suslain lhe
vorkers. The necessary fringe benefils of vorkers in lhis counlry are shrinking or non-
exislenl. Our nalionaI governmenl has refused lo increase a minimum vage lhal has
remained lhe same for loo many years vhiIe infIalion has increased lhe cosl of Iiving.
Ierkinson says of lhe 1988 Iconomic }uslice ResoIulion,

..No faciIe lo-dovn soIulion lo lhe currenl crisis is being offered,
ralher, vhal lhe resoIulion highIighls is a concern lo sloo undernealh
and heI undergird a number of crealive grass rools inilialives arising
from beIov..ibIicaI cooeralion is a fundamenlaIIy biased affair, il sels
u sho on lhe viclim's side of hislory and onIy from lhal vanlage oinl
offers ils hand in feIIovshi lo vhomever viII |oin ils efforls.(16)

The oor in Lalin America, vilh lhe heI of lheir lheoIogians and |uslice
minislers, deveIoed in lhe 1960s a mode of grou siriluaIily caIIed Iiberalion
lheoIogy. RuraI easanls and lhe urban oor came logelher in smaII failh grous caIIed
ccnuni!a!cs !c |asc, base communilies. In a siril of rayer and refIeclion lhey firsl
observed and anaIyzed lhe oressed and oressing slale of lheir Iives: vhal vas lhe
source of lheir overly, vho vas resonsibIe` SecondIy, lhey considered hov assages
from lhe ibIe ronounced |udgmenl on lhese silualions: lhey found God lhrough
Moses freeing lhe Hebrevs from sIavery in Igyl, lhe rohels seaking againsl un|usl
c-a,.- s-.,..a. --.-aa..--

1-13
ruIers, }esus choosing lo suorl lhe Iives of lhe oor and lo chaIIenge lhe rich and lhe
overfuI. They comared lhese bibIicaI assages lo lheir ovn silualions and reaIized
lhe God vas resenl in lheir Iives vanling lo Iiberale lhem from lheir oression. This
reaIizalion Ied lhem finaIIy lo decide among lhemseIves on aclions lhey couId lake lo
reIieve lheir oression, lo free lhemseIves for a more human Iife, lo recIaim lheir righl
lo decenl Iives, lo make Iegilimale demands on oIilicaI officiaIs, Iandovners, faclory
ovners, elc. The IocaI church vas oflen al lheir side lo suorl lheir inilialives.
This rocess vas caIIed ccnscicniizacac, crilicaI consciousness, by IauIo Ireire, lhe
greal raziIian aduIl educalor. The oression so common among lhe oor revenls
lhem from becoming fuIIy human. Too oflen lhose vho vouId heI lhem vanl lo acl
for lhem. Hovever, Ireire said lhal lhe imorlanl lhing is lo heI men (and nalions)
heI lhemseIves, lo Iace lhem in consciousIy crilicaI confronlalion vilh lheir robIems,
lo make lhem lhe agenls of lheir ovn recueralion. (17) Ireire goes on lo say lhal
crilicaI consciousness

is characlerized by delh in lhe inlerrelalion of robIems, by lhe
subslilulion of causaI rinciIes for magicaI exIanalions, by lhe lesling of
one's findings and by oenness lo revision, by lhe alleml lo avoid
dislorlion vhen erceiving robIems and lo avoid reconceived nolions
vhen anaIyzing lhem, by refusing lo lransfer resonsibiIily, by re|ecling
assive osilions, by soundness of argumenlalion, by lhe raclice of
diaIogue ralher lhan oIemics, by recelivily lo lhe nev for reasons
beyond mere noveIly and by lhe good sense nol lo re|ecl lhe oId |usl
because il is oId. (18)

Il is a ma|or feal for lhe church lo sloo dovn and be in significanl reIalionshi
vilh lhe oor. Ierkinson in facl refers lo lhis slooing dovn and rising vilh lhe oor
as a balism of sorls, bul one in vhich lhe Church ilseIf gives vay lo lhe valers and
comes u changed. Like }esus aroaching }ohn lhe alisl, for inilialion inlo lhe
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
1-14
rohelic movemenl of lhe ruraI IaIeslinian oor, lhe Church finds ilseIf summoned lo
submil ils resources and energies lo a sociaI movemenl aIready in rogress. (19)
AIberl NoIan, a Dominican riesl in Africa, in his arlicIe Iour Slages of SiriluaI
Grovlh in HeIing lhe Ioor, asserls lhal a Chrislian's siriluaI deveIomenl is lied lo
serving lhe oor. He idenlified four slages in lhis rocess of groving commilmenl lo
lhe oor, each characlerized nol onIy by a heighlened siriluaI avareness bul aIso by a
more effeclive vay of acluaIIy serving lhe oor. (20) In lhe rocess one discovers a
deeer meaning of brolherhood and sislerhood. Ierkinson summarized NoIan's four
slages:

The veII-lo-do can execl lo lraverse a vide range of exeriences in
moving inlo an aulhenlic goseI coIIaboralion vilh lhe oor. eginning
vilh a comassionale concern lo heI, lhe erseveranl and lhe sensilive
viII soon enough move on (in lhe second slage) lo an indignalion-slirring
encounler vilh lhe syslemalic characler of lhe robIem (lhe breach). Al
lhe lhird slage, a surrising renevaI of ercelions lakes Iace: lhe
oressed lhemseIves are discovered as abIe and vise in lheir ovn
remarkabIe righl. In lhe finaI slage, afler disiIIusionmenl and belrayaI,
one breaks lhrough lo a Iace of reaIism in ursuing a cooeralive,
coIIaboralive slruggIe lo bring aboul change. (21)

NoIan ends his arlicIe by saying:
In lhe end ve viII find one anolher in God, vhalever our arlicuIar
aroach lo God mighl be. The syslem is our common enemy because il
is firsl of aII lhe enemy of God. As Chrislians ve viII exerience lhis
soIidarily vilh one anolher as a soIidarily in Chrisl, a soIidarily vilh lhe
cause of lhe oor. (22)

The Iack alisl minisler }ohn Ierkins caIIs lo us from across lhe breach inlo his
vorId, vhere his church in a Iack inner cily neighborhood idenlifies vilh lhe eoIe of
c-a,.- s-.,..a. --.-aa..--

1-15
lhe neighborhood. He describes from his ovn exerience lhe lhree Rs of Chrislian
Communily DeveIomenl: reIocalion, reconciIialion and redislribulion.

ReIocalion: An oulsider can seIdom knov lhe needs of lhe communily
veII enough lo knov hov lo besl resond lo lhem. RareIy if ever can an
oulsider effecliveIy Iead lhe communily in finding soIulions lo ils ovn
robIems. Thal kind of Ieadershi, lhe kind of Ieadershi lhal emovers
eoIe, comes from insiders (23).
ReconciIialion: We begin, lhen, by being reconciIed lo each olher. Iacks
and Whiles are equaIIy damaged, equaIIy in need of heaIing. Iacks come
lo lhe communily vilh lheir bIame and lheir feeIings of inferiorily.
Whiles come vilh lheir guiIl and lheir sense of sueriorily. Iven vhen
lhese alliludes are nol conscious, even vhere lhere is a reaI Iove for lhose
of olher races, vilh rare excelions lhese alliludes are sliII lhere.OnIy
vhen ve've laIked aboul il oenIy can heaIing reaIIy begin lo haen.
(24)
Redislribulion: As a firsl sle..ve musl commil ourseIves lo Iiving vilh
Iess in order lhal ve can share more.Yel Iiving more simIy viII nol in
ilseIf make much difference in lhe Iives of lhe oor. We musl find vays lo
use vhal ve save lo emover lhe needy.Our redislribulion musl
invoIve usour lime, our energy, our gifls, and our skiIIs. If ve are
sharing ourseIves, sharing our money viII foIIov naluraIIy. (25)

We are inviled by lhese aulhors, and by lhe oor for vhom lhey are seaking, lo dearl
from lhe safely and roleclion of our comforlabIe Iives lo various slages and vays of
engagemenl vilh lhe oor. Wilh lheir heI ve discern lhe buiIding bIocks of a nev
siriluaIily lhal incIudes engagemenl vilh lhe oor, grou refIeclion and aclion,
comassion, anger al in|uslice, affirmalion of olhers, reconciIialion, redislribulion and
simIer Iiving. We concIude lhis chaler as AIberl NoIan concIudes his arlicIe,

This is a very high ideaI and il vouId be an iIIusion lo imagine lhal ve
couId reach il vilhoul a Iong ersonaI slruggIe lhal viII lake us lhrough
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
1-16
severaI slages, lhrough crises, dark nighls, shocks and chaIIenges. Whal
mallers is lhal ve recognize lhal ve are arl of a rocess. We viII aIvays
have furlher lo go. We musl aIvays be oen lo furlher deveIomenls.
There are no shorl culs.Whal ve aII need is encouragemenl, suorl and
muluaI underslanding of lhe vay lhe Siril is vorking in us and lhrough
us. (2)


NOTE5 FOR CHAPTER ONE

1. Roberl T. HaII, Organizing for Iconomic }uslice, Iconomic }uslice ImIemenlalion
Commillee, The IiscoaI Church, 1990, .3.
2. Carmen Guerrero, unubIished maleriaIs of }ubiIee Minislries.
3. Ibid., see Aendix .
4. UnubIished laIk al a conference of lhe IiscoaI Urban Caucus.
5. Slehen CharIes Moll, ibIicaI Ilhics and SociaI Change, Nev York, Oxford
Universily Iress, 1982, . 53-54.
6. Adalalion of a charl reviousIy ubIished in Seeding a Movemenl: lhe Iirsl Ten
Years, 1991-2001, Michigan McGehee Inlerfailh Loan Iund, 2001.
7. Definilion by Dianne Aide, INI} Sleering Commillee.
8. Roger Haighl, S.}., An AIlernalive Vision: An Inlerrelalion of Liberalion TheoIogy,
IauIisl Iress, Nev York, 1985, . 235.
9. Iarker IaImer, The Aclive Life: Wisdom for Work, Crealivily and Caring, San
Irancisco, Harer, 1990, . 2,8,9.
10. Maria Harris, IrocIaim }ubiIee: A SiriluaIily for lhe Tvenly-Iirsl Cenlury,
LouisviIIe, Weslminsler }ohn Knox Iress, 1996, . 75.
11. Irancis X. Meehan, A Conlemorary SociaI SiriluaIily, MaryknoII, N.Y., Orbis
ooks, 1982, . 3.
12. Ibid, . 5-6.
13. Taking Aclion for Iconomic }uslice, IiscoaI Diocese of Michigan, 1988, . 17 &
19.
14. }ames Ierkinson, Taking Aclion for Iconomic }uslice: A TheoIogicaI Assessmenl,
IiscoaI Diocese of Michigan, 1988, . 3.
c-a,.- s-.,..a. --.-aa..--

1-17
15. Ibid., . 5.
16. Ibid., . 1.
17. IaoIo Ireire, Iducalion for CrilicaI Consciousness, Seabury Iress, Nev York, 1973,
. 16.
18. Ibid., . 18.
19. }ames Ierkinson, o. cil., . 1.
20. AIberl NoIan, Iour Slages of SiriluaI Grovlh in HeIing lhe Ioor, Iraying, no.
15, 1987, . 8.
21. }ames Ierkinson, o. cil., . 28.
22. AIberl NoIan, o.cil., . 12.
23. }ohn Ierkins, Wilh }uslice for AII, RegaI ooks, Venlura, CA, 1982, . 65.
24. Ibid, . 140.
25. Ibid., . 154-155.
26. AIberl NoIan, o.cil., . 12.
2-1

Chapter 2
Advocacy for Economic Justice

What is Advocacy?
Advocacy is lhe raclice of acliveIy suorling a cause, an idea, or a oIicy.
Advocacy can even be done on behaIf of an individuaI, a cororalion, or an inslilulion.
There is al Ieasl one scriluraI reference lo }esus as our advocale before lhe Ialher (1
}ohn 2:1). As used in lhis manuaI, advocacy viII refer lo lhe raclice of seeking change
in a rogram or oIicy, somelimes a ubIic oIicy, somelimes in lhe raclice of a rivale
cororalion, or somelimes even vilhin a reIigious inslilulion such as lhe IiscoaI
Church.
When advocacy is carried oul by an individuaI, lhal erson can be caIIed an
advocale or somelimes an aclivisl. Organizalions lhal engage in advocacy
rimariIy or excIusiveIy are referred lo as advocacy grous or advocacy organizalions.
Many rofessions have an advocacy comonenl. Thus, ve seak of advocacy Ianning,
advocacy |ournaIism, and advocacy Iav. RaIh Nader, lhe consumer advocale, has
done more lhan erhas any individuaI in recenl hislory lo iIIuslrale lhe olenliaI
imacl of advocacy. Advocales oflen rovide Ieadershi or serve as a charismalic
calaIysl for a sociaI movemenl. We associale elly Iriedan vilh lhe modern feminisl
movemenl, Marian Wrighl IdeIman vilh chiIdren's righls, Cesar Chavez vilh lhe farm
vorkers' movemenl, and Marlin Lulher King vilh lhe civiI righls movemenl.
Why is the Episcopal Church involved in public policy
advocacy?
Iresiding isho Irank GrisvoId, in lhe inlroduclion lo Ingage Gc!s Missicn.
Pc|icq jcr Aciicn, makes lhe case for church invoIvemenl in lhe ubIic oIicy area. My
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

2-2

ansver is aIvays lhe same. In lhe vords of }esus: '}usl as you did il lo lhe Ieasl of
lhese.you did il unlo me.' Americans are ossessed of enormousIy generous sirils,
our oIicies need lo refIecl our nalionaI siril of generosily and caring ralher lhan
refIecling lhe immediale concerns of arlicuIar inleresl grous.
The Iresiding isho goes on lo say: In lhe recilalion of our balismaI
covenanl, vhen ve are asked if ve viII 'slrive for |uslice and eace among aII eoIe,
and resecl lhe dignily of every human being,' ve resond boIdIy, 'I viII vilh God's
heI.' The lerms of lhe balismaI covenanl are quile cIear. lhey rool us in lhe hisloric
failh of lhe undivided church. Our reIigious voice in lhe ubIic square is a slaIe of
vho ve are as arl of lhe AngIican Communion. |5cc EXAMPLE A{
Advocacy is rooled in our bibIicaI failh, our AngIican idenlily and our roIe in
carrying oul God's mission. We Iive in a vorId lhal cries oul for reconciIialion, and
reconciIialion, as our rayer book leIIs us, is nolhing Iess lhan lhe mission of lhe
Church. (isho GrisvoId, 2003). The rohelic lradilion, vhich goes back lo lhe OId
Teslamenl rools of lhe Church, is a rich source of insiralion for advocacy. The
exislence of |uslice is indeed lhe ma|or OId Teslamenl crilerion for vhelher God's
eoIe are keeing lhe covenanl.
Ici jusiicc rc|| !cun |ikc uaicrs,
an! rigniccusncss |ikc an ctcrj|cuing sircan
(Ancs 5.24)
The idea lhal God execls his eoIe lo vork for |uslice as veII as charily is exIicil in
such assages as lhese:
c-a,.- z a.--a-, .- t----.- .....--

2-3
Example A
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE)
The Mission: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) brings together Clergy and Laity
from all faiths to achieve a just society that proclaims human dignity for all people, particularly in the
areas of low-wage work and health care.
The Goal: To organize among clergy and laity in support of living wages, just working conditions and
health care for all workers in the Los Angeles Area.
The Program Activities:
1. Promote the principle of Living Wages as public policy,
2. Support workers organizing for better wages and working conditions, and
3. Advocate for a strong safety net for the unemployed and underemployed.
Current programs at the center include programs for nursing home workers, hotel and restaurant
workers, LAX airport workers, home care workers and a chaplaincy program.
The History and Methods: CLUE was formed early in 1996 by people of faith in Los Angeles who
wanted to add the voice of clergy and laity to the struggle for a living wage ordinance. Early on CLUE
drafted and adopted a brief theological statement as its purpose statement.
In the Los Angeles living wage campaign, CLUEs sustained involvement at several levels over a period
of 18 months was crucial to its successful outcome. Subsequent to that, CLUE obtained funding from
foundations and religious groups and set up an office. In the years since, CLUE has been in the forefront
of workers struggles for justice in the region, for example, organizing major processions to support hotel
workers in their fights to obtain fair contracts and for Los Angeles Airport workers and Janitors in their
quest for a living wage and the right to join a union, speaking out at City Council and City committee
hearings on behalf of workers rights, and joining in the effort to get real wages for Workfare recipients.
Since its founding, CLUE has widely promoted yearly Labor Day in the Pulpit liturgies, activities and
sermons, using materials produced by Interfaith Worker Justice. Educationally, CLUE has produced a
widely-used 30-minute video, recently translated into Spanish.
CLUE has grown significantly and now includes well-known religious leaders and representatives of
most major faiths. It has firmed up its structure and programs, established working groups overseeing
various program components, and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The president of its Board
of Directors is the Reverend James M. Lawson, Jr., a nationally prominent civil rights leader and justice
advocate. Represented on the board are workers in addition to clergy and laity of various faiths, with
diversity in ethnic and gender representation.
Each program creates a committee formed by clergy and lay persons. Strategic planning advocacy and
leadership development are part of the fundamental teachings of the committee. CLUE engages in
direct collaboration with the support of workers in their work places.

t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

2-4

Prophetic Tradition
Hov lerribIe il viII be for lhose vho make unfair Iavs and lhose vho vrile Iavs
lhal make Iife hard for eoIe. They are nol fair lo lhe oor, and lhey rob my eoIe of
lheir righls. They aIIov eoIe lo sleaI from vidovs and lo lake from orhans vhal
reaIIy beIongs lo lhem (Isaiah 10:1-2)
The Psalms
God aIvays kees his romises, God |udges in favor of lhe oressed and gives
food lo lhe hungry (IsaIm 146: 6-7). Hay are lhose vho are concerned for lhe oor,
lhe Lord viII heI lhem vhen lhey are in lroubIe (IsaIm 41: 1 TIV)
The Wisdom Literature
If you refuse lo Iislen lo lhe cry of lhe oor, your ovn cry viII nol be heard. (Ws.
21:13) Seak oul for lhose vho cannol seak, for lhe righls of aII lhe deslilule. Defend
lhe righls of lhe oor and lhe needy. (Ws. 31:8-9)
These and olher assages invile us lo refIecl on such queslions as:
Whal are unfair Iavs`
Whal does il mean loday lo |udge in favor of lhe oressed`
Whal are lhe righls of lhe deslilule`
Hov do lhese ibIicaI vievs of overly differ from lhe so-caIIed Iroleslanl
elhic vhich says lhe oor are undeserving and moraIIy defeclive`
}ames, in his leaching, affirmed lhe OId Teslamenl lradilion for lhe nev
covenanl vhen he admonished lhe lveIve lribes in lhe disersion: ReIigion lhal is ure
and undefiIed before God and lhe Ialher is lhis: lo visil lhe orhans and vidovs in
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lheir affIiclion. (}ames 2:27). We are lo be doers of lhe Word and nol hearers onIy
(}ames 2:22).
The examIe of }esus is our guide and insiralion. He had a seciaI sense of mission lo
oor and oressed eoIe evidence lhal, in him, lhe Messianic romises vere being
fuIfiIIed. Al lhe oulsel of his minislry, }esus slood u in lhe synagogue al Nazarelh and
read from lhe rohel Isaiah (Rev. }. ennell Guess, UCC minislries, vvv.ucc.org/cgi-
bin/advrinl.cgi):
The siril of lhe Lord is uon me, because he has aoinled me lo bring
good nevs lo lhe oor. He has senl me lo rocIaim reIease lo lhe calives
and recovery of sighl lo lhe bIind, lo Iel lhe oressed go free, lo rocIaim
lhe Lord's favor. (Luke 4: 18-19)
Iurlher OId and Nev Teslamenl references can be found al
hll://vvv.ucc.org/|uslice/bf.hlm.
The IiscoaI Church has a Iong lradilion of sociaI advocacy. The currenl era of
raclice began vilh lhe founding of lhe Delroil InduslriaI Mission by Hugh While in
1956 and is nov firmIy inslilulionaIized in lvo vays (1) lhe adolion of resoIulions
lhal address ubIic oIicy and cororale raclice by GeneraI Convenlion and Ixeculive
CounciI and (2) lhe vork of lhe Washinglon Office and lhe IiscoaI IubIic IoIicy
Nelvork vhich il organizes and suorls.
How do we do advocacy?
The IiscoaI Church engages in advocacy lhrough resoIulions al GeneraI
Convenlion, Ixeculive CounciI slalemenls, or, on occasion, slalemenls by lhe Iresiding
isho. In IiscoaI Church oIily, oIicy slalemenls oflen fiIler u from lhe individuaI
congregalionaI, diocesan, or rovinciaI IeveI ralher lhan from lhe lo dovn. Once an
advocacy osilion is adoled lhrough a resoIulion, lhe Washinglon Office, lhrough lhe
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IiscoaI IubIic IoIicy Nelvork, seeks lo engage IiscoaIians nalionaIIy lo exress
lhe church's osilion lo IegisIalors or olher oIicy makers. The Ieace and }uslice
Minislries Office based in Nev York aIso Iays an imorlanl roIe in imIemenling lhe
officiaI oIicies of lhe IiscoaI Church, bul lhis is mainIy lhrough rogram
deveIomenl ralher lhan oIicy advocacy.
IiscoaIians vho |oin lhe IiscoaI IubIic IoIicy Nelvork receive reguIar
oIicy aIerls lhal heI lhem lo lrack IegisIalion. Slalevide and diocesan ubIic oIicy
nelvorks heI members kee u vilh slale IegisIalion. The IiscoaI Nelvork for
Iconomic }uslice (INI}) heIs kee ils members informed lhrough a Iislserv. INI} aIso
rovides economic |uslice educalion maleriaIs, issue briefs, and olher suorl lo
nelvork members and olhers.
Many IiscoaIians are aIso engaged in IocaI communily-based organizalions
lhal advocale for changes in IocaI, slale or federaI oIicies. IxamIes of lhese are
incIuded bolh in lhis seclion and in lhe seclion on communily organizing. LocaI and
slalevide organizalions oflen vork logelher lo scheduIe advocacy days in slale
cailaIs. Al lhese evenls, Iarge numbers of eoIe demonslrale and Iobby vilh slale
officiaIs lo oose or roose IegisIalion affecling safely nel services for vorking
famiIies, incIuding heaIlh, educalion, and olher communily services. There are currenl
camaigns in severaI slales lo raise lhe minimum vage. In olher slales, currenl
economic |uslice issues under consideralion incIude equily in educalion and exanding
heaIlh coverage for chiIdren. Immigranl righls is currenlIy anolher ma|or issue for
advocales bolh al lhe federaI and many slale IeveIs. |5cc EXAMPLE B{
In Chaler 5, ve address lhose asecls of sociaI advocacy reIaled lo sociaIIy
resonsibIe invesling. These incIude sharehoIder resoIulions. Iroducl boycolls are
anolher means of advocacy. In lhe sixlies, for examIe, Chrislians vere asked lo
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boycoll graes in suorl of farm vorkers' efforls lo organize. More recenlIy, cerlain
relaiI slores have been boycolled because of lheir Iabor raclices. CIose lo home lhere is
lhe issue of fair comensalion for church vorkers. Sleve Knighl of HoIy Trinily of Nev
York Cily oinls oul lhal aII church slaff shouId be aid a Iiving vage by IocaI
slandards. He aIso suggeslds lhal if lhe ralio searaling lhe highesl and Iovesl
comensaled slaff is grealer lhan 5:1 immediale redress is caIIed for.
Example B

Interfaith Prayer Service for Immigrant Dignity and Recognition
Arizona State Capitol

At a time when legislation would further restrict the rights of immigrants, Interfaith
leaders of Arizona called on people of faith to gather at the state capitol for an interfaith
prayer service. Its purposes were defined as follows:
To call for moderation and civility in the dialogue about immigration
To call for a leadership with vision that uplifts the aspiration of the community
To present the contributions of immigrants to our society
To remind the community that immigrants have enhanced, not diminished, our
community.

Arizona State Capitol Senate Lawn
1700 West Washington, Phoenix, AZ
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
10 a.m. - Noon

A recenl examIe of advocacy is lhal of Ixeculive CounciI (March 2006)
decIaring slrong oosilion lo any IegisIalion lhal vouId make il unIavfuI for failh-
based organizalions lo reIieve lhe suffering of undocumenled immigranls in resonse
lo lhe GoseI mandale lo serve lhe Ieasl among us and our alismaI Covenanl lo seek
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2-8

and serve Chrisl in aII ersons. IiscoaIians lhroughoul lhe counlry |oined olhers in
ubIic demonslralions and in vriling lo members of Congress.
Steps in the Advocacy Process
If your congregalion is ready lo consider adding advocacy in addilion lo lhe
charily vork you area aIready doing lhis manuaI offers an array of resources. You may
vanl lo begin using lhe charily and |uslice maleriaI from Chaler 1. Then engage in
ibIe sludy using maleriaI and lhe above cilalions. Iurlher maleriaI is rovided in
Aendix A and more advocacy modeIs are Iisled in Aendix I. Then foIIov lhese
suggesled sles in lhe advocacy rocess.
1. Iriorilize an issue reIevanl lo your communily. This may be done lhrough IocaI
consuIlalion or survey or by revieving lhe issue aers rovided in lhis manuaI
(Aendix D) or lhe summary of GeneraI Convenlion ResoIulions (Aendix I).
2. Ingage in refIeclion and discussion using maleriaIs from lhis manuaI, IIIN, or
your IocaI or diocesan advocacy nelvork or ubIic oIicy slaff.
3. }oin lhe INI} Iislserv and IIIN lo receive oIicy aIerls. Ior advocacy ideas and
camaigns in a arlicuIar area, consuIl one of lhe inlernel enhanced nelvorks
such as Inlerfailh Worker }uslice, ChiIdren's Defense Iund, or IiscoaI GIobaI
Nelvork. Links lo lhese and olher nelvorks can be found al
hll://vvv.ene|.org/Resources.hlm.
4. Sel u an emaiI Iisl and/or leIehone nelvork.
5. SeIecl aroriale means of communicaling vilh oIicymakers. These can
incIude leslimony before cily counciI or olher ubIic bodies, Ieller vriling
camaigns or elilions, or vigiIs or olher demonslralions.
6. Conlinue lhe educalion of arishioners lhrough eslabIished congregalionaI
channeIs such as sermons, veslry meelings, educalion hour. |5cc EXAMPLE C{



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Example C
Program
The Church of Our Saviour (COS) has numerous active ministries. These include a youth
program and an adult education (GED) program. The congregation is diverse in terms of race,
class, and sexual orientation. Advocacy work includes support for hotel workers (SEIU) and
local 911 which is organizing hospital workers. The church is, in effect, a worker support center
reaching out to low wage, largely Hispanic, workers.
Theology
The church should make a difference in the world. Christians should be willing to confront
injustice and take the discomfort that goes with that. Faith is supposed to transform the world.
Members of our congregation understand how the liturgy reaches into the community and
accomplishes solidarity (with the oppressed).
Methods
1. COS is known as an activist church committed to social justice. Requests come frequently to
help with various causes.
2. The vestry discuses requests and makes commitments to sanction the activity and/or allocate
resources.
3. An elaborate church bulletin goes to an e-mail list.
4. People also hear about events and campaigns in church. Through speakers, literature, and
announcements. Recently, some of the SEIU workers came to speak.
5. Members use sign-up lists to volunteer for rallies and other events.
The Church responds and builds relationships in the movement.
6. The church facility and hospitality is available to workers, to meet, worship or celebrate.
7. There is always preparation going on in the parish to make the connection between what faith
does and what liturgy enacts with what is happening in the world.
8. Pastoral care is provided to worker groups.
9. Liturgy. Special services are held on Hispanic feast days (e.g., Day of the Dead) combined
with an action downtown to support hotel workers organizing efforts. On Ash Wednesday,
the service emphasized the need for societal repentance and the need for justice.
10. Parishioners who cannot participate support efforts by prayer and letter writing.

Contact:
Mother Paula Jackson
Church of Our Saviour
65 East Hollister Street
Cincinnati, OH 45219
(513) 241-1870
www.forministry.com/45219cos

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National Justice for Janitors Day
From the bulletin of the Church of Our Saviour, Cincinnati, Ohio
SAVE THE DATE! National Justice for Janitors Day Wednesday, June 15, 2005 4:30
pm Fountain Square
Justice for Janitors is about a better future. Although my company makes threats and
harasses janitors, we are going to continue to stand up for our rights. We are fighting for
respect and to be treated like humans. Wilberto Pacheco (Jancoa Inc. janitor fired for
his union support).
Join janitors and other political, faith, and community supporters as they march for
justice on National Justice for Janitors Day. Cincinnati commercial office janitors are
fighting for livable wages and affordable healthcare. Their struggle is part of the larger
effort to confront the challenges of working poverty in our service-based economy.
Justice for Janitors Day is a national day of action for the Service Employees
International Union and will kick off this summers activities in Cincinnati. For more
information, log onto www.cincijanitors.org. The Rector and Vestry of the Church of Our
Saviour are among the many religious groups supporting Justice for Janitors.

Example D
Gulf Coast Bishops Call for Justice
The extent to which the concept of justice is now part of the consciousness of the
Episcopal Church is illustrated by the letter three Gulf Coast Bishops addressed to
Congress in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina:
the first devastation, before the havoc wreaked by wind and water, is
in fact the poverty. They cited our baptismal covenants call for justice
and the dignity of every human being in laying out guidelines for
reconstruction.
Episcopal News Service, November 15, 2005 citing a letter by bishops Gray, Duncan,
and Jenkins.
7. Nelvork or |oin forces vilh olher grous in your cily, melro area, diocese or
slale.
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2-11
8. IslabIish an evaIualion rocess. Any advocacy efforl shouId incIude a means of
revieving and reorling resuIls lo lhe congregalion lo decide vhelher lo
conlinue or move on lo olher issues and slarl lhe sles again.
The sles above are adaled, in arl, from maleriaI reared for lhe IvangeIicaI
Lulheran Church in America (ILCA) and IiscoaI AaIachian Minislries (IAM). The
ILCA veb sile is an exceIIenl resource for congregalions vishing lo form an advocacy
minislry. These resources incIude a IubIic IoIicy Inleresl Survey, guideIines for confIicl
managemenl, issue seIeclion and olher asecls of an advocacy minislry. See
hll://vvv.eIca.org/churchinsociely/.
Example E
Rural and Migrant Ministry
The Rev. Richard Witt, Executive Director
Program
For over twelve years, Rural and Migrant Ministries (RMM) has helped coordinate the Justice
for Farmworkers Campaign in New York. In New York, as in many states, farmworkers are
denied such basic rights as a day of rest and to bargain collectively. Through its advocacy
work, RMM has worked to secure the passage of a bill in the state assembly.
Methods
1. The campaign brings together people of faith, labor, and students from across the state to
stand together with farmworkers to address their grievances.
2. The campaign has organized marches across the state to help gain support of legislators for
reform.
3. These efforts have inspired similar efforts in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.
4. The Episcopal Diocese of New York and three other judicatories became covenanting
members.
5. Over 100 Episcopalians help provide ongoing support.
SimiIar resources are avaiIabIe from lhe IiscoaI IubIic IoIicy Nelvork (. 2-12).
What are the legal limitations on church-based advocacy?
The Inlerfailh AIIiance rovides a very cIear guide oulIining lhe IegaI and elhicaI
requiremenls for cIergy and houses of vorshi. The guide is avaiIabIe al
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2-12

hll://vvv.inlerfailhaIIiance.org/alf/cf/05044A38-9516-4831-9AA2-
I10AIA8886A/2004hov.df The guide affirms lhe roIe of reIigious organizalions in
advocacy, bul slresses lhe imorlance lhal cIergy members and ubIicalions roduced
by houses of vorshi nol give lhe aearance of endorsing or oosing secific
candidales. This is lhe ma|or aclivily lhal vouId ul lhe organizalion's lax exeml
slalus al risk. Congregalions shouId aIso avoid aIIoving lhe dislribulion of arlisan
oIilicaI roaganda on lheir remises.
Episcopal Resources for Advocacy
The Social Policies of the Episcopal Church
The Office of Governmenl ReIalions (Washinglon Office) of lhe IiscoaI
Church ubIishes a summary of lhe sociaI oIices of lhe IiscoaI Church in a bookIel
enlilIed |ngagc Gc!s Missicn. Pc|icq jcr Aciicn. Tnc Sccia| Pc|icics cj inc |pisccpa| Cnurcn.
This bookIel rovides a brief descrilion of various resoIulions adoled by GeneraI
Convenlion or Ixeculive CounciI. The calegories cover a vide range of sociaI |uslice
issues incIuding economic |uslice. To order, caII (800) 228-0515, or see
hll://vvv.eiscoaIchurch.org/3654_48533_ING_HTM.hlm
The Episcopal Public Policy Network
The IiscoaI IubIic IoIicy Nelvork (IIIN) is anolher service of lhe
Washinglon Office. IndividuaIs vho |oin IIIN (free of charge) receive reguIar aIerls
regarding lhe issues lhey have chosen lo monilor. This enabIes lhem lo conlacl lheir
IegisIalors lo regisler lheir oinion based on church leaching.
hll://vvv.eiscoaIchurch.org/en.hlm
Peace and Justice Ministries
Ieace and }uslice Minislries is resonsibIe for deveIoing various rograms and
resources lhal resond lo and imIemenl oIicies adoled by lhe Church. To exIore
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lhese minislry resources, incIuding lhe Office of }ubiIee Minislries and lhe IiscoaI
Nelvork for Iconomic }uslice, see hll://vvv.eiscoaIchurch.org/eace-
|uslice/index.hlm.
The Office of Jubilee Ministries
The Office of }ubiIee Minislries oerales a granls rogram and rovides suorl
and lechnicaI assislance lo a nelvork of some 600 }ubiIee Cenlers lhroughoul lhe
Uniled Slales and Irovince IX. Many of lhese cenlers oerale rograms lhal have an
economic |uslice comonenl. Descrilions of lhese rograms are avaiIabIe in rinl and
onIine al hll://vvv.eiscoaIchurch.org/|ubiIee.hlm. A samIe of cenlers vilh
economic |uslice minislries can be found in Aendix I.
The Resolutions of General Convention
INI} has reared a brief descrilion of lhe various resoIulions of GeneraI
Convenlions heId belveen 1976 and 2003 reIaling lo economic |uslice (a somevhal
narrover calegory lhan sociaI |uslice). This summary of GeneraI Convenlion resoIulions
can be found in Aendix I of lhis manuaI.
ENEJ Issue Papers
Members of INI}'s Advocacy Commillee have vrillen shorl issue aers on
many of lhe ma|or economic |uslice concerns and issues in conlemorary oIilics. In
Aendix D of lhis manuaI, lhe reader viII find brief exosilions of redalory Iending,
Iiving vage, laxalion, sociaI securily, economic |uslice for vomen, oulsourcing,
affordabIe housing, immigralion, sociaIIy resonsibIe invesling, fair lrade, racism, and
hunger. This Iisl has been exanded in lhe second edilion. Iach aer has an
exIanalion of lhe issue, church leachings on lhe sub|ecl, and suggesled aclion sles for
congregalions.
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2-14

Other Networks |n the Church
The }ubiIee Minislry nelvork, menlioned above, is an officiaI arl of lhe
IiscoaI Church slruclure. The many grassrools nelvorks aIso offer exerlise in lheir
areas of seciaIly. These incIude lhe IiscoaI Urban Caucus, lhe IiscoaI
InvironmenlaI Nelvork, lhe IiscoaI Ieace IeIIovshi, Inlegrily, lhe IiscoaI
Aging Minislry and olhers. Some of lheir vebsiles are Iisled here:
IiscoaI Urban Caucus: hll://vvv.eiscoaIurbancaucus.org
IiscoaI IcoIogicaI Nelvork: hll://vvv.eenonIine.org
IiscoaI Ieace IeIIovshi: hll://vvv.eiscoaIeacefeIIovshi.org
Inlegrily: hll://vvv.inlegrilyusa.org
Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation (EGR)
This nelvork, vilh suorl from lhe IiscoaI ReIief and DeveIomenl Iund,
romoles lhe Uniled Nalions' MiIIennium DeveIomenl GoaIs (MDGs), IGR rovides
educalionaI maleriaIs, a Iislserv, and olher suorl lo individuaIs and congregalions
vishing lo heI imIemenl lhe MDGs. hll://vvv.eiscoaIgIobaIreconciIialion.org/
Millennium Development Goals
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental stability
8. Develop a global partnership for development
Every Voice Network
Ivery Voice Nelvork (IVN) is a veb-based minislry informing,
suorling, and uniling rogressive AngIicans engaged in eace and |uslice vork. IVN
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2-15
combines |ournaIism, on-Iine discussions, curricuIum, and movemenl buiIding
educalionaI and advocacy evenls lo share informalion, resources, and lechnoIogy.
hll://vvv.everyvoice.nel
Not|ono| Advococy Networks
Childrens Defense Fund
The ChiIdren's Defense Iund (CDI) is lhe mosl imorlanl nalionaI chiId
advocacy organizalion, vilh numerous slale and IocaI offices. CDI is renovned for ils
slalevide reorls on lhe slalus of chiIdren. Aclivisls can subscribe lo a Iislserv and
receive reguIar informalion on IegisIalive inilialives imorlanl lo chiId veIfare.
hll://vvv.chiIdrensdefense.org/
Interfaith Worker Justice
Inlerfailh Worker }uslice educales, organizes, and mobiIizes lhe US
reIigious communily on issues and camaigns lo imrove vages, benefils and vorking
condilions for vorkers, eseciaIIy Iov-vage vorkers. Resources incIude Iailh Works
nevsIeller, IilurgicaI resources for Labor Day, IailhfuI Cilizenshi (voler righls) and
summer inlernshis. LocaI affiIiales in many cilies offer oorlunilies for invoIvemenl.
hll://vvv.iv|.org
ke|oted keod|ngs
|ncqua|iiq Maiicrs. Tnc Grcuing |ccncnic Oiti!c in Ancrica an! |is Pciscncus Ccnscqucnccs,
}ames Lardner and David A. Smilh, eds., The Nev Iress, 2005
In 21 brief chalers, some of lhe Ieading commenlalors on U.S. sociaI oIicy
(such as arbara Ihrenriech, Chrisloher }encks, and }im WaIIis) describe lhe groving
ga belveen rich and oor, issues of race and cIass, lhe erosion of middIe cIass securily
and olher asecls of lhe currenl economic scene in lhis counlry. Such chalers as
uiIding a MoraI Iconomy and A Irohelic IoIilics are eseciaIIy geared lo church
eoIe inleresled in advocacy.
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2-16

Tnc |npaci cj inc G|c|a|. An Ur|an Tncc|cgq, Laurie Green, isho of radveII, AngIican
Urban Nelvork, enlIey Iress, 2001.
This book, a roducl of lhe emerging AngIican Urban Nelvork, resenls an
urban lheoIogy vilhin a gIobaI erseclive. Wilh increasing urbanizalion in lhe lhird
vorId and lhe bifurcaled economy of many melrooIilan areas in lhe deveIoed vorId,
nev allerns of urbanizalion are emerging. The lrends are by no means aII benign.
Many counlries mainlain modeIs of deveIomenl based on a rimary ruraI
demograhic. isho Green chaIIenges Chrislians lo become more aclive in lhe affairs
of lhe nev gIobaI cily. He offers a viev of advocacy based on direcl encounler belveen
lhe oor and lhe overfuI, and caIIs for nelvorking and a nev gIobaI avareness.
Tnc Ncu G|c|a|izaiicn. |cc|aining inc Icsi Grcun! cj Our Cnrisiian Sccia| Tra!iiicn, Richard
W. GiIIell, vilh a forevord by Kennelh Leach. The IiIgrim Iress, 2005.
The Rev. Canon Richard GiIIell is a Ionglime advocale for lhe righls of Iov vage
vorkers and a Ieader in lhe IiscoaI Nelvork for Iconomic }uslice. His book delaiIs
groving vorIdvide inequaIily, groving over of inlernalionaI financiaI and cororale
inslilulions, and lhe reIaled changes in lhe cuIluraI miIieu. He discusses lhe hislory of
overly and addresses vorId debl and olher conlemorary gIobaI issues, and revievs
lhe evoIulion of Chrislian and AngIican sociaI leaching lo caII for a reneved reIigious
engagemenl. The lvo finaI chalers offer advice on hov Chrislians can engage in aclion
and advocacy on behaIf of sociaI oIicies for vorkers and for human righls in generaI.
3-1
Chapter 3
Globalization and Economic Justice

5nurcc: Richard W. GiIIell, The GIobaI HousehoId: IubIic IoIicy Choices in lhe Nev GIobaI Iconomic
Order and Anolher WorId Is IossibIe: Organizing and TheoIogizing. In lhe Ncu G|c|a|izaiicn.
|cc|aining inc Icsi Grcun! cj Our Cnrisiian Sccia| Tra!iiicn. (CIeveIand: The IiIgrim Iress, 2005), . 147-
166, . 182-194. Adaled by ermission.
What is Globalization?
GIobaIizalion refers lo lhe vave of lransformalive change lhal has come lo lhe
vorId's oIilicaI and economic syslems vilh nev breaklhroughs in lechnoIogy,
communicalions, and lransorlalion. AIlhough gIobaIizalion in some resecls has been
a arl of lhe vorId order for al Ieasl five hundred years, lhe acceIeralion of lhese lrends
vhich began around lhe earIy eighlies has shrunk lhe gIobe even more dramalicaIIy
lhan before. AIlhough lhere are osilive benefils, such as a rising slandard of Iiving in
some counlries, lhe human cosls of lhe resenl vave of gIobaIizalion are enormous: lhe
increased disosabiIily of eoIe and lheir increased vuInerabiIily in lhe |ob markel, lhe
increased lransfer of financiaI and commerciaI assels, and lhe increased
commerciaIizalion of everyday Iife. We are, in shorl, vilnessing lhe acceIeraling
dominalion of an aII-enguIfing gIobaI cailaIism vhose soIe elhic is lhe markel.
We knov lhal in lhe nev gIobaIizalion of lhe Iasl fev decades lhe vorId has sIid
deeer inlo gIobaI overly al lhe same lime il is seeing increased veaIlh concenlraling
al lhe lo. This reaIily is overvheImingIy lhe rinciaI chaIIenge lo ubIic oIicy across
lhe board, from gIobaI lo IocaI IeveIs. ul our rimary chaIIenge is nol |usl one of
advocaling nev economic oIicies lo address lhese inequilies. Il is lhe more serious lask
of breaking free from lhe shackIes of an economic delerminism lhal in our lime has
eIevaled ilseIf lo dogma in lhe free markel aroach lo lhe vorId economic order,
and lo Iook al lhe vorId once more as one indissoIubIy human communily bound
logelher.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
3-2
Al lhe lenlh AssembIy of lhe Lulheran WorId Iederalion heId in 2003, lhal
inlernalionaI church grou idenlified neoIiberaIism as lhe hiIosohy lhal aears lo
undergird lhe nev gIobaI economic order. Said lhe documenl: This faIse ideoIogy
|neoIiberaIismj is grounded on lhe assumlion lhal lhe markel, buiIl on rivale
roerly, unreslrained comelilion, and lhe cenlraIily of conlracls, is lhe absoIule Iav
governing human Iife, sociely, and lhe naluraI environmenl. This is idoIalry, and Ieads
lo lhe syslemalic excIusion of lhose vho ovn no roerly, lhe deslruclion of cuIluraI
diversily, lhe dismanlIing of fragiIe democracies and lhe deslruclion of lhe earlh.
Olher church documenls al lhe inlernalionaI IeveI aIso vere beginning lo aIy lhal
descrilive lerm lo gIobaIizalion.

A Christian Theological Response to Globalization
Hov can ve lake vhal ve Iearn aboul lhe nev gIobaI economy and aboul our
rich reIigious lradilion lhal can seak slrongIy lo lhe issue and begin lo lhink
lheoIogicaIIy aboul il` Can ve begin lo envision, even if onIy dimIy, a lheoIogy of
gIobaIizalion` Iven raising lhe queslion sounds relenlious al lhis oinl. Whal ve can
do is idenlify some lheoIogicaI oinls of dearlure lhal can serve as a foundalion.
Iirsl, ve shouId nole lhal lhe roonenls and urveyors of gIobaIizalion invoke
a lheoIogy, al Ieasl in form, vhich ve mighl lhink of as lhe Markel as God. The
coronalion of cailaIism has been IoudIy rocIaimed eseciaIIy in lhe Uniled Slales as
lhe soIe remaining economic ideoIogy foIIoving lhe faII of communism. TheoIogian
Harvey Cox, deciding severaI years ago on a friend's advice lo read lhe business ages
of lhe daiIy nevsaers lo find oul vhal vas reaIIy going on, leIIs of making a
surrising discovery, nameIy lhal his reading of lhe WaII Slreel }ournaI and olher
eriodicaIs reveaIed a slriking resembIance lo lhe book of Genesis, lhe IislIe lo lhe
Romans, and Sl. Augusline's Cily of God. ehind descrilions of markel reforms,
monelary oIicy and lhe convoIulions of lhe Dov, I graduaIIy made oul lhe ieces of a
c-a,.- s o.--a...a..-- a-a t----.- .....--
3-3
grand narralive aboul lhe inner meaning of human hislory, vhy lhings had gone
vrong, and hov lo ul lhem righl, vriles Cox.1 TheoIogians caII lhese mylhs of
origin, Iegends of lhe faII, and doclrines of sin and redemlion. ul here lhey vere
again, and in onIy lhin disguise: chronicIes aboul lhe crealion of veaIlh, lhe seduclive
lemlalions of slalism, calivily lo faceIess economic cycIes, and uIlimaleIy, saIvalion of
free markels. One fears lo louch lhe Ark, yel as lhe OId Teslamenl rohels did
reIenlIessIy, lhe idoI of gIobaI cailaIism musl be named and delhroned as musl any
faIse gods.
Chrislian lheoIogy and siriluaIily vouId have a very differenl reading of lhe
increasing commodificalion of lhe vorId and ils eoIe. The lheoIogicaI concel of lhe
Incarnalion is a rinciaI underinning lo underslanding our lask in confronling
economic gIobaIizalion. The beIief found ils fuIIesl accelance in lhe 19lh and 20lh
cenluries in IngIand, and conlinues lo be a cenlraI lheoIogicaI idea in lhe AngIican
Communion. The Incarnalion exresses a beIief lhal vhen }esus became incarnale in
our human vorId as lhe Son of God, lhe vhoIe crealion al lhal momenl became charged
vilh Chrisl's resence--in every human being (nol |usl in Chrislians) in every Iace, and
forever afler. Il is a radicaI lheoIogicaI slalemenl of lhe vorlh of aII human beings in
every asecl of lheir condilion, incIuding lhal of economic man and voman.
The Iiberalion lheoIogies vhich came lo lhe fore in lhe Iasl haIf of lhe Iasl cenlury
aIso rovide us vilh slrong lheoIogicaI refIeclions on lhe currenl economic
gIobaIizalion. Irom Lalin America, from Iack and feminisl lheoIogians, and from
ecoIogicaI lheoIogies of Iiberalion ve are rovided bolh vilh lhe erseclive of }esus'
ovn referenliaI olion for lhe oor
2
in lhe scrilures, and lhal of lhe viclims of
economic and sociaI oression. They heI save us from vieving lhe vorId, and our

1
Harvey Cox, The Market as God in the Atlantic Monthly, March, 1999
2
The Medellin (Colombia) conference of Latin American Bishops in 1968 gave prominence to this phrase,
a prominence unfortunately subsequently downplayed by the Catholic Church.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
3-4
lheoIogies, lhrough lhe Iens of Weslern affIuence and riviIege. In lhis regard, ve are
sIov lo absorb lhe facl lhal by 2050 onIy aboul one-fiflh of lhe vorId's eslimaled lhree
biIIion Chrislians viII be non-Hisanic vhiles. Those of us vho are vhile, arlicuIarIy
vhile maIes, musl cIearIy become radicaIIy oen lo nev erseclives.
In addilion lo beginning lo formuIale a Chrislian lheoIogicaI osilion on
gIobaIizalion, ve need lo acquainl ourseIves vilh lhe vievs of lhe olher greal vorId
reIigions}udaism, lhe MusIim failh, uddhism, Hinduismlo find common siriluaI
ground lo confronl lhe in|uslices of gIobaIizalion. Iach of lhese reIigious lradilions has
a universaI vision of unily. Anolher inleresling faclone vorlh ondering vhen you
aIy il lo lhe currenl gIobaI economic orderis lhal lhey aII agree lhal greed is nol an
admirabIe human lrail! Wriles Chandra Muzaffar in lhe summary chaler of Su|tcriing
Grcc!: The simiIarilies are so overvheIming lhal one can laIk vilh some confidence
aboul lhe reIigions evoIving a shared universaI moraI and siriluaI elhic vis-a-vis lhe
gIobaI economy. Hovever, for such an elhic lo evoIve, ve have lo go beyond our
resenl endeavor...lhese lradilions have nol as yel reaIIy diaIogued vilh one anolher.
Irom a Chrislian erseclive, ve have nev reIigious aroaches lo gIobaIizalion.
As lhe miIIennium year 2000 aroached, Chrislian churches around lhe gIobe
embraced lhe bibIicaI concel of }ubiIee, based uon lhe divine exhorlalion in lhe book
of Levilicus (chaler 25) lo rocIaim Iiberly lhroughoul lhe Iand, and Iaunched lhe
}ubiIee 2000 Camaign.
Likevise seizing uon lhe nev miIIennium as oorlunily, in Selember 2000
lhe Uniled Nalions, in a formaI vole, adoled ils ovn vision of a reneved vorId
communily, caIIing il lhe MiIIennium DecIaralion. The eighl goaIs of lhis DecIaralion
commilled lhe inlernalionaI communily lo an exanded vision of deveIomenl, one
lhal vigorousIy romoles human deveIomenl as lhe key lo suslaining sociaI and
economic rogress in aII counlries, and recognizes lhe imorlance of crealing a gIobaI
arlnershi for deveIomenl. Selling lhe year 2015 as lhe dale for achieving such
c-a,.- s o.--a...a..-- a-a t----.- .....--
3-5
goaIs, lhe DecIaralion aIso sel secific largels for each goaI so as lo be abIe lo measure
rogress.
So ve have lhese lvo formuIalionsone lheoIogicaI, lhe olher rogrammalic
as a guiding moraI backdro for ubIic oIicy consideralions.

Global Problems Require Global Policies
As a gIobaI inslilulion ilseIf, lhe church (and lhe AngIican Communion in
arlicuIar) has bolh a resonsibiIily and a Ialform lo address lhe human consequences
of gIobaIizalion and lhe need for ubIic oIicy resonses lo lhem. When ve say ubIic
oIicy ve mean lhe Iavs, reguIalions or agreemenls, formaI or informaI, enlered inlo
by inlernalionaI bodies (lhe Uniled Nalions, lhe InlernalionaI Monelary Iund |IMIj,
The WorId ank, The WorId Trade Organizalion |WTOj, Norlh American Iree Trade
Agreemenl |NAITAj, and olhers) and nalions, and aIso lhe economic deveIomenl
oIicies of slales or municiaIilies lhal have lo do direclIy or indireclIy vilh lhe gIobaI
economic order. In lhe case of slales or cilies, such oIicies may be Iess obviousIy
reIaled lo lhe gIobaI economy, bul il is very imorlanl lo undersland lhal lhere can be a
gIobaI causaI reIalionshi al Iover IeveIs, eseciaIIy vhen considering aclion slralegies.
The gIobaI imeralive for advocaling aIlernalive ubIic oIicies arises from lhe
urgenl need lo imose some order on lhe gIobaI markelIace, lo make bolh finance
and commerce more accounlabIe for lhe consequences of lheir aclions, and lo give
hoslage socielies more abiIily lo delermine lheir ovn fulure, in WiIIiam Greider's
vords. Againsl lhis backdro, broad oIicy recommendalions can emerge for church
consideralion. The recommendalions lhal foIIov are a broad samIe of vhal is
currenlIy under discussion by a vide segmenl of oinion as aIlernalives lo lhe resenl
gIobaI economic order.

Reform lhe inlernalionaI ruIes of lrade
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
3-6
o The inlernalionaI lrade oIicies romoled by lhe WTO, IMI, and WorId
ank have ressured deveIoing nalions lo oen lhemseIves lo free lrade,
rivalize ubIic inveslmenls, and reduce governmenl conlroIs as
condilions for financiaI assislance. The cruciaI lask is lo vork lovard
change in lhe governance and voling righls of lhese bodies in order lhal
voices from lhe deveIoing nalions affecled by lheir decisions can have
reaI veighl.
Mainlain nalionaI sovereignly over cororale rofils
o NalionaI Iavs are coming increasingIy under assauIl from lhe drive for
rofils by muIlinalionaI cororalions. Ior examIe, a arlicuIarIy
rerehensibIe asecl of NAITA aIIovs cororalions lo sue counlries for
erceived Ioss of rofil due lo governmenlaI reslriclions on lheir
aclivilies (yes, you read lhal senlence correclIy!). This rovision raises
rofound issues for slale sovereignly and lhe caacily, for examIe, lo
IegaIIy rovide environmenlaI roleclion lo cilizens, and by imIicalion
lhe democralic arlicialion of eoIe in lheir ovn governance.
IncreasingIy, inlernalionaI free lrade agreemenls couId undermine slale or
municiaI Iavs reguIaling vages and vorking condilions on lhe lheory
lhal lheir effecl couId be seen as imacling lhe condilions of
comelilion. We shouId suorl caIIs for a ma|or reordering of lrade
riorilies lovard resecling lhe righls and needs of lhe eoIes of
deveIoing counlries, and in arlicuIar lo require lhe IMI and olher lrade
grous lo Iace highesl riorily on lhe secific IocaI and regionaI Iabor
and environmenlaI imacls of a ending lrade agreemenl.
Advocale food sovereignly, eseciaIIy for deveIoing nalions
o Iood sovereignly, as defined by Via Camesina, (lhe vorId's Iargesl
farmers organizalion) is lhe human righl of aII eoIes and nalions lo
c-a,.- s o.--a...a..-- a-a t----.- .....--
3-7
grov food in vays lhal are cuIluraIIy, ecoIogicaIIy and economicaIIy
aroriale for lhem. According lo Anuradha MillaI, co-direclor of Iood
Iirsl and The Inslilule for Iood and DeveIomenl IoIicy, currenl WTO
ruIes oerale lo kee over squareIy in lhe hands of exorl roducers,
Iarge businesses, and eIiles, al lhe exense of famiIy farmers. Advocaling
food sovereignly is in facl a conlinualion lhe Iong-slanding goaIs of many
churches in addressing vorId hunger in a more syslemic vay.
Imose inlernalionaI reslriclions on lhe gIobaI movemenl of cailaI
o olh inlernalionaIIy and nalionaIIy, nev Iavs and reguIalions are
necessary lo begin lo require banks lo use lheir funds more lo slrenglhen
|ob-crealing enlerrises and Iess lo creale veaIlh for lheir inveslors.
InlernalionaI Iav shouId oulIav lhe exislence of ma|or offshore banking
cenlers lhal ermil inveslors lo hide lheir money from lhe banking and
securily Iavs of lheir ovn governmenls and evade lhe aymenl of income
laxes.
CanceI Third WorId debl
o The huge Iong-lerm burden Iaced on Third WorId nalions lo reay debls
oved for economic deveIomenl is veII knovn. Loan reaymenls for
some nalions have consliluled as much as forly ercenl of lheir annuaI
income. The success of lhe }ubiIee 2000 camaign in marshaIing lhe
suorl of lhe inlernalionaI reIigious communily lo ressure lhe
deveIoed counlries lo canceI more lhan $1.3 biIIion annuaIIy of lhe debl
oved by lhe lvenly-six HeaviIy Indebled Ioor Counlries (HIICs), needs
lo conlinue, for lhis amounl reresenls onIy a lhird of lhe lolaI
indebledness oved by lhe oor nalions lo lhe veaIlhy nalions. In AriI of
2006, lhe }ubiIee USA Nelvork raIIied lhousands of caIIs and emaiIs lo
successfuIIy ersuade lhe WorId ank lo remove adminislralive deIaying
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
3-8
laclics and go ahead vilh ils debl canceIIalion scheduIe lhal vorId Ieaders
agreed uon al lhe G-8 Summil in Idinburgh in Augusl 2005. Il vas a
overfuI demonslralion of lhe reIigious communily's abiIily lo affecl
ubIic oIicy.
Ind lhe IegaI ficlion of cororalions as ersons
o Currenl American Iav (as eslabIished in 1886 by lhe U.S. Sureme Courl)
eslabIishes lhal a rivale cororalion is a erson, and as such is enlilIed
lo lhe IegaI righls and roleclion lhe Conslilulion affords lo any erson.
This equalion of ersons vilh roerly, says David Korlen, eslabIishes a
resumed righl of lhe cororalion lo lhe securily of ils roerly and rofil
over a erson's righl lo make of Iiving. We shouId find vays lo vork for
IegisIalive reform of lhe incororalion of Iarge cororalions by lhe slale by
requiring cororalions lo meel cerlain Iabor and environmenlaI slandards
lhal are in lhe ubIic inleresl, lo ay Iiving vages lo lheir vorkers, and lo
agree lo ay subslanliaI enaIlies shouId lhey decide lo lransfer lheir
vorkers offshore, as a condilion of being granled a charler lo do business.
Slrenglhen inlernalionaI Iabor slandards and buiId slrong unions
o The insislence uon minimum slandards for lhe vorking condilions of
eoIe is based on lvo rinciIes lhal find resonance in lhe Chrislian
lradilion: firsl, lhe inherenl dignily of vork as a human enlerrise
direcled bolh lovard ersonaI crealive fuIfiIImenl and lhe vider
ubuiIding of lhe human communily, and second, lhe underslanding of
vorkers nol as commodilies lo be boughl and soId, bul as human
cailaIa recious assel al lhe hearl of lhe roduclive rocess. Any fair
gIobaI economic order musl incIude lhe oIicies uheId by lhe
InlernalionaI Labor Organizalion: freedom of associalion in lhe
vorkIace, i.e. lhe righl lo organize, lhe aboIilion of forced Iabor, lhe
c-a,.- s o.--a...a..-- a-a t----.- .....--
3-9
eIiminalion of chiId Iabor, and lhe eIiminalion of discriminalion (race,
elhnic, gender) in emIoymenl and occualion.
Make environmenlaI suslainabiIily a requiremenl for deveIomenl ro|ecls
o The gIobaI cailaIisl engine of lhe lvenly-firsl cenlury is simIy nol
comalibIe vilh lhe urgenl need lo revenl ils induslriaI and economic
aclivilies from deslroying lhe gIobaI ecoIogicaI baIance. The Reorl on
AIlernalives lo Iconomic GIobaIizalion uls il lhis vay: Iconomic
gIobaIizalion is inlrinsicaIIy harmfuI lo lhe environmenl because il is
based on ever-increasing consumlion, exIoilalion of resources, and
vasle disosaI robIems. AImosl universaI currenl raclice bolh in and
beyond lhe free lrade organizalions, hovever, Iaces lhe burden uon
communily grous or governmenlaI enlilies lo rove lhal a nev
lechnoIogy, rocess, aclivily, or chemicaI causes environmenlaI damage.
Inslead, ve shouId insisl lhal lechnicaI advances be demonslraled as safe
and suslainabIe by lhose inlroducing lhem. This Irecaulionary IrinciIe
a rinciIe aIready adoled as a reguIalion by lvo Iuroean
counlriesshouId be an inlegraI comonenl of lhe oIicies and
rocedures of lhe WTO and lhe various olher inlernalionaI lrade grous
and associalions.
Insure lhe uhoIding of lhe Uniled Nalions DecIaralion of UniversaI Human
Righls
o The DecIaralion, subscribed lo by member slales of lhe U.N., is lhe moraI
undergirding for lhe rinciaI civiI and oIilicaI goaIs asired lo by aII
vho slrive for lhe crealion of a |usl and eacefuI gIobaI communily. The
DecIaralion decIares universaI human righls lo incIude a slandard of
Iiving adequale for...heaIlh and veII-being, incIuding food, cIolhing,
housing, and medicaI care, and necessary sociaI services, and lhe righl lo
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
3-10
securily in lhe evenl of unemIoymenl... In recenl years, lhese righls
have been inlerreled lo incIude lhe cuIluraI righls of eoIes lo reserve
lheir cuIluraI and hisloricaI herilage in lhe face of economic ressures.

Addressing Globalization at Local and State Policy Levels
Il isn'l onIy in lhe dislanl haIIs (and behind lhe cIosed doors) of inlernalionaI
economic galherings lhal gIobaIizalion shouId be addressed, lhe economic deveIomenl
oIicies and raclices of our cilies and slales are absoIuleIy reIaled lo lhe Iarger currenls
of lhe nev gIobaIizalion. GIobaI cororale and financiaI over in lhe lvenly-firsl
cenlury is exaclIy lhal: gIobaI. The same cororalions and banks lhal are consoIidaling
lheir over and resence in angIadesh, China, Mexico and Argenlina are aIso
exanding lheir infIuence in our cilies and slales. They seek lhe same IegisIalive
advanlages: lax breaks, reduclion or susension of Iabor and vorker safely Iavs, lhe
selling aside of environmenlaI and sociaI slandards, and olher Iucralive benefils lhal
have characlerized lheir gIobaI oeralions. The resuIling rise in Iov vage overly in lhe
U.S.nov fuIIy lvenly ercenl of lhe vork force, or 26 miIIion eoIe vho earn
$8.23/hr. or Iessmirrors lhe gIobaI slagnalion of vages and increased overly in lhe
Iasl lvenly years.
Over againsl lhese lrends in our cilies and slales, hovever, surrisingIy effeclive
nev movemenls and slralegies have deveIoed and are beginning achieve nev
governmenl oIicies lo address lhis overly imbaIance. Chief among lhis is lhe Iiving
vage movemenl. To dale lhe movemenl, aclive across lhe counlry in smaII and Iarge
cilies and on coIIege camuses, has achieved lhe assage of Iiving vage ordinances in
over 116 cilies, vilh severaI dozens more ending. Moreover, ACORN, lhe nalionaI
communily aclivisl organizalion, is nov direcling some of ils Iiving vage communily
organizing camaigns al slalevide IeveIs in a haIf-dozen slales.
c-a,.- s o.--a...a..-- a-a t----.- .....--
3-11
Why is lhe Iiving vage movemenl a gIobaIizalion issue` The reason may nol be
immedialeIy obvious. Il is a resonse al municiaI IeveIs lo lhe increased overly in our
cilies resuIling from al Ieasl lhree lrends, lhe firsl lvo of vhich are aIso rominenl al
gIobaI IeveIs: exanded free markel oorlunilies fIoving from Iover laxalion and
reguIalion of business, lhe rivalizalion of governmenl services, and (in lhe case of lhe
U.S.) lhe fIood of immigranls from Mexico, CenlraI America and lhe Caribbean in
recenl years. The nev immigralion fIovs have roven a bonanza across lhe counlry for
businesses seeking Iov-vage, non-union Iabor.
The exanding Iiving vage movemenl and lhe exansion of vorker and
communily righls and benefils al municiaI and slale IeveIs are key ubIic oIicy
counlerarls lo gIobaI oIicy measures and slralegies. These Iover-IeveI oIicy
ob|eclives become cruciaI and highIy visibIe ressure oinls lhal heI make lhe Iink
vilh oIicies al lhe gIobaI inlernalionaI IeveI. (Ior more on lhe Iiving vage issue, see lhe
issue aer on Living Wages in lhe Advocacy aendix.)

Think Globally, Organize Locally
Mosl reIigious sIogans, even good ones, are al onIy for a shorl lime, lhen fade
avay. An excelion, one reIevanl for us as ve address lhe nev gIobaI economic order,
is Tnink G|c|a||q, Aci Icca||q: slrikingIy erlinenl loday afler being around for severaI
decades.
Iour queslions shouId be fundamenlaI slarling oinls for any organizing efforl
on gIobaIizalion, queslions ve musl conlinue lo check in vilh al every |unclure of our
vork. They may seem eIemenlary, bul lhe consislency and lhoroughness of lheir asking
viII go far lovards delermining a successfuI oulcome of any slralegy.
The firsl queslion is: Wncrc is inc pain? Thal is, vhere are eoIe and lheir
communilies hurling (lhere is a Iol lo choose from!)` ObviousIy, since lhe gIobaI scene is
our househoId, lhe queslion erlains lo bolh near and far, from IiIiino corn farmers
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
3-12
lo svealsho vorkers in Honduras, lo immigranl |anilors and holeI vorkers in oslon
and Los AngeIes, and beyond. And vhal, exaclIy, is lhe hurl` Ior examIe, is il Iov
vages` exIoilalion al vork` Iack of vork (due, for examIe lo lhe inabiIily lo seII a
vilaI cro on lhe vorId markel)` Iack of Iand` Iack of Iife-saving drugs (as in lhe African
AIDS andemic)`
Second, Wnq is inis nappcning? Whal arlicuIar ubIic oIicies, cororale
raclices, or olher infIuences are lhe Ieading or conlribuling causes of lhe silualion`
There are obvious cuIrils on lhe gIobaI scene lhal mighl be idenlifiabIe: lhe currenl
oIicies of lhe inlernalionaI financiaI and lrade organizalions (IMI, NAITA, WTO,
ITAA), or our ovn agricuIluraI oIicies lhal severeIy hinder oor farmers overseas, or
currenl inveslmenl and lax oIicies, or many olhers ve couId idenlify. In such areas,
lhere are frequenlIy imacls feIl on our IocaI scene lhal may rovide oorlunilies for
invoIvemenl. If a IocaI issue is decided uon as a focus, revaiIing IocaI oIicies and
business raclices usuaIIy need lo be addressed. In modern-day America, urban
economic oIicies and raclices invariabIy are liIled lovard favoring Iarge deveIoers
and lheir economic inleresls. Whelher a arlicuIar deveIomenl roosaI viII creale nol
onIy |obs, bul Iiving vage |obs, affirm lhe righl lo organize, reserve lhe neighborhood,
safeguard lhe environmenl, and generaIIy enhance lhe sociaI veII-being of aII lhe
eoIe in lhe communily: lhese are lhe condilions ve in lhe churches shouId be
organizing lo fighl for. Iurlhermore, lhese queslions are gIobaIizalion queslions. They
have lo do vilh hov oIilicaI and economic over are used lo lruIy benefil human
deveIomenl. So churches lhal vork on lhis IeveI are doing gIobaIizalion vork, lhey
are an aulhenlic arl of lhe Iarger gIobaI ush lo humanize and lransform lhe gIobaI
economic order.
Third, in assessing lhe ossibiIilies for aclion, vhelher IocaIIy or beyond, ve
need lo find oul unc cur a||ics nigni |c, nci cn|q in inc ui!cr rc|igicus ccnnuniiq, |ui in inc
ccnnuniiq ai |argc. We have an imeralive lo be inlerfailh nol onIy in diaIogue logelher
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3-13
bul in our aclion slralegies if ve are lo be al aII effeclive. Il shouId be cIear by nov lhal
Iresbylerian, or Lulheran, or IiscoaI or CalhoIic resonses are by lhemseIves lolaIIy
inadequale lo lhe lask. Moreover, such inlerfailh endeavors musl |oin in arlnershi
vilh lhe secuIar communily. In lhe vords of one rilish lheoIogian, ve in lhe reIigious
communily are nov in lhe nev secuIar age of arlnershis, reresenling a groving
recognilion al aII IeveIs of our gIobaI conlexl lhal lhe comIexily of robIems ve nov
face means lhal no one disciIine can exIain lhem fuIIy, and no one seclor, ubIic or
rivale, can engage lhem effecliveIy.
Iourlh, Wnai arc inc cccncnic an! pc|iiica| rccis cj inc prc||cn? A ro|ecl lhal does
nol lake lhe lime lo anaIyze lhe rools of a arlicuIar silualion and use lhe informalion
effecliveIy viII find ilseIf addressing lhe erihery of lhe robIem, vilh IillIe rosecl
for reaI change. The good nevs is lhal ve church foIk don'l have lo do lhis by
ourseIves, lhere are coIIege and universily economisls and socioIogisls in aImosl every
communily vho vouId be deIighled lo Iend a hand (and il goes lovard vaIidaling for
lhem vhy lhey venl inlo leaching!). And lhe lrade unions, eseciaIIy lhe rogressive
ones, usuaIIy have exceIIenl research dearlmenls. The need for such rofessionaI
anaIysis becomes indisensabIe, for examIe, in camaigns lo ersuade eIecled officiaIs
lo adol osilions favorabIe lo reaI human emovermenl. Ior nalionaI and overseas
ro|ecls, lhere are many rogressive non-rofil organizalions vhose research is
avaiIabIe onIine, for examIe GIobaI Ixchange, lhe Cenler for Iconomic and IoIicy
Research, lhe Iconomic IoIicy Inslilule, and olhers.
Here I aIso vanl lo slress lhe need lo lraveI. y lhal I mean lhe necessily of going
across lovn (or even |usl a fev bIocks), or across lhe counlry, or lhe gIobe vhere
ossibIe, lo acquire a firsl-hand acquainlance vilh lhe eoIe for vhom ve vouId be
advocales. In so doing, ve viII discover lhal lhose vho are lhe viclims of lhe in|uslice
do nol need our heI in selling lheir agenda, lhey knov beller lhan anyone eIse vhal
lheir silualion is. They are lhe rimary aclors and rolagonisls in buiIding a nev vorId.
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3-14
Our roIe is lo find oul in being aIongside lhem and in Iislening lo lhem, hov ve can
suorl lhem as sislers and brolhers.

The Commission: Final Thoughts to Go Forward
Organizc ic uin! And buiId from smaII viclories lo Iarger ones. We in lhe
churches frequenlIy become used lo sociaI aclion modes of oeralion lhal assume lhal a
kind of geslure for |uslice is sufficienl, i.e. ve viII do our arl, hoe lhal olhers do
lheirs, and Ieave lhe resl lo God. Tnis is a j|auc! nin!-sci: inslead, ve musl design and
lake arl vilh olhers in camaigns lhal execl nol mereIy lo make a slalemenl bul lo
vin a langibIe viclory. In camaigns in vhich I've arlicialed in Los AngeIes, I've
been insired by lhe vorkers of LocaI 11 of lhe holeI vorkers union, vho al
demonslralions and marches exude lhe siril of vinning lhey and ve chanling
logelher, Si se uede! (Yes, ve can!) as lhey organize lo vin a nev Iabor conlracl.
And il is obvious lhal in SeallIe, and in Cancun and Miami in 2003, lhe organizers
beIievedcorreclIylhal lhey couId reaIIy liIl lhe ballIe lovards |uslice.
And, of course, uinning rcquircs |cng-icrn ccnniincni. Selling a reaIislic lime Iine-
-of years ralher lhan monlhs for ma|or goaIs--is a musl, and heIs kee us focused.
Selbacks are inevilabIe, bul as ve knov, lhe slruggIe for eace and |uslice is nol for lhe
fainl of hearl.
Usc, ic inc nax, inc ncra| auincriiq cj inc cnurcn an! inc inicrjaiin ccnnuniiq. There
are various vays lo use lhis moraI aulhorily effecliveIy. Ior examIe, symboIic aclions
lhal conlain reIigious significance, such as singing and raying in various vays, invesl a
rolesl or demonslralion vilh a siriluaI significance. AIso, very cruciaI lo such aclions
is Iearning hov lo use lhe ress as aIIy. Ior examIe, a Iarge rolesl march of cIergy and
Iay eoIe dovn Rodeo Drive in everIy HiIIs Iefl a Iale of biller herbs al one holeI
refusing lo sign a conlracl vilh lhe holeI vorkers, vhiIe anolher holeI lhal had |usl
c-a,.- s o.--a...a..-- a-a t----.- .....--
3-15
signed lhe conlracl gol miIk and honeyaII veII covered by lhe ress.3 So lhe forms of
laking reIigious aclions in suorl of lhe grou or grous lhal are our concern are
Iimiled onIy by our imaginalions.
There are many oorlunilies, incIuding of course lhose menlioned eIsevhere in
lhis ManuaI, for invoIvemenl. ul laking seriousIy lhe oIilicaI and economic dynamics
of lvenly-firsl cenlury gIobaI cailaIism, and finding oorlunilies for meaningfuI
invoIvemenl and lruIy syslemic change invoIves a decisive break from asl lendencies
in our reIigious communilies lo focus on charily ralher lhan |uslice. Il demands a
commilmenl lo a kind of advocacy lhal viII queslion slruclures and over
arrangemenls. Such advocacy, if il is lruIy effeclive, viII aImosl aIvays invile resislance
from enlilies comforlabIe vilh lhe slalus quo (incIuding of course, lhe church), and viII
enlaiI an eIemenl of risk, somelimes greal risk.
So seeking oorlunilies for engagemenl vilh secific ro|ecls lhal address lhe
negalive effecls of gIobaIizalion, ve musl aroach invoIvemenl carefuIIy and vilh lhe
above refIeclions in mind. In lhe IiscoaI Church, comanion diocese reIalionshis is
one ossibiIily. IiscoaI ReIief and DeveIomenl aIso offers voIunleer oorlunilies in
overseas counlries. There are aIso oorlunilies offered by aclivisl grous vilh a gIobaI
reach such as lhe 'ReaIily Tours' of GIobaI Ixchange(vvv.gIobaIexchange.org) and
olher grous. A subscrilion lo Yes! Magazine, a }ournaI of Iosilive Iulures
(vvv.yesmagazine.org) brings you quarlerIy, a baskelfuI of ideas, refIeclions, and
oorlunilies lhal are alluned lo lhe reaIilies and romises of our gIobaIized vorId.
IinaIIy, a nev book, Whal Can One Ierson Do` Iailh lo HeaI a roken WorId, by
Sabina AIkire and Idmund NeveII (Church IubIishing), is a vaIuabIe resource.
Iormed around lhe MiIIennium DeveIomenl GoaIs adoled by lhe Uniled Nalions

3
Bitter herbs and milk and honey are part of the Jewish Passover meal to recall to the faithful the
memory of the slavery of the Israelites in Egypt, and their deliverance to the Promised Land. Three weeks
after this Beverly Hills march the recalcitrant hotel signed the new labor contract.
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3-16
vhich vere endorsed by lhe IiscoaI Church's GeneraI Convenlion in 2003, lhis book
is rich vilh hov-lo suggeslions for church congregalions.
If ve Iook al our ovn lvo lhousand-year lradilion, I hoe ve can see lhal lhe
sainls in lhe Church have many limes lraveIed lhis alh before us and have foughl lhe
good fighl, lhal our resenl slruggIes, vhiIe nev in delaiI and asecl, are essenliaIIy lhe
same: againsl greed, in|uslice and oressioneverylhing lhal dehumanizes, and lhal
ve can feeI lheir resence among us and be insired by lheir examIe. And as ve move
lovard soIidarily vilh our brolhers and sislers bolh al home and overseas vho have
been denied lhe chance lo arliciale in lhe dream of basic human equaIily, Iel us be
gralefuI lhal so many of lhem have nonelheIess shovn lhe vay for us, and ersisled in
lhe dream of a vorId made nev. Togelher vilh lhem ve can recIaim lhe ground Iosl lo
in|uslice and oression, and |oin in lhis greal slruggIe, vilnessing lo lhe over of God
vorking among us, in Isaiah's vords, lo

|ccsc inc |cn!s cj injusiicc,
ic un!c inc incngs cj inc qckc,
ic |ci inc cpprcssc! gc jrcc,
an! ic |rcak ctcrq qckc.
(|saian 58)

Immigration and Economic Justice
As indicaled in lhe above seclion by Dick GiIIell, INI} sees immigralion as an
asecl of gIobaIizalion. GIobaIizalion is |usl a fancy vord lo describe lhe movemenl of
cailaI, Iabor, and goods across nalionaI boundaries. Or, as Dick GiIIell defines il,
GIobaIizalion refers lo lhe vave of lransformalive change lhal has come lo lhe vorId's
oIilicaI and economic syslems vilh nev breaklhroughs in lechnoIogy,
communicalions, and lransorlalion.
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Our sociely seems lo have reached a slaIemale on immigralion oIicy. As a
resuIl, lhe issue is being foughl oul al lhe slale and IocaI IeveI vhere il is oflen framed
as a Iav enforcemenl issue. The resuIl mighl be caIIed lhe var on lhe immigranl
vhich mighl be said lo araIIeI lhe oflen disaslrous var on drugs.
As George Lakoff oinls oul in lhe arlicIe beIov, lhe ursuil of soIulions is
delermined by hov lhe issue is framed. Il is currenlIy framed as lhe immigralion
robIem and, of course, lhe vay lo fix lhe robIem of immigralion is lo reair lhe
immigralion syslem, i.e., buiId vaIIs and enforce lhe Iav.
The IiscoaI Church frames lhe issue in radicaIIy differenl vays. Il uses lhe
ibIicaI framevork of lhe lrealmenl of slrangers and il uses lhe Ianguage of |uslice by
referring lo secuIar documenls such as lhe InlernalionaI DecIaralion of Human righls.
We aIso beIieve lhal lhe issue of immigralion musl be framed in lerms of gIobaIizalion.
AII around lhe vorId miIIions of eoIe are deserale lo immigrale. They are oIilicaI
or economic refugees. Comrehensive immigralion reform in lhe narrov conlexl of
American Iav is nol enough.
Ierhas, as a sociely, ve knov lhis al some IeveI and lhis is arl of lhe reason ve
are slaIemaled. In lhe resl of lhis chaler, ve viII resenl George Lakoff's arlicIe on
framing and offer advice on hov your congregalion or organizalion can deveIo a looI
kil for advocacy and service minislry vilh immigranls.
The Framing of Immigration
by George Lakoff, Sam Ferguson
Framing is at the center of the recent immigration debate. Simply framing it as about
immigration has shaped its politics, defining what count as problems and constraining the
debate to a narrow set of issues. The language is telling. The linguistic framing is remarkable:
frames for illegal immigrant, illegal alien, illegals, undocumented workers, undocumented
immigrants, guest workers, temporary workers, amnesty, and border security. These linguistic
expressions are anything but neutral. Each framing defines the problem in its own way, and
hence constrains the solutions needed to address that problem. The purpose of this paper is
twofold. First, we will analyze the framing used in the public debate. Second, we suggest some
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3-18
alternative framing to highlight important concerns left out of the current debate. Our point is to
show that the relevant issues go far beyond what is being discussed, and that acceptance of the
current framing impoverishes the discussion.

The Framing of Immigration
By George Lakoff and Sam Ferguson
(c) 2006 The Rockridge Institute (We invite the free distribution of this piece)
On May 15th, in an address from the Oval Office, President Bush presented his proposal for
"comprehensive immigration reform."
The term "immigration reform" evokes an issue-defining conceptual frame The Immigration
Problem Frame a frame that imposes a structure on the current situation, defines a set of
problems with that situation, and circumscribes the possibility for "solutions."
"Reform," when used in politics, indicates there is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed
take "medicare reform," "lobbying reform," "social security reform." The noun that's attached to
reform "immigration" points to where the problem lies. Whatever noun is attached to
reform becomes the locus of the problem and constrains what counts as a solution.
To illustrate, take "lobbying reform." In the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal, "lobbying
reform" was all the talk in the media and on Capitol Hill. The problem defined by this frame has
to do with lobbyists. As a "lobbyist" problem, the solutions focused on Congressional rules
regarding lobbyists. The debate centered around compensated meals, compensated trips, access
by former Congressmen (who inevitably become lobbyists) to the floor of the Senate and House
of representatives, lobbying disclosure, lobbyists' access to Congressional staff and the period of
time between leaving the Congress and becoming a registered lobbyists.
Indeed, if the reform needed is "lobbying reform," these are reasonable solutions. But, the term
"Congressional ethics reform" would have framed a problem of a much different nature, a
problem with Congressmen. And it would allow very different reforms to count as solutions.
After all, lobbyists are powerless if there's nobody to accept a free meal, fly on a private plane,
play a round of golf in the Bahamas and, most importantly, accept the political contributions
lobbyists raise on their behalf from special-interests with billions of dollars in business before the
federal Government. A solution could, for example, have been Full Public Financing of Elections
and free airtime for political candidates as part of the licensing of the public's airwaves to private
corporations. The lobbying reform framing of the issue precluded such considerations from
discussion, because they don't count as solutions to the lobbying problem. Issue-defining
frames are powerful.
Immigration reform also evokes an issue-defining frame. Bush, in his speech, pointed out the
problems that this frame defines. First, the Government has not been in complete control of its
borders. Second, millions are able to sneak across our border seeking to make money. Finally,
once here, illegal immigrants sometimes forge documents to get work, skirting labor laws, and
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3-19
deceiving employers who attempt to follow the law. They may take jobs away from legal
immigrants and ordinary Americans, bear children who will be American citizens even in they
are not, and use local services like schools and hospitals, which may cost a local government a
great deal. This is his definition of the problem in the Immigration Reform frame.
This definition of the problem focuses entirely on the immigrants and the administrative agencies
charged with overseeing immigration law. The reason is that these are the only roles present in
the Immigration Problem Frame.
Bush's comprehensive solution entirely concerns the immigrants, citizenship laws, and the
border patrol. And, from the narrow problem identified by framing it as an immigration
problem, Bush's solution is comprehensive. He has at least addressed everything that counts as
a problem in the immigration frame.
But the real problem with the current situation runs broader and deeper. Consider the issue of
Foreign Policy Reform, which focuses on two sub-issues:
How has US foreign policy placed, or kept, in power oppressive governments which
people are forced to flee?'
What role have international trade agreements had in creating or exacerbating people's
urge to flee their homelands? If capital is going to freely cross borders, should people and
labor be able to do so as well, going where globalization takes the jobs?
Such a framing of the problem would lead to a solution involving the Secretary of State,
conversations with Mexico and other Central American countries, and a close examination of the
promises of NAFTA, CAFTA, the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank to raise standards of
living around the globe. It would inject into the globalization debate a concern for the migration
and displacement of people, not simply globalization's promise for profits. This is not addressed
when the issue is defined as the immigration problem. Bush's comprehensive solution does
not address any of these concerns. The immigration problem, in this light, is actually a
globalization problem.
Perhaps the problem might be better understood as a humanitarian crisis. Can the mass migration
and displacement of people from their homelands at a rate of 800,000 people a year be
understood as anything else? Unknown numbers of people have died trekking through the
extreme conditions of the Arizona and New Mexico desert. Towns are being depopulated and
ways of life lost in rural Mexico. Fathers feel forced to leave their families in their best attempt
to provide for their kids. Everyday, boatloads of people arrive on our shores after miserable
journeys at sea in deplorable conditions.
As a humanitarian crisis, the solution could involve The UN or the Organization of American
States. But these bodies do not have roles in the immigration frame, so they have no place in an
immigration debate. Framing this as just an immigration problem prevents us from
penetrating deeper into the issue.
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3-20
The current situation can also be seen as a civil rights problem. The millions of people living
here who crossed illegally are for most intents and purposes Americans. They work here. They
pay taxes here. Their kids are in school here. They plan to raise their families here. For the most
part, they are assimilated into the American system, but are forced to live underground and in the
shadows because of their legal status. They are denied ordinary civil rights. The immigration
problem framing overlooks their basic human dignity.
Perhaps most pointedly, the immigration problem frame blocks an understanding of this issue
as a cheap labor issue. The undocumented immigrants allow employers to pay low wages, which
in turn provide the cheap consumer goods we find at WalMart and McDonalds. They are part of
a move towards the cheap lifestyle, where employers and consumers find any way they can to
save a dollar, regardless of the human cost. Most of us partake in this cheap lifestyle, and as a
consequence, we are all complicit in the current problematic situation. Business, Consumers and
Government have turned a blind eye to the problem for so long because our entire economy is
structured around subsistence wages. Americans won't do the work immigrants do not because
they don't want to, but because they won't do it for such low pay. Since Bush was elected,
corporate profits have doubled but there has been no increase in wages. This is really a wage
problem. The workers who are being more productive are not getting paid for their increased
productivity.
A solution to the immigration problem will not address these concerns because they are absent
from the immigration frame.
Framing matters. The notion of this as an immigration problem needing immigration reform
is not neutral.
Surface Framing
We now turn from conceptual framing of the current situation to the words used and surface
frames those words evoke.
The Illegal Frame
The Illegal Frame is perhaps the most commonly used frame within the immigration debate.
Journalists frequently refer to illegal immigrants as if it were a neutral term. But the illegal
frame is highly structured. It frames the problem as one about the illegal act of crossing the
border without papers. As a consequence, it fundamentally frames the problem as a legal one.
Think for a moment of a criminal. Chances are you thought about a robber, a murderer or a
rapist. These are prototypical criminals, people who do harm to a person or their property. And
prototypical criminals are assumed to be bad people.
Illegal, used as an adjective in illegal immigrants and illegal aliens, or simply as a noun in
illegals defines the immigrants as criminals, as if they were inherently bad people. In
conservative doctrine, those who break laws must be punished or all law and order will break
down. Failure to punish is immoral.
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3-21
Illegal alien not only stresses criminality, but stresses otherness. As we are a nation of
immigrants, we can at least empathize with immigrants, illegal or not. Aliens, in popular
culture suggests nonhuman beings invading from outer space completely foreign, not one of
us, intent on taking over our land and our way of life by gradually insinuating themselves among
us. Along these lines, the word invasion is used by the Minutemen and right-wing bloggers to
discuss the wave of people crossing the border. Right-wing language experts intent on keep them
out suggest using the world aliens whenever possible.
These are NOT neutral terms. Imagine calling businessmen who once cheated on their taxes
illegal businessmen. Imagine calling people who have driven over the speed limit illegal
drivers. Is Tom Delay an illegal Republican?
By defining them as criminal, it overlooks the immense contributions these immigrants
subsequently make by working hard for low wages. This is work that should more than make up
for crossing the border. Indeed, we should be expressing our gratitude.
Immigrants who cross outside of legal channels, though, are committing offenses of a much
different nature than the prototypical criminal. Their intent is not to cause harm or to steal. More
accurately, they are committing victimless technical offenses, which we normally consider
violations. By invoking the illegal frame, the severity of their offense is inflated.
The illegal frame particularly illegal alien dehumanizes. It blocks the questions of: why
are people coming to the US, often times at great personal risk? What service do they provide
when they are here? Why do they feel it necessary to avoid legal channels? It boils the entire
debate down to questions of legality.
And it also ignores the illegal acts of employers. The problem is not being called the Illegal
Employer Problem, and employers are not called illegals.
The Security Frame
The logical response to the wave of illegal immigration becomes border security. The
Government has a responsibility to provide security for its citizens from criminals and invaders.
President Bush has asked to place the National Guard on the border to provide security. Indeed,
he referred to security six times in his immigration speech.
Additionally, Congress recently appropriated money from the so-called war on terror for
border security with Mexico. This should outrage the American public. How could Congress
conflate the war on terror with illegal immigration? Terrorists come to destroy the American
dream, immigrants both documented and undocumented come to live the American dream.
But the conceptual move from illegal immigrant (criminal, evil), to border security to a front of
the war on terror, an ever expanding war against evil in all places and all times wherever it is, is
not far.
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3-22
It is this understanding of the issue that also prompted the House to pass the punitive HR 4437,
which includes a provision to make assisting illegal immigrants while they are here a felony. It is
seen as aiding and abetting a criminal.
But how could this be a security issue? Security implies that there is a threat, and a threatened,
and that the threatened needs protection. These immigrants are not a physical threat, they are a
vital part of our economy and help America function. They don't want to shoot us or kill us or
blow us up. They only want to weed our gardens, clean our houses, and cook our meals in search
of the American Dream. They must be recognized as Americans making a vital impact and
contribution. And when they are, we will cease to tolerate the substandard conditions in which
they are forced to work and live. No American indeed, no person should be treated so
brashly.
Amnesty
Amnesty also fits the Illegal Frame. Amnesty is a pardoning of an illegal action a show of
either benevolence or mercy by a supreme power. It implies that the fault lies with the
immigrants, and it is a righteous act for the US Government to pardon them. This again blocks
the reality that Government looks the other way, and Business has gone much further it has
been a full partner in creating the current situation. If amnesty is to be granted, it seems that
amnesty should be given to the businesses who knowingly or unknowingly hired the immigrants
and to the Government for turning a blind eye. But amnesty to these parties is not considered,
because it's an immigration problem. Business has no role in this frame, and Government can't
be given amnesty for not enforcing its own laws.
The Undocumented Worker Frame
By comparison, the term undocumented worker activates a conceptual frame that seems less
accusatory and more compassionate than the illegal frame. But a closer look reveals
fundamental problems with this framing.
First, the negative undocumented suggests that they should be documented - that there is
something wrong with them if they are not. Second, worker suggests that their function in
America is only to work, not to be educated, have families, form communities, have lives and
vote! This term was suggested by supporters of the immigrants as less noxious than illegal aliens,
and it is, but it has serious limitations. It accepts the framing of immigrants as being here only to
work.
Temporary Workers
Undocumented workers opened the door to Bush's new proposal for temporary workers,
who come to America for a short time, work for low wages, do not vote, have few rights and
services, and then go home so that a new wave of workers without rights, or the possibility of
citizenship and voting, can come in.
This is thoroughly undemocratic and serves the financial and electoral interests of conservatives.
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This term replaced guest worker, which was ridiculed. Imagine inviting some to dinner as a
guest and then asking him to pick the vegetables, cook the dinner, and wash the dishes!
Frames Not Taken
Most of the framing initiative has been taken by conservatives. Progressives have so far
abstained.
Progressives could well frame the situation as the Cheap Labor Issue or the Cheap Lifestyle
Issue. Most corporations use the common economic metaphor of labor as a resource. There are
two kinds of employees the Assets (creative people and managers) and Resources (who are
relatively unskilled, fungible, interchangeable). The American economy is structured to drive
down the cost of resources - that is, the wages of low-skilled, replaceable workers.
Immigration increases the supply of such workers and helps to drive down wages. Cheap labor
increases productivity and profits for employers, and it permits a cheap lifestyle for consumers
who get low prices because of cheap labor. But these are not seen as problems. They are
benefits. And people take these benefits for granted. They are not grateful to the immigrants who
make them possible. Gratitude. The word is hardly ever spoken in the discourse over
immigration.
Now consider the frame defined by the term economic refugee. A refugee is a person who has
fled their homeland, due to political or social strife, and seeks asylum in another country. An
economic refugee would extend this category (metaphorically, not legally, though it might be
shifted legally in the future) to include people fleeing their homeland as a result of economic
insecurity.
Refugees are worthy of compassion. We should accept them into our nation. All people are
entitled to a stable political community where they have reasonable life prospects to lead a
fulfilling life this is the essence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
To frame the debate this way is to advance a progressive understanding. While immigrants are
here, they should be integrated into society either temporarily, if conditions improve in their
home country, or permanently, if they can integrate and become productive members of our
nation. It will focus solutions on US foreign policy to be about people, not profits. The only way
the migration of people from the South to the North will stop is when conditions are improved
there. As long as there is a pull to the North and a push from the South, people will find their
way over, no matter how big, how long or how guarded a border fence is. (As an aside, who will
build that fence if all the undocumented immigrants leave?) Increased security will force people
to find ever more dangerous crossings, as has already happened, without slowing the flow of
immigrants. More people will die unnecessarily.
Even if we could protect ourselves by sealing the border and preventing businesses from hiring
undocumented immigrants by imposing hefty fines or prison sentences for violations,
progressives should not be satisfied. This still leaves those yearning to flee their own countries in
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3-24
search of a better life in deplorable situations. The problem is not dealt with by making the
United States a gated community.
While these refugees are here, they must be treated with dignity and respect. Indeed, if they
cannot return home, we have a responsibility to welcome them into ours. And we must treat them
as Americans, not as second-class citizens, as they are currently. If they are here, they work hard
and contribute to society, they are worthy of a path to citizenship and the basic rights we are
entitled to (a minimum wage, education, healthcare, a social safety net).
Currently, the undocumented immigrants living amongst us are un-enfranchised workers. They
perform all the work, pay all the duties, and receive many fewer of the benefits especially
voting rights. They must be given an opportunity to come out of the shadows and lead normal
lives as Americans.
The answer to this problem isn't an open-border. The United States cannot take on the world's
problems on its own. Other affluent countries need to extend a humanitarian arm to peoples
fleeing oppressive economic circumstances as well. How many immigrants the United States
should be willing to accept will ultimately be up to Congress.
In presenting these alternative frames, we want to inject humanitarian concerns based in
compassion and empathy into the debate. The problem is dealing adequately with a humanitarian
crisis that extends well beyond the southern border. The focus must shift from the immigrants
themselves and domestic policy to a broader view of why so many people flee, and how we can
help alleviate conditions in Mexico and Central America to prevent the flow in the first place.
Only by reframing of the debate can we incorporate more global considerations. Immigration
crises only arise from global disparity.
Why It's Not a Single Issue
The wealth of frames in this debate has made it confusing. The frames within the debate have
been divisive. But the absence of frames to counter the idea of the immigration problem has
also been divisive. Since each frame presents a different component of the problem, it's worth
noting who stresses which frames, and which problems that frame define.
Conservatives
The conservative views:
Law and Order: The illegal immigrants are criminals, felons, and must be punished -
rounded up and sent home. There should be no amnesty. Otherwise all law will break
down.
The Nativists: The immigrants are diluting our culture, our language, and our values.
The Profiteers: We need cheap labor to keep our profits up and our cheap lifestyle in
place.
The Bean Counters: We can't afford to have illegal immigrants using our tax dollars on
health, education, and other services.
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The Security Hounds: We need more border guards and a hi-tech wall to guarantee our
security.
Progressives
Progressivism Begins at Home: The immigrants are taking the jobs of American works
and we have to protect our workers.
African-American Protectionists: Hispanic immigrants are threatening African-American
jobs.
Provide a path to citizenship: The immigrants have earned citizenship with their hard
work, their devotion to American values, and their contribution to our society.
Foreign Policy Reformers: We need to pay attention to the causes that drive others from
their homelands.
Wage supports: Institute a serious earned income tax credit for Americans doing
otherwise low-paying jobs, so that more Americans will want to do them and fewer
immigrants will be drawn here.
Illegal Employers: The way to protect American workers and slow immigration of
unskilled workers is to prosecute employers of unskilled workers.
We can see why this is such a complex problem and why there are so splits within both the
conservative and progressive ranks.
Summing Up
The immigration issue is anything but. It is a complex melange of social, economic, cultural
and security concerns with conservatives and progressives split in different ways with
different positions.
Framing the recent problem as an immigration problem pre-empts many of these
considerations from entering the debate. As a consequence, any reform that solves the
immigration problem is bound to be a patchwork solution addressing bits and pieces of much
larger concerns. Bush's comprehensive reform is comprehensive, but only for the narrow set of
problems defined in the immigration debate. It does not address many of the questions with
which progressives should be primarily concerned, issues of basic experiential well-being and
political rights.
Ultimately, the way the current immigration debate is going focusing narrowly on domestic
policy, executive agencies and the immigrants we will be faced with the same problems 10
years from now. The same long lines of immigrants waiting for legal status will persist.
Temporary workers will not return home after their visas have expired, and millions of
undocumented people will live amongst us. Only by broadening the understanding of the
situation will the problem, or, rather, the multiple problems, be addressed and adequately solved.
The immigration problem does not sit in isolation from other problems, but is symptomatic of
broader social and economic concerns. The framing of the immigration problem must not pre-
empt us from debating and beginning to address these broader concerns.
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Assembling Your Immigration Ministry Tool Kit
IiscoaI Church Cenler
Conlacl: IiscoaI Migralion Minislries
Ana While, Direclor
815 Second Ave.
Nev York Cily, NY 10017
(212) 716-6000 / (800) 334-7626
vvv.eiscoaIchurch.org/emm/
The Diocese of CaIifornia has assembIed a rich array of resources on ils vebsile:
vvv.diocaI.org. These incIude:
Immigralion and lhe IiscoaI Church in IoverIoinl and Adobe formals and a veb
version for onIine vieving.
Ioreign born in lhe U.S. (a ma of lhe U.S.)
Iroleclion for Immigranls and Their IamiIies
Slalemenl by lhe Mosl Reverend Kalherine }efferls Schori, Iresiding isho
12/14/2007
ResoIulion by lhe Ixeculive CounciI of lhe IiscoaI Church (6/2006)
Immigralion Reform, IiscoaI Migranl Minislries
ResoIulion on Immigralion, 75lh GeneraI Convenlion of lhe IiscoaI Church,
(6/2006)
Tnc A|icn Ancng Ycu, GeneraI Convenlion (6/2006)
Migralion and Minislry ResoIulion, Diocese of CaIifornia, 2006 Diocese Convenlion.
CurricuIum OulIine for Immigralion Iducalion in Chrislian Grous
Mqins a|cui Migraiicn, 3 age handoul from lhe Migralion and Immigralion Task
Iorce. Conlacl lhe Rev. Anna Lange Solo 650.245.7759, abIange+aoI.com
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Nev Sancluary Movemenl and Immigralion
The Nev Sancluary Movemenl offers a Iedge form and looI kil for congregalions lo
use in immigralion advocacy vork and service lo immigranls. See
vvv.nevsancluarymovemenl.org. In Washinglon Slale, conlacl INI} Iresidenl
Dianne Aid vho is on lhe nalionaI sleering commillee sanmaleo921+yahoo.com.
In CaIifornia, lhe Rev. AIexia SaIvalierra al CLUI-CA, asaIvalierra+cIueIa.org. In
olher slales, conlacl WesIey Alen, Inlerfailh Worker }uslice, al valen+iv|.org.
Chrislians for Comrehensive Immigralion Reform
This organizalion is associaled vilh So|ourners. Al lheir veb sile,
vvv.so|o.nel/immigralion, see A House Divided: Why Americans of Iailh are
Concerned aboul Undocumenled Immigranls, November 2007. This 20 age
documenl exIains lhe issues and rovides a bibIiograhy.
INMIX: Informed Meeling Ixchange
Suorl Immigranls and olher Iov vage vorkers by your choice of holeIs and
meeling saces. vvv.inmex.org.
IiscoaI Nelvork for Iconomic }uslice
See examIes of minislries Iisled in lhe chalers on Advocacy and Organizing in lhis
manuaI. See lhe IocaI minislries Iisled in Aendix D, eseciaIIy Sl. IauI's, Ialerson,
San Maleo, Auburn, WA, Lavrence Communily Works, Massachusells, II Cenlro,
Inc., Kansas, Hacienda CDC, IorlIand, and ACCION, Texas, Inc. See our issue
aer on immigralion in Aendix D.
In addilion lo lhis manuaI, INI} offers six ouIar educalion moduIes vhich are
dovnIoadabIe under Resources al vvv.ene|.org.
This seclion on Immigralion vas comiIed by MichaeI MaIoney and Dianne Aid in
}anuary 2009.
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The Millennium Development Goals
by Mike Kinman
The MiIIennium DeveIomenl GoaIs (MDGs) are eighl goaIs agreed lo in 2000 by
189 heads of slale and governmenl -- incIuding lhe Uniled Slales -- from around lhe
vorId lhal address lhe deeesl maleriaI brokenness in lhe vorId loday. Ioverly lhe
Iikes of vhich ve |usl don'l see vilhin lhe Uniled Slales. Ioverly Iike:
o 1.2 biIIion eoIe Iiving on Iess lhan $1 a day.
o 110 miIIion chiIdren vho aren'l aIIoved even a fuII course of rimary
educalion
o HaIf a miIIion vomen a year dying of comIicalions from chiIdbirlh and
regnancy.
o A chiId under 5 dying every lhree seconds from revenlabIe, lrealabIe
causes
o 8,000 eoIe (more lhan died in lhe Selember 11 allacks) dying each day
of HIV/AIDS
and much, much more.
What arc thc MDGs?
1. Iradicale exlreme overly and hunger.
2. Achieve universaI rimary educalion.
3. Iromole gender equaIily and emover vomen.
4. Reduce chiId morlaIily.
5. Imrove malernaI heaIlh.
6. Combal HIV/AIDS, maIaria and olher diseases.
7. Insure environmenlaI suslainabiIily
8. Creale a gIobaI arlnershi for deveIomenl vilh largels for aid, lrade and debl
reIief.
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What's sn spccia! abnut thc MDGs?
Thcy arc spcciIic - These aren'l |usl broad vishes and dreams. Iach goaI has secific
largels and indicalors of success. There are recise moniloring mechanisms in Iace
lo assess rogress and reorl cards issued reguIarIy (CIick here lo access lhe asl
lhree years of reorls, slalislics and rogress charls in IngIish, Sanish and Irench.)
Thcy arc timc-bnund -- We're nol going lo achieve lhe MDGs "someday" ... ve are
going lo achieve lhese goaIs by 2015. The cIock is licking.
Thcy arc achicvab!c -- The MDGs viII nol end exlreme overly. Ior examIe, lhe
firsl goaI viII onIy cul in haIf lhe number of eoIe Iiving on Iess lhan $1 a day --
Ieaving much vork Iefl lo go. The MDGs are an achievabIe firsl sle (and lhere viII
be more afler lhe MDGs are achieved). Some have even argued lhal lhey are nol in
facl miIIennium, bul 'minimum' deveIomenl goaIs. To sel lhe bar any Iover lhan
lhis vouId be moraIIy unaccelabIe. IndividuaI GoaIs have aIready been achieved
by many counlries in lhe sace of onIy 10-15 years.
Thcy arc cn!!abnrativc -- The robIems ve face are so huge no one nalion or eoIe
can soIve lhem aIone ... bul vorking logelher ve can gel lhe |ob done. The MDGs
are Iess a cenlraIized rogram and more a gIobaI sociaI movemenl. Governmenls,
civiI sociely, inlernalionaI financiaI inslilulions, failh communilies and many more
have signed on lo vork logelher lo achieve lhese goaIs. This arlnershi is ilseIf lhe
eighlh MiIIennium DeveIomenl GoaI.
Thcy arc apprnpriatc tn nur 21st ccntury wnr!d -- Ior lhe firsl lime in human
hislory ve have lhe combinalion of lhe resources, lechnoIogy and deIivery syslems
lo achieve lhese goaIs and more. AII lhal is Iacking is lhe viII. The MDGs give a
focus for lhal viII ... if ve are viIIing lo give il.
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3-30
Why shnu!d wc as Christians carc abnut thc MDGs?
The MDGs aren'l a nev idea for Chrislians ... ve've been doing lhis sluff as Iong
as lhere's been a church! Our scrilure and lradilion is overfIoving vilh God caIIing us
lo feed lhe hungry, cIolhe lhe naked, care for lhe sick, nurlure chiIdren, slevard
crealion and everylhing eIse lhe MDGs are aboul. The MDGs give us a slruclure nol
onIy for ansvering a divine caII lhal has echoed lhrough lhe miIIennia, bul a slruclure
for connecling our vork for God's mission of gIobaI reconciIialion and heaIing lo a
vorIdvide efforl lhal can bring lhe vhoIe Ianel logelher.
The MDGs are aboul mission, Iain and simIe. The Church is aboul mission,
Iain and simIe. The lvo are a naluraI fil.
What has thc Episcnpa! Church dnnc tn cmbracc thc MDGs?
The firsl sle lovard embracing lhe MDGs haened before lhey even exisled.
In 1998, aII lhe bishos of lhe AngIican Communion meeling al lhe Lambelh
Conference, caIIed on "aII dioceses lo fund inlernalionaI deveIomenl rogrammes ... al
a IeveI of al Ieasl 0.7% of annuaI lolaI diocesan income" (Lambelh 1998 1.15(k)) 0.7% is
lhe orlion of lhe Gross NalionaI Income of lhe rich nalions of lhe vorId il vouId lake
lo achieve lhe MDGs and has become lhe benchmark for minimum giving lovard lhose
goaIs. The slalemenl aIso raised imorlanl issues of inlernalionaI debl and economic
|uslice and caIIed on aII members of lhe Communion lo "co-oerale vilh olher eoIe of
failh in rogrammes of educalion and advocacy vilhin our dioceses, so lhal ve may
heI lo raise ubIic avareness of lhese vilaI economic issues lhal imacl so deeIy lhe
daiIy Iives of lhe oor." (Lambelh 1998 1.15(|))
Al lhe 2000 GeneraI Convenlion in Denver (heId lvo monlhs before lhe
MiIIennium Summil, al vhich lhe MDGs vere signed), lhe IiscoaI Church assed
ResoIulion A-001, affirming lhe orlions of Lambelh 1998 highIighled above and urging
aII dioceses lo arliciale in educalion, advocacy and 0.7% giving. Iresiding isho
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Irank GrisvoId aIso eslabIished "}ubiIee" as lhe lheme of lhal 2000 Convenlion,
bringing lo lhe forefronl issues of gIobaI reIalionshi and renevaI as veII as lhose same
inlernalionaI debl and economic |uslice issues chamioned by lhe }ubiIee 2000
movemenl -- of vhich lhe AngIican Church vas a rimary mover.
Al lhe 2003 GeneraI Convenlion in MinneaoIis, lhe IiscoaI Church assed
ResoIulion D-006, vhich:
endorsed and embraced lhe achievemenl of lhe MDGs
chaIIenged aII dioceses and congregalions lo embrace 0.7% giving
direcled lhe IiscoaI Office of Governmenl ReIalions advocale for lhe U.S.
governmenl keeing ils romise lo give 0.7% of GNI lo inlernalionaI
deveIomenl rograms, and urged aII IiscoaIians lo conlacl lheir eIecled
reresenlalives and Iikevise advocale.
y GeneraI Convenlion 2006 in CoIumbus, Ohio, 41 dioceses had Iedged a
minimum of 0.7% of lheir budgels lo minislries vorking lovard lhe MDGs, vilh vork
lovard lhal commilmenl haening in an addilionaI 24 dioceses. SeveraI ma|or church
bodies, incIuding IiscoaI ReIief and DeveIomenl and lhe Office of Governmenl
ReIalions, had adoled lhe MDGs as lhe slruclure for lheir vork ... and IiscoaIians
for GIobaI ReconciIialion (lhe rime mover of D006 in Denver) had begun lo grov a
grassrools movemenl of individuaIs, congregalions, dioceses and organizalions
lhroughoul lhe church lo ignile, insire and resource engagemenl vilh lhe MDGs.
GeneraI Convenlion 2006 vas a gianl Iea forvard for lhe IiscoaI Church and
lhe MDGs. More lhan 700 eoIe allended IiscoaIians for GIobaI ReconciIialion's
U2charisl kicking off vhal lhe House of ishos Ialer affirmed as a convenlion
"overIighled and insired" by "our commilmenl lo lhe minislry of reconciIialion and lhe
reIief of gIobaI human suffering." Al lhal Convenlion, lhe IiscoaI Church assed:
A010, vhich received and affirmed lhe "CaII lo Iarlnershi" -- an ecumenicaI and
inlerfailh communique for lhe achievemenl of lhe MDGs
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3-32
D022, vhich
eslabIished vork lovard achieving lhe MDGs as a mission riorily of lhe Church
for lhe nexl lriennium (lhis vas affirmed in lhe budgeling rocess and "}uslice
and Ieace," vilh lhe MDGs as ils framevork, vas named lhe church's lo
mission riorily for 2006-2009)
urged lhe crealion of a Iine ilem of no Iess lhan 0.7% (circa $900,000) for vork
lhal suorls lhe MDGs (lhis vas Ialer incIuded in lhe budgel)
designaled lhe Lasl Sunday Afler Ienlecosl as a seciaI day of "rayer, fasling
and giving in The IiscoaI Church lovard gIobaI reconciIialion and lhe
MDGs."
urged aII diocese lo eslabIish a body or commission lo mobiIizing lheir eoIe
lovard lhe achievemenl of lhe MDGs
endorsed "The ONI Camaign" lhrough eslabIishing "ONI IiscoaIian" and
urging aII congregalions, dioceses and individuaIs lo |oin il.
-The Mosl Rev. Dr. Kalharine }efferls Schori vas eIecled Iresiding isho and
Ms. onnie Anderson vas eIecled Iresidenl of lhe House of Deulies, bolh of
vhom have been lireIess advocales for God's mission of gIobaI reconciIialion in
lhe MDGs.
Since lhen, lhe foIIoving has haened:
The Ixeculive CounciI, in arlnershi vilh IRD and }ubiIee Minislries has laken lhe
0.7% nalionaI budgel Iine ilem, rounded il u lo $1 miIIion and eslabIished lhe
MiIIennium DeveIomenl GoaIs Insiralion Iund, lo vhich "individuaIs,
congregalions and dioceses be encouraged lo conlribule an addilionaI $2 miIIion." $2
miIIion of lhe funding viII be aIIocaled lo NelsIorLife -- an AngIican arlnershi for
maIaria revenlion in Africa. The remaining $1 miIIion viII be aIIocaled lo
"inilialives in lhe Caribbean and Lalin America focusing on ubIic heaIlh issues."
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An eslimaled 85 dioceses are giving al Ieasl 0.7% of lheir budgels lovard minislries
lhal suorl lhe MDGs .
A vorIdvide AngIican Communion galhering for lhe MDGs (TIAM - Tovards
Iffeclive AngIican Mission) vas heId in March in oksburg, Soulh Africa and
gaIvanized suorl around lhe communion for God's mission of gIobaI
reconciIialion. Iind oul more al lhe conference's vebsile and dovnIoad lhe finaI
conference reorl.
ul more lhan lhal, lhe energy lhroughoul lhe Church for God's mission
conlinues lo grov in vays big and smaII. As ve Iook lo lhe fulure, lhere's no Iimil lo
hov God can use us lo furlher lhis mission ... and hov lhe church and lhe vorId can be
lransformed in lhe rocess.
4-1
Chapter 4
Community Organizing and
Community Economic Development

Communily organizing is dislincl from bolh advocacy and communily economic
deveIomenl. UnIike advocacy il does nol invoIve seaking oul cn |cna|j cj lhe affecled
communily. Il invoIves !ircci|q nc|i|izing lhe communily lo firsl idenlify, lhen resoIve,
lhe issues lhal affecl il. Il differs from communily economic deveIomenl (CID) in lhal
il is nol necessariIy focused on |ob crealion, veaIlh buiIding, housing deveIomenl, or
olher forms of economic revilaIizalion. Communily organizing oflen recedes CID
ro|ecls. There is a naluraI lension belveen communily organizing and communily
economic deveIomenl, as veII as a naluraI symbiosis. The lension arises from lhe facl
lhal lhe rimary requiremenl for organizing is arlicialion (democracy). The rimary
demands of CID are usuaIIy lhe roduclion of bricks and morlar ro|ecls or olher
forms of assel buiIding. Ifficiency, accounlabiIily and lhe suorl of eslabIished
oIilicaI and financiaI inslilulions are very imorlanl for CID. These requiremenls are
oflen in confIicl vilh lhe needs of a communily organizalion lo be free lo do advocacy
or direcl aclion vilh lhese same inslilulions.
1

Methods of Community Organizing
In mosl slralegies of communily organizing, lhe communily is guided by an oulside
(rofessionaI) communily organizer or leam of organizers. Somelimes, lhough,
indigenous organizers emerge lo mobiIize lhe efforl. The rofessionaI organizer's main
|ob is lo idenlify and lrain Ieadershi from lhe largel communily. There are many

1
It is possible to find examples of models which manage to combine organizing, advocacy and community
economic development activities. One such is Bostons (Roxbury) Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative. (The
work of this organization is described in Peter Medoff and Holly Sklars book, Streets of Hope, South End Press,
Boston, 1994). This book is required reading for those about to engage in major urban revitalization projects. It
offers an example of truly comprehensive community planning and development.
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4-2

books lhal describe lhe organizer's roIe. Among lhe mosl usefuI are Si Kahn's lvo
books, Hcu Pccp|c Gci Pcucr and Organizc. SauI AIinsky's |ctci||c jcr |a!ica|s and |u|cs
jcr |a!ica|s are greal background reading bul nol so much a guide lo currenl raclice,
aIlhough AIinsky's rinciIes remain behind some of lhe mosl rominenl organizing
slralegies.
The AIinsky schooI of communily organizing in ils uresl form lakes a dim viev of
vaIues and focuses on assembIing pcucr so lhal lhe oressed communily can vin.
This melhod does nol shy avay from confIicl. Il Iikes lo gel lhe largeled cororale or
ubIic officiaIs in a room and aIy ressure from a Iarge number of arlicuIale eoIe.
The ruIes of civiIily and fair Iay are ignored in favor of cIear deIivery of lhe grou's
demands. This focus on lhe rav exercise of over may make some eoIe of failh
uncomforlabIe. These eoIe may hire AIinsky organizers or consuIlanls lo heI bul do
nol reaIIy accel lheir ideoIogy. Olhers succeed in defining a lheoIogicaI ralionaIe for
lhe exercise of over.
The movemenl insired by SauI AIinsky conlinues lo evoIve. }ohn McKnighl, a former
AIinsky associale, nov leaches assel based communily deveIomenl (ACD). This
melhod assumes lhal lhe inslilulions vhich used lo be so imorlanl lo mobiIize (Iabor
unions, churches) are no Ionger resenl in Iov income urban areas in any force.
Likevise, lhe largel inslilulions (financiaI inslilulions, cororalions) have Iefl lhe oId
neighborhood. Therefore, lhe oId melhods based on cIass confIicl no Ionger vork,
hence lhe imorlance of maing lhe assels lhal sliII exisl in lhe communily and
deveIoing arlnershi inslilulions lo make communily deveIomenl haen. This
melhodoIogy is described in a book by McKnighl and }ohn Krelzman (Bui|!ing
Ccnnuniiics jrcn inc |nsi!c Oui, Cenler for Urban Affairs and IoIicy Research
Norlhveslern Universily). Many Uniled Ways, foundalions, and church organizalions
have adoled McKnighl's hiIosohy and melhodoIogy. Ils crilics say lhal il ignores
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4-3
confIicl lheory and issues associaled vilh race and cIass, bul assel based communily
deveIomenl (ACD) is lhe currenl revaiIing lheory and melhod in some
communilies.
Anolher schooI' of organizing is one based on idenlily. This is nol reaIIy a schooI in
lhe sense of having ils ovn sel of lraining and lechnicaI assislance cenlers. This
aroach lo organizing borrovs melhods from olher schooIs and focuses on gaining
over on behaIf of a secific grou based on lheir idenlily (raciaI, elhnic, gender, sexuaI
orienlalion). Church-based communily organizing Iikevise borrovs melhods from
AIinsky and ACD. This lye of organizing focuses on organizing congregalions or
coaIilions of members of severaI congregalions. Il can focus on a neighborhood, cily,
counly, melrooIilan area, elc. The AMOS ro|ecl is an examIe of a nalionaI failh-
based movemenl. Some congregalions focus lheir energy on roviding suorl for lhe
organizing camaigns of vorkers in secific seclions of lhe economy such as farm
vorkers or holeI vorkers (see Advocacy seclion).
Church-Based Community Organizing
Anolher schooI of conlemorary communily organizers is church-based organizing.
This lye of organizing seeks lo uliIize lhe aIready exisling inslilulionaI base of
churches lo mobiIize communily revilaIizalion aclivilies. Church-based organizing can
use eilher an issue aroach or an assel-based aroach or some hybrid of lhe lvo.
Among lhe modeIs of church-based organizing Iisled in lhis manuaI are Iresh
Minislries in }acksonviIIe, UILD in aIlimore, and lhe Nehemiah Iro|ecl in lhe Soulh
ronx and Iasl rookIyn and lhe radhearsl Iro|ecl in HarIem in Nev York Cily.
Church-based communily organizalions oflen seek lo organize aII lhe churches in a
neighborhood or even in a melrooIilan area. Among lhe denominalions, lhe Uniled
Church of Chrisl has been mosl aclive in romoling lhis modeI. The CalhoIic
Camaign for Human DeveIomenl (CCHD) has generaIIy referred lhe communily-
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4-4

based modeI. CCHD has funded many of lhe rominenl grass rools organizing ro|ecls
around lhe counlry. Some of lhese are described in lheir book, Crc!i||c Signs cj Cnrisi
A|itc, by }ohn I. Hogan. One of lhe church-based modeIs described in lhis book is lhe
Camden Churches Organized for IeoIe (CCOI) organizalion in Camden, N}.
The Lulheran church has aIso ubIished a book aboul church-based communily
organizing. InlilIed Ocing jusiicc. Ccngrcgaiicns an! Ccnnuniiq Organizing (Iorlress
Iress, MinneaoIis, 2001) lhis book offers a lheoIogicaI ralionaIe, a hislory of
congregalion-based organizing, and chalers on such loics as over, seIf-inleresl, and
lhe imorlance of one-on-one inlervievs in communily organizing. The chaler on
agilalion confirms lhal lhe aulhors are rooled in lhe AIinsky lradilion of organizing.
They are aIso deeIy rooled in Scrilure and ils rohelic lradilion. The finaI chaler is
enlilIed SiriluaIily for lhe Long HauI. This is foIIoved by a sludy guide for each
chaler for use by congregalions.
Organizing jcr |ccncnic jusiicc is lhe IiscoaI Church's equivaIenl of lhe Roman
CalhoIic and Lulheran handbooks menlioned above. We have incIuded lhe chaler
enlilIed Chrislian Iailh and Iconomic }uslice as Aendix C of lhis manuaI. The enlire
ubIicalion is avaiIabIe from CongregalionaI Services al lhe IiscoaI Church Cenler
(vvv.eiscoaIchurch.org/congregalionaIservices).
The four nalionaI nelvorks of church-based communily organizalions are:
Industria! Arcas Fnundatinn (IAF)
Id Chambers, Direclor
220 W. Kinzie Slreel, 5
lh
IIoor
Chicago, IL 60610
Ihone: 312-245-9211
Wcbsitc (unnIIicia!): vvv.lresser.com/IAI.hlm
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4-5
Thc Gama!ic! Fnundatinn
Gregory GaIIuzzo, Direclor
203 N. Wabash Avenue, Suile 808
Chicago, IL 60601
Ihone: 312-357-2639
Wcbsitc: vvv.gamaIieIfoundalion.org
Dircct Actinn and Rcscarch Training Ccntcr (DART)
}ohn CaIkins, Direclor
314 NI 26
lh
Terrace
Miami, IL 33137
Ihone: 305-576-8022
Wcbsitc: vvv.lhedarlcenler.org
PaciIic Institutc Inr Cnmmunity Organizatinn (PICO)
}ohn aumann, S.}., Direclor
171 Sanla Rosa Avenue
OakIand, CA 94610
Ihone: 510-655-2801
Wcbsitc: vvv.ico.rulgers.edu

These nelvorks aII rovide lraining and lechnicaI assislance lo congregalions or IocaI
coaIilions inleresled in Iaunching a communily organizing efforl. SeveraI of lhe modeIs
highIighled as examIes beIov are connecled vilh one or lhe olher of lhese cenlers.
Communily organizing may use a variely of hiIosohies and melhods. Ils focus can be
on economic deveIomenl, cily services, heaIlh, sloing drug lrafficking, eslabIishing
neighborhood eace or many olher goaIs. Il may be focused lovard comrehensive
neighborhood revilaIizalion. In lhis case, il musl go on lo lhe communily economic
deveIomenl hase and eilher found a CDC and sin il off as a searale cororalion or
arlner vilh an exisling one. Il can be assel-based or robIem-focused. Il can be
church-based or communily based. Whalever ils basis il remains lhe mosl effeclive
means lo achieve neighborhood revilaIizalion. Il is aboul emovering lhe eoIe in
your communily lo coIIecliveIy soIve robIems or deveIo communily assels. The
modeIs menlioned in lhis seclion offer sources of examIe and informalion from around
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4-6

lhe counlry. If you need heI finding a modeI in your seclion of lhe counlry, Iease
conlacl INI} slaff al meamon+aoI.com. We have rovided a direclory of modeIs in
Aendix I. Likevise, ve encourage you lo send informalion on addilionaI modeIs ve
can Iisl in lhis direclory or on our vebsile.

Community Organizing in Practice: Examples and Models

MOSES (MetropoIItan OrganIzIng Strategy EnabIIng Strength) MOSES (MetropoIItan OrganIzIng Strategy EnabIIng Strength) MOSES (MetropoIItan OrganIzIng Strategy EnabIIng Strength) MOSES (MetropoIItan OrganIzIng Strategy EnabIIng Strength)
A CamaIIeI FoundatIon AIIIIIate A CamaIIeI FoundatIon AIIIIIate A CamaIIeI FoundatIon AIIIIIate A CamaIIeI FoundatIon AIIIIIate

MOSIS
438 Sl. Anloine
Delroil, MI 48226
(313) 962-5290
vvv.mosesmi.org
Histnry
MOSIS vas officiaIIy incororaled in 1997 by lhe member congregalions of lhree
reviousIy exisling non-rofil 501(c)(3) communily organizalions in lhe Delroil Area
(Wesl Delroil Inlerfailh Communily Organizalion, }eremiah Iro|ecl, and Norlheasl
AIIied for Home). MOSIS has since exanded lo incIude congregalions from
lhroughoul lhe Delroil area. The coaIilion nov incIudes 65 congregalions and lhree
inslilulions of higher Iearning.
Prngram
MOSIS focuses on neighborhood concerns such as communily reinveslmenl and safely,
and on Iarger syslemic robIems such as urban sravI, Iack of adequale lransorlalion
and educalion, infringemenl on lhe civiI righls of immigranls, Iand use and bIighl. Their
urose is lo buiId and slrenglhen member congregalions and IocaI communilies lo
bring aboul beneficiaI syslemic change.
Mcthnds
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4-7
1. Member congregalions use MOSIS lo idenlify a sel of common inleresls and lo
exercise over on behaIf of lhose inleresls (advocacy).
2. MOSIS is organized lo buiId an ecumenicaI, inlerfailh, muIliraciaI, congregalion-
cenlered communily organizalion lhal viII address issues of concern lo communily
residenls and members of lhe 65 congregalions lhrough a rocess of reIalionshi
buiIding, evangeIizing, lraining and Ieadershi deveIomenl, and direcl aclion
(organizing).
3. MOSIS has used lechnicaI assislance and consuIlalion from lhe GamaIieI
Ioundalion, a nalionaI organizing inslilulion.
South 8ronx Churches South 8ronx Churches South 8ronx Churches South 8ronx Churches
An AIIIIIate oI the ndustrIaI Areas FoundatIon An AIIIIIate oI the ndustrIaI Areas FoundatIon An AIIIIIate oI the ndustrIaI Areas FoundatIon An AIIIIIate oI the ndustrIaI Areas FoundatIon

389 Iasl 150
lh
Slreel ronx, NY 10455
Ihone: 718-665-5564
ImaiI: SChurches+aoI.com
Histnry
Soulh ronx Churches vas organized in 1987 vhen a Lulheran Iaslor, }ohn Heinemier,
convened a grou of aslors. Il is a coaIilion of churches and olher communily-based
organizalions formed vilh lhe heI of lhe InduslriaI Areas Ioundalion (IAI). Il is nov
one of six over organizalions lhal are arl of lhe Melro InduslriaI Areas Ioundalion in
lhe Nev York melro area.
Prngram
Iducalion is a slrong comonenl of lhis minislry. Soulh ronx Churches roosed lhal
severaI smaII lhemalic schooIs be deveIoed in lhe neighborhood, vilh funding from
lhe Dearlmenl of Iducalion lo rovide funding. In 1993, SC eslabIished lhe ronx
Leadershi Academy, vhich vouId achieve an 80% gradualion rale comared lo 50% al
lhe IocaI ubIic high schooI. SC oened a second smaII schooI in 2002 (Leadershi
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4-8

Academy II). SC seeks lo deveIo a singIe camus for 3-4 smaII schooIs, using lhe 21
sl

Cenlury SchooIs modeI.
Housing is anolher rogram eIemenl for SC. They have buiIl more lhan 1000
Nehemiah rov houses in Moll Haven, lhus heIing lo reverse lhal neighborhood's
siraI of decIine. We used lhe same remise as }esus, said SC Housing Chair Rev.
erlram ennell, vhen he asked vhal lhe bIind man vanled.
The lhird rogram focus is on quaIily of Iife issues. Through communily organizing and
advocacy, SC has eIiminaled some of lhe drug lrafficking hol sols in lhe Soulh
ronx, and have successfuIIy advocaled for reforms al lhe area hosilaI (LincoIn
HosilaI).

Mcthnds
1. SC conlracled vilh IAI and hired an organizer.
2. SC organized inslilulions, congregalions, arenls, vorkers, and lenanls, and
arlicuIarIy invoIved cIergy and overfuI Iay Ieaders vho gol lhe churches inlo
rohelic aclion. Their communily organizing lheory is based on over as a
rimary lheoIogicaI virlue.
3. They did one-on-ones and Iislening sessions vilh IocaI residenls. Using
ironing boards al bus slos, lhey oblained 100,000 signalures and look lhem in
an ark lo oIilicians lo demonslrale lheir aulhorily and communily suorl.
4. Oul of lhe sessions vilh IocaI residenls came lhe idea of deveIoing affordabIe
singIe famiIy homes. SC connecled vilh Nehemiah, a nalionaI housing
inilialive, and buiIl over 1000 unils. SC oblained cily-ovned Iand lo kee lhe
housing cosls dovn, found a buiIder vho shared lheir hiIosohy, and sel u
lhe euIah ro|ecl lo do rehab and manage roerlies.
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4-9
5. In resonse lo educalionaI negIecl slemming from a videsread viev lhal inner
cily kids couId nol Iearn, SC founded Leadershi Academies I and II lo give
IocaI chiIdren a good educalion. They conlinue lo advocale for more smaII
schooIs.
6. SC venl lo oIice slalions en masse lo address lhe drug robIem and eradicaled
some of mosl dangerous siles. They used a simiIar rocess lo oblain beller
lrealmenl of lhe communily residenls al lhe IocaI hosilaI.

Community Development Corporations in Practice
These organizalions vere eslabIished lo oversee lhe redeveIomenl of inner cily
neighborhoods or lo romole |ob deveIomenl in ruraI areas. Some are comrehensive.
Some focus excIusiveIy on housing or |ob crealion. Some CDCs are sinoffs of
communily organizing efforls. CDCs are oflen abIe lo focus more on ro|ecls and Ieave
lhe advocacy lo lhe neighborhood organizalion. Some incIude advocacy aIong vilh lhe
hard side of deveIomenl. Some aIso incIude a sociaI services comonenl such as
counseIing or |ob readiness.
Church oI the MessIah HousIng CorporatIon (DetroIt, M) Church oI the MessIah HousIng CorporatIon (DetroIt, M) Church oI the MessIah HousIng CorporatIon (DetroIt, M) Church oI the MessIah HousIng CorporatIon (DetroIt, M)
Ms. Irances Hovze, Ixeculive Direclor
231 Iasl Grand ouIevard
Delroil, MI 48207
(313) 567-7966
ImaiI: fhovze+messiahhousing.com
Histnry
Organized in 1874, lhe Church of lhe Messiah has a Iong hislory of invoIvemenl in
sociaI aclion bolh vilhin ils Delroil neighborhood and in nalionaI and inlernalionaI
arenas. Urban minislry under Ieadershi of lhe Rev. Canon Sann and Dean CoIe in
lhe 1970s focused on housing, heaIlh, educalion, and oIilicaI emovermenl.
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4-10

Prngram
The Church of lhe Messiah Housing Cororalion (CHMC) IieId Slreel ro|ecl incIudes
49 nev unils of infiII housing deveIoed on siles lhal had been cIeared of revious
slruclures. Archilecl Abraham Kadushin heIed come u vilh designs lhal overcome
sile secific robIems and added amenilies such as fuII basemenls, fronl orches, and
rear arking. CHMC's ridgeviev ro|ecl added 22 more lovnhouses.
The positive catalyzing effect of new infill housing development in a severely distressed
urban neighborhood cannot be underestimated. While rehabilitation of existing
deteriorated structures is extremely important, the symbolic and tangible rebirth
represented by new construction is a powerful revitalizing force attracting substantial
attention and additional resources. This is especially significant when the developer is a
non-profit, community-based organization undertaking responsibility for the planning,
design, development and management of the project as was the case in Island View
Village. Architect Abraham Kadushin.

This CDC aIso adminislers lhe Cily of Delroil's Neighborhood Oorlunily Iund and
HOMI granls for home reair and rehabiIilalion, and conducls olher aclivilies reIaled
lo housing needs and inner cily revilaIizalion. Over 150 aarlmenls have been
rehabbed. CMHC aIso rovides revenlive mainlenance for home ovners and a
roerly managemenl comany cerlified by MSHDA.The CDC has received funding
from financiaI inslilulions incIuding ank One and Charler One ank lo rovide
financiaI Iileracy rograms lo IocaI residenls and firsl-lime homebuyers.
Other CMHC services include a senior nutritional food program that serves over 200 seniors and
families, and an after-school leadership training program for the city of Detroit.
Methods
Church of the Messiah has kept a clear focus on providing new and rehabbed housing as an
approach to neighborhood renewal. Other programs support the housing goal. Financial
literacy, money management and after school leadership training help people maintain their
homes. The senior nutrition program, though direct service, also helps maintain people in their
homes by supporting their independent living.
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4-11
Relationship to Advocacy
The advocacy arm of CHMH and other Detroit CDOs is Community Development Advocates of
Detroit (CDAD). CDAD has 90 members. It not only advocates the interests of CDOs, it
provides training and technical assistance. Member organizations must be non-profit and
committed to sustainable development that demonstrates grassroots participation and
empowerment.
Community Development Advocates of Detroit
The Metropolitan Center for High Technology
2727 Second Avenue, Suite 303
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 964-4910 Fax: (313) 964-4970
email: info@cdadonline.org
HarIem CongregatIons Ior CommunIty mprovement HarIem CongregatIons Ior CommunIty mprovement HarIem CongregatIons Ior CommunIty mprovement HarIem CongregatIons Ior CommunIty mprovement
AIIIIIated wIth the Metro ndustrIaI Areas FoundatIon AIIIIIated wIth the Metro ndustrIaI Areas FoundatIon AIIIIIated wIth the Metro ndustrIaI Areas FoundatIon AIIIIIated wIth the Metro ndustrIaI Areas FoundatIon
Contact:
Lucille L. McEwen, President and CEO
2854 Frederick Douglas Boulevard
New York, NY 10039
(212) 281-4887 Ext. 35
Email: lmcewen@hcci.org
www.hcci.org

Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, Inc. is a premier example of a church-
based community organization which combines direct service, advocacy, community organizing,
and community economic development in a holistic approach to the revitalization of their
community. This organization was founded in 1986 through the efforts of a consortium of 16
faith leaders in the Harlem community. The Rev. Canon Boyd Williams is Chair of HCCI.

Program
HCCI has developed over 1700 rental and homeownership units and has 400 in process.
HCCIs Construction Trades Academy initiative places young men in the Harlem area in
construction jobs, providing training in carpentry, woodworking and other interior work.
Other work force development initiatives include youth training in computer graphics and
robotics for youth.
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4-12

HCCIs social services include a sister to sister, peer to peer program for girls, food stamp
sign-up, and prenatal care and advice. They provide treatment for young children with
asthma. Support for people with HIV/AIDS includes counseling and housing. A state of the
art day care center is in the planning stage.
Methods
1. Form an interfaith coalition of congregations using the IAF model of community-based
organizing.
2. Assess community needs and opportunities using one-on-one interviews and community
meetings.
3. Develop a plan of action, including funding and evaluation.
4. Secure a diversified funding base. (This is still a struggle, as HCCI operates mostly through
government contracts.)
5. Develop an appropriate governance structure--in this case a 501(c)(3) not for profit
corporation. Assemble an initial funding pool and hire professional staff.
6. Through this process HCCI adopted a model which includes a full range of social and health
care interventions. These services help support people as they are assisted in obtaining
affordable rental housing or home ownership.
7. HCCI formed a separate initiative to provide counseling for financial literacy,
homeownership, and to prevent predatory lending.
8. Operating as a community development corporation, HCCI has developed over 1,700 units of
rental and homeownership housing with 400 more pending.

NeIghborWorks and Other HousIng nItIatIves NeIghborWorks and Other HousIng nItIatIves NeIghborWorks and Other HousIng nItIatIves NeIghborWorks and Other HousIng nItIatIves

Several other types of community improvement activities also expanded during the 1970s and
1980s. For example, a number of organizations outside of the CDC framework have also
focused their work around the development and rehabilitation of affordable housing for
example, many churches and other faith-based organizations and national entities like Habitat for
Humanity and the National Council of La Raza.
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4-13
A notable example is the approach implemented by the federally support Neighborhood
reinvestment Corporation and the 177 local nonprofits that comprise its NeighborWorks
network. The Corporation provides technical assistance and training to its local partners, as well
as funding designed to leverage considerably greater investment in neighborhood revitalization.
In 1995 alone, for example, $39 million in federal funding resulted in $341 million in private,
public, and philanthropic funds being reinvested in distressed neighborhoods. While it has
motivated a variety of non-housing physical improvement projects as well, NeighborWorks has
emphasized expanding homeownership in such communities. Three years into its recent
campaign, 6,530 families had purchased their own homes often at prices less, or only modestly
more, costly than renting.
Habitat for Humanity is a national organization which provides an umbrella for hundreds of local
initiatives. Habitat is responsible for the production of thousands of units of new housing for
families that otherwise would not have been able to own a home. Habitat projects often join the
work of church volunteers with that of a family to produce a new house.

Community Development Loan Funds in Practice
The PeIham Fund Ior EconomIc ]ustIce The PeIham Fund Ior EconomIc ]ustIce The PeIham Fund Ior EconomIc ]ustIce The PeIham Fund Ior EconomIc ]ustIce
Charles Wibiralske
Associate Director for Community and Economic Development Programs
Episcopal City Mission
138 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02111-1318
617-482-4826 x207
www.diomass.org/ecm

The original mission of the Pelham Fund was to respond to the call of the Michigan Plan adopted
by the 1988 Episcopal Church General Convention with the systemic change goal of establishing
community development intermediaries. The Pelham Fund now makes loans through a network
of intermediary organizations throughout New England. Four of these institutions are New
England wide. Others, like the Boston Community Loan Fund, serve specific neighborhoods,
cities, or state areas.
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4-14

Each of the other New England dioceses has diocesan or parish sponsored efforts. Connecticut
runs a fund similar to the Pelham Fund. In Vermont, St. Pauls Cathedral, All Saints, South
Burlington and the National Church have deposits with Opportunities Credit Union. Western
Massachusetts has set aside 2% of its endowment for community reinvestment, allowing the
diocese to lend money (about $1 million) to two community loan funds. The Diocese of Maine
and two congregations have lent to Coastal Enterprises. In New Hampshire, the National Church
and approximately half of the 49 congregations invest in the New Hampshire Community Loan
Fund.
MIchIgan nterIaIth Loan Fund MIchIgan nterIaIth Loan Fund MIchIgan nterIaIth Loan Fund MIchIgan nterIaIth Loan Fund
Michigan Interfaith Fund (Lansing Office)
1000 South Washington Avenue, Suite 100
Lansing, MI 48910-1647
Christine A. Coady, President
(517) 372-6004

Michigan Interfaith Fund (Detroit Office)
2727 Second Avenue, Suit 301
Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 964-7300

This program started as the Michigan McGehee Fund (of the Diocese of Michigan) in response
to the Michigan Plan of the 1988 Convention. It merged with the Michigan Housing Trust Fund
in 2004 to form the Michigan Interfaith Fund.

This community loan fund improves access to capital for affordable housing in low income
communities, focusing on urban low-income and minority neighborhoods and rural development.
It also works to strengthen the capacity of non-profit organizations to develop facilities where
services can be provided to communities. The fund also serves as a vehicle for socially
responsible investments.

Other Wealth Building Initiatives in Practice
Wealth-building projects focus on building individual, family and community assets. All of the
models listed above contribute to building assets but the following are featured to draw attention
to this type of community development ministry.
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4-15
FRESHMNSTRES FRESHMNSTRES FRESHMNSTRES FRESHMNSTRES
Mr. Michael Bryant
1830 Main Street
Jacksonville, FL 32206
904-854-4444
mlb@freshministries.org

In Jacksonville, workers low wages are often completely consumed by high living expenses and
a lack of financial literacy can be exploited by unscrupulous lenders and businesses. In this
situation, workers are rarely able to save any money towards a major life goal such as owning a
home, getting post secondary education or starting a business. Jacksonvilles
FRESHMINISTRIES is one of the largest and most comprehensive of the community economic
development projects in the Episcopal Church network. Its partnerships and spinoffs include
Habitat for Humanity, an affordable housing partnership, First Coast MicroLoan Fund, and a
small business incubator (see Beaver Street Enterprise Center, Appendix F). Programs include
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) and helping clients make use of earned income tax
credits.
Program
FRESHMINISTRIES has implemented four major responses to attack this cycle of poverty and
to help low income workers towards financial independence.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Campaigns with a large part of the credit unclaimed each
year, the IRS has teamed with local community coalitions to create volunteer tax preparation
sites were people can have their taxes prepared free and electronically. They can avoid the cost
of tax preparers and the high interest they charge on refund anticipation loans while applying for
the credit.
Financial Literacy Campaigns as a part of many EITC campaigns, coalitions have joined with
groups such as Consumer Credit Counseling to offer financial literacy classes. Wachovia and the
FDIC have collaborated on the most well-known free curriculum called Money Smarts. It is
usually offered in 5 two-hour segments and helps with family budgeting, credit issues and
savings. Get Checking is a related training that allows people to repair their standing with
financial institutions so they are eligible to open a bank account again.
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4-16

Individual Development Accounts the federal government offers matching funds to community
organizations willing to raise an equal or greater local match to offer to low income individuals
willing to take financial literacy classes and begin saving towards one of three major life goals:
buying a home, getting post secondary education or starting a business. A person can have up to
$2,000 matched two to one and end up with $6,000 towards one of these goals. Participating
organizations agree to provide counseling and goal training while the person saves towards the
goal. The participant can also choose to apply a portion of the EITC or tax refund towards the
saving goal.
Small Business Development the fourth major area of programming is the small business
development work of the Beaver Street Enterprise Center (see page F-2).
FRESHMINISTRIES also operates a Benefits Bank, a software developed by the National
Council of Churches that allows users to determine and apply for all of the benefits for which
they are eligible including child care and food stamps. Currently being piloted in two states (one
of which is Florida) the software is being prepared for launch in numerous other states around
the country. The NCC is looking for community and local government organizations to utilize
the software, reducing the need for applicants to go to multiple locations.

Multi-Service Centers in Practice
These programs offer a variety of social services to communities or special populations. To
request a more comprehensive list, contact the Office of Jubilee Ministries at the Episcopal
Church Center, (800) 334-7726, or at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/jubilee.htm. The Rev.
Canon Carmen Guerrero is Director.
For more examples see Directory of Ministry Models, Appendix F. See also HCCI, above.

Church oI Our SavIor Church oI Our SavIor Church oI Our SavIor Church oI Our SavIor
(A }ubiIee Cenler)
48 Henry Slreel
Nev York, NY 10002
Office Ihone (212) 233-2899
Emai!: oursavior+ecoserve.org
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4-17
Cnntact Pcrsnn: Ieler Ng, Direclor
Histnry
This minislry vas eslabIished in lhe earIy 1970s in Nev York's Chinalovn. The service
minislry began in 1991 and vas designed lo meel lhe needs of Chinese immigranls. Our
Savior vas lhe firsl Asian congregalion lo be designaled a }ubiIee Cenler. Il is a broad
rogram vhich incIudes an afler-schooI luloriaI rogram for chiIdren, a }ubiIee youlh
ChoraI Irogram and an aduIl educalion rogram.
Prngram Dcscriptinn
The economic fealures of lhis rogram are lhe |ob lraining and |ob generalion rograms,
incIuding veb age design for non-rofils, a comuler recycIing rogram and a
grahics, ubIishing, and rinling rogram aII geared lo non-rofil organizalions.
1. ICOSIRVI creales muIli-lier veb ages for non-rofil organizalions al a
nominaI cosl. The rogram aIso assisls in veb-reIaled roducls and services such
as on-Iine direclories, on-Iine regislralions, offering dovnIoadabIe conlenl, elc.
The Comuler RecycIing Irogram lakes donaled comulers, overhauIs and
reairs lhem, and dislribules lhem lo olher }ubiIee Cenlers across lhe counlry.
2. Galevay AduIl Iducalion Cenler offers IngIish Language inslruclion and
comuler lraining lo Iov-income immigranls. Ils mission is lo enhance lhe
abiIily of disadvanlaged immigranls lo find beller emIoymenl oorlunilies in
lhe Uniled Slales.
3. A comuler lraining rogram incIudes inlroduclion lo Comulers, IxIoring
Windovs, Discovering lhe Inlernel, Learning Windovs Office AIicalions, and
Web design.
4. Our Savior's Afler SchooI Irogram offers luloriaI services for chiIdren from
grades 1-8, incIuding homevork assislance, seciaI vorkshos and grou games
and aclivilies aimed al enhancing sociaI skiIIs.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

4-18

5. Our Savior's Chinalovn HeaIlh Iair is an annuaI |oinl venlure vilh Sl. Vincenl's
HosilaI and MedicaI Cenler.
6. The }ubiIee Youlh ChoraIe is comosed of sludenls from aII five boroughs and
Nev }ersey, vho are laughl music, singing, voice. The ChoraIe has erformed al
LincoIn Cenler, Carnegie HaII, Washinglon NalionaI CalhedraI, lhe Diocese of
Los AngeIes, raziI, and al an American Cancer Sociely fund raiser,
consecralions of ishos, and in a WaIl Disney fiIm.
7. Mission Grahics offers non-rofil organizalions comelilive ricing and
services in grahics, ubIishing, and rinling.
Mcthnds
As a member of lhe }ubiIee Minislry Nelvork, lhe cenler has benefiled from lhe
resources avaiIabIe as arl of lhe nelvork, and serves as a modeI and resource lo olhers.
The Youlh ChoraIe raised funds for }ubiIee Cenlers in lhe Wesl Coasl in a Summer
Concerl Tour, and for lhe NalionaI }ubiIee Office in a concerl al GeneraI Convenlion
in Denver.
Church of Our Savior eslabIished a Comanion reIalionshi vilh lhe Diocese of
Soulhvesl raziI, a }ubiIee Minislry. The ChoraIe vas inviled lo lheir Diocese
Anniversary CeIebralion, and sang in a lhree cily concerl lour lo fund raise for lhe
Diocese. The Church aIso sels u fundraising efforls annuaIIy lo heI lhe
Comanion Diocese, conlribuling lo lhe buiIding of lheir nev conference cenler and
various minislries lo emover lheir eoIe in need.
The Comuler RecycIing Irogram vorks vilh lhe }ubiIee Minislry office in lhe
dislribulion of refurbished comulers. The rogram has donaled comulers lo
many cenlers, churches, riesls and seminarians nalionvide and inlernalionaIIy.
c-a,.- c-.-.., o,a-...-, a-a c-.-.., t----.- e-.-.-,--.

4-19
Al }ubiIee Minislry nelvork meelings, lhe communily cenler has shovcased ils
vork in vorkshos, forums, and aneI discussions.
Rural Community Economic Development in Practice
AppaIachIan AppaIachIan AppaIachIan AppaIachIan Center Ior EconomIc Networks (ACEnet) Center Ior EconomIc Networks (ACEnet) Center Ior EconomIc Networks (ACEnet) Center Ior EconomIc Networks (ACEnet)

94 CoIumbus Road
Alhens, OH 45701
740-592-3854, 800-4-ACINIT (800-422-3638)
shirIey|+acenelvorks.org
Wcbsitc: vvv.acenelvorks.org

Histnry
RuraI communilies in lhe U.S. are reaIIy hurling. }obs are scarce and ay is Iov, forcing
eoIe lo Ieave. RuraI communilies usuaIIy can'l gel ubIic or rivale financing for
business slarl-us. Oflen, big comanies lhal Iocale in lhese areas do nol re-invesl lheir
rofils in lhe IocaI communily bul send lhe money far avay lo headquarlers.
This vas lhe silualion in soulheaslern Ohio in 1985 vhen communily members came
logelher as lhe AaIachian Cenler for Iconomic Nelvorks (ACInel) lo find vays lo
deveIo a heaIlh regionaI economy. ACInel decided lhe besl bel vas vorker-ovned
cooeralives modeIed afler lhe Mondragon cooeralives of Sain. (See lhe Mondragon
vrile-u al vvv.acenelvorks.org) In 1985, ACInel heIed IocaI eoIe slarl len
vorker-ovned businesses lhal are sliII in oeralion loday.
Prngram and Mcthnds
In 1989, ACInel recognized lhal |usl slarling businesses vas insufficienl. Whal ruraI
Ohio needed vas a vay for eoIe lo sonlaneousIy deveIo lheir ovn businesses. In
1991, ACInel deveIoed a business incubalor simiIar lo one in Modena, IlaIy, vhere
communily organizalions creale businesses based on niche markels and IocaI
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

4-20

communily resources. ACInel's business incubalor rovides Iov-cosl sace, recelion,
fax, and comuler services and has incubaled more lhan 45 businesses since 1989.
In 1993, ACInel decided lo malch IocaI resources (lruck farmers and reslauranls vilh
unique IocaI roducls) vilh a IocaI niche markel for food. ACInel buiIl a Iicensed
faciIily, caIIed lhe Iood Venlures Cenler, vhere IocaI enlrereneurs renl ovens, sloves,
and food-rocessing equimenl lo deveIo and roduce lheir ovn roducls, such as
reIishes, |eIIies, and asla. Iood Venlures aIso heIs enlrereneurs vilh business Ians,
financing, markeling, and managemenl of lheir seciaIly food businesses. The Iood
Venlures Cenler has rovided assislance lo more lhan 150 food businesses, and over 70
enlrereneurs have used lhe faciIily lo rocess roducls.
In recenl years, ACInel has deveIoed a communily lechnoIogy cenler caIIed
TechVenlures, giving IocaI residenls access lo comulers, lhe Inlernel, and lraining.
TechVenlures slaff is aIso lraining leachers in IocaI schooIs lo leach sludenls hov lo sel
u comuler-based businesses. ACInel aIso rovides Ioans and avards lo lhe
businesses il vorks vilh.
ACInel has shovn lhal good suslainabIe IocaI economic deveIomenl is ossibIe in
ruraI areas using IocaI resources and laIenl. This modeI can be reIicaled in any area
vhere eoIe have a good underslanding of IocaI resources and markels. ACInel's
vork shovs lhe imorlance of roviding shared resources and ongoing suorl
(Ianning, financing, markeling, and managemenl) lo businesses so lhey become slabIe
and lhrive.

See aIso Appa!achian Cnmmunity Dcvc!npmcnt, Aendix I.
5-1
Chapter 5
Socially Responsible Investing

INTRODUCTION
SociaIIy resonsibIe invesling has come inlo being because a number of inveslors
vanl lo inlegrale lheir vaIues, i.e. lheir goseI vaIues in lhe case of church reIaled
inveslors, and lheir inveslmenl decisions. Iroxy Monilor, a ubIicalion of SociaIIy
ResonsibIe Inveslor Services, reorls lhal mission/vaIues-based inveslors drav on a
Iong lradilion of aclivism: lhe civiI righls and anli-Vielnam var movemenls of lhe
1960's and lhe anli-aarlheid movemenl of lhe 1970's and 1980's. ReIigious inveslors
acluaIIy began lo Iook for vays lo invesl based on vaIues in lhe 1960's, and by lhe 1970's
lhe NalionaI CounciI of Churches and some member denominalions vere vorking lo
insure lhal lheir inveslmenls vere consislenl vilh lheir sociaI oIicies. y lhe year 2005
lhere vere $2.3 lriIIion in sociaIIy resonsibIe inveslmenls, buiIding lovard a beller
vorId.
SociaIIy resonsibIe invesling is a "lhree Iegged slooI," This descrilion may have
been coined by Amy Domini of lhe Domini SociaI Iquily Iund and Loring, WoIcoll &
CooIidge in oslon, and aulhor of lhe ground breaking book IlhicaI Invesling
ubIished in 1984. The lhree Iegs incIude:
screening of stock and bond portfolios
shareholder activism - introducing and voting on proxy resolutions at
corporate annual meetings
community investing - loans and deposits channeled for community based
economic development
Amy Domini herseIf, in her roIe as an inveslmenl advisor, and many olher SRI
managers and individuaI inveslors combine aII lhree Iegs in lheir orlfoIios and
inveslmenl slralegies.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-2

WeII knovn in lhe inveslmenl and SRI vorIds, Domini, an IiscoaIian, brings
her exerlise lo lhe Church. She has served on lhe nalionaI church's Iconomic }uslice
ImIemenlalion Commillee and lhe SociaIIy ResonsibIe Inveslmenls Commillee and
currenlIy is a member of lhe board of lhe Church Iension Iund. In addilion she has
been a member of lhe boards of lhe Inlerfailh Cenler on Cororale ResonsibiIily and
lhe NalionaI Associalion of Communily DeveIomenl Loan Iunds (nov Oorlunily
Iinance Nelvork).
In an inlerviev in 1998 vilh Nicaraguan DeveIomenls, lhe nevsIeller of lhe
Wisconsin Coordinaling CounciI on Nicaragua, Amy Domini describes hov inveslors'
money "greases lhe vheeIs of finance," lhe vheeIs "vhich rovide lhe vorId vilh food,
cIolhing, sheIler, educalion..."
Domini beIieves lhal individuaIs come lo sociaIIy resonsibIe invesling vilh lvo
molivalions. One is invard, a need or desire lo "achieve ersonaI inlegralion of money
and seIf" (I}IC Nevs, 1991), lhe olher is oulvard, "lo change lhe vorId." These 2
molivalions vork logelher as inveslors gel invoIved in lhe lhree "Iegs" of SRI.
This chaler describes aII lhree Iegs of SRI in some delaiI, and oinls lo reIaled
resources, organizalions, financiaI inslilulions and inlermediaries. In some cases il aIso
describes hov lo invesl incIuding conlacl informalion. Much of lhe informalion in lhis
chaler and some of lhe slruclure of lhe chaler is oved lo lhe SociaI Inveslmenl Iorum
(SII), lhe lrade associalion for lhe SRI induslry. SII seeks lo rovide high visibiIily for
SRI via ils media rogram aIong vilh research, nelvorking, and slralegy deveIomenl
for aII areas of SRI.
In lhe earIy ninelies - afler lhe 1988 GeneraI Convenlion's "boId commilmenl lo a
rogram of economic |uslice" (I}IC nevsIeller) - a commillee of lhe Diocese of
Minnesola mel for aboul a year lo "see hov our Diocese couId meel lhe Church's caII lo
c-a,.- s s--.a.., --.,--..-.- .-.-...-,

5-3
invesl in eoIe and communilies". Minnesola's Ian in lhe end caIIed for Iacing $1
miIIion in secific communily inveslmenls (incIuding haIf in federaIIy insured
communily deveIomenl banks) for an iniliaI eriod of 5 years.
Il is INI}'s hoe lhal lhis chaler viII heI your diocese or arish, or you
ersonaIIy, deveIo an SRI Ian, as did lhe Diocese of Minnesola.
SCREENED INVESTMENTS
Amy Domini defines an inveslmenl sociaI screen as "lhe exression of an
inveslor's sociaI, elhicaI or reIigious concern in a form lhal ermils an inveslmenl
manager lo aIy il in lhe inveslmenl decision making rocess.
Iven before lhe 1960s, some churches vere avoiding inveslmenls in lhe
lradilionaI "sin slocks": lobacco, Iiquor, and gambIing. y lhe 1980s, churches and many
olher inveslors - foundalions, unions, universilies, ension funds, and individuaIs -
began divesling or avoiding (screening oul) comanies oeraling in Soulh Africa as a
vay lo make a slalemenl againsl lhe Soulh African governmenl's syslem of aarlheid.
Some inveslors aIso had begun screening againsl miIilary conlraclors, nucIear veaons
manufaclurers, and environmenlaI oIIulers.
Screening againsl or boycolling a comany's slock does nol affecl a comany as
vouId boycolling a roducl. Slock lraded on lhe slock markel has aIready been issued
by lhe comany and urchased and aII lhe resl is buying and seIIing belveen inveslors.
Il vouId lake a Iol of such saIes lo affecl a comany. In addilion comanies are nol
necessariIy avare of vhy and by vhom lheir slock is being boughl, nol boughl, or soId.
Screeners oflen combine lheir aclion vilh an exlernaI educalionaI rogram and conlacl
lhe comany aboul vhal lhey are doing in hoes lhal lhe comany viII gel lhe
message. This visibiIily aIso means lhal olher inveslors gel lhe message, become avare
of lhe cororale silualion, and are encouraged lo foIIov suil.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-4

AIisa Gravilz, Ixeculive Direclor of Coo America and board member of SII, has
said, "Whal sociaI inveslors do is bring sociaI and environmenlaI issues inlo business
decision-making." In some cases lhese issues have become arl of lhe cororalions'
missions. Some reguIarIy issue reorls on such lhings as environmenlaI slevardshi,
raciaI equaIily and animaI lesling. More lhan 70 comanies have |oined CIRIS, vhich
formed afler lhe Ixxon VaIdez oiI siII and has a 10 oinl lesl for environmenlaI
accounlabiIily/ rinciIes. In addilion lhere is nov allenlion lo comanies' behavior
overseas and lheir use of svealshos elc. Domini says lhal aII of lhis has "forced ma|or
comanies lo focus on more lhan |usl lheir bollom Iine."
Inveslors can aIso osiliveIy screen by choosing lo invesl in comanies vhich
resecl vorkers, ay fair vages vilh benefils, reduce lhe ga belveen lhe highesl and
Iovesl aid vorkers, buiId communily, rolecl lhe environmenl, make good and safe
roducls, and do olher good lhings.
A sludy (Cororale SociaI And IinanciaI Ierformance : A Mela-AnaIysis by Marc
Orilzky, Irank Schmidl, and Sara Rynes) shovs lhal lhere is aIso a significanl osilive
reIalionshi belveen lhe financiaI erformance of cororalions and lheir sociaI
erformance or resonsibiIily. HearlIand WeaIlh Managemenl Grou, a sociaIIy
resonsibIe money manager, has vrillen lhal "rofilabiIily and sociaI resonsibiIily (are
nol) muluaIIy excIusive...(bul ralher) by considering lhe needs and robIems of lhe
socielies in vhich lhey exisl, cororalions are more IikeIy lo secure lheir ovn fulures.
As Iong ago as 1989, IauI Slrassess vrole in Iillsburg Magazine lhal "many businesses
have found lhal il ays lo kee lhe environmenl cIean... mainlain good Iabor reIalions,
rovide lo-nolch emIoyee fringe benefils and reliremenl Ians.... Their slanding in
lhe communily goes u, and so does lheir bollom Iine and slock rice.
c-a,.- s s--.a.., --.,--..-.- .-.-...-,

5-5
An easy and common firsl sle lovard screening inveslmenls is lo choose one or
more of lhe SRI muluaI funds nov avaiIabIe. In 1971 lhere vas 1 sociaIIy screened slock
and bond muluaI fund, lhe Iax WorId Iund, vhich vas begun by cIergy anli-Vielnam
War roleslors lo avoid invesling in Dov ChemicaI, lhe maker of naaIm. The Iund, as
founded, screened for veaons manufaclurers and aIso lobacco, aIcohoI and gambIing
comanies. y 1994 lhere vere 22 SRI funds and by 1997 lhere vere 144. Today lhere
are around 200 sociaIIy screened muluaI funds handIing $151 biIIion of assels. These
can be found in aII of lhe common financiaI grouings for muluaI funds incIuding Iarge
ca, smaII ca, grovlh and vaIue, fixed income, baIanced, gIobaI, money markel, elc. A
Iisl of 100 of lhese funds vhich are members of lhe SociaI Inveslmenl Iorum can be
found al vvv.sociaIinvesl.org. The Iisl is charled by lhe screens each fund uses and
olher faclors.
Choosing muluaI funds can aIso be done vilh lhe heI of a broker or financiaI
Ianner/manager vho seciaIizes in SRI. Il's aIso ossibIe lo coIIecl lhe informalion,
make choices, and buy muluaI funds direclIy. Ierformance informalion on lhese funds
and financiaI anaIyses are readiIy avaiIabIe lhrough organizalions such as Morningslar,
Inc. and Iisls and conlacl informalion are avaiIabIe lhrough lhe SociaI Inveslmenl
Iorum. KLD Research & AnaIylics, Inc. does sociaI ralings and delaiIed descrilions on
comanies based on lhe sociaI crileria commonIy used in screening, such as communily
invoIvemenl, cororale governance, lobacco, diversily, emIoyee reIalions,
environmenl, human righls, and roducl quaIily.
MuluaI funds do bolh osilive and negalive screens and some are very
seciaIized such as IorlfoIio 21 vhich focuses on lhe environmenl, or lhe AIlernalives
Iund vhich invesls in aIlernalive and renevabIe energy.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-6

Wilhin lhe universe of sociaIIy resonsibIe muluaI funds lhere are severaI
INDIX funds. An index, e.g. lhe Domini SociaI 400 Index, lhe firsl SRI index, founded
in 1990, buys and lracks slocks in a arlicuIar markel segmenl such as lhe S.& I.500
vhich lracks lhe 500 Iargesl cororalions on lhe slock markel. An index fund buys
roorlionaIIy lhe slocks vhich make u lhe index, hoing lo mirror lhe index's
erformance. This gives an inveslor vho urchases shares in lhe index fund a
diversified orlfoIio and, in lhe case of Domini SociaI Iquily, a relurn comarabIe lo lhe
overaII sociaIIy resonsibIe inveslmenl universe, lhe Domini SociaI 400 Index.
Research on cororalions, as aIready described, rovides lhe basis for lhe
screening of inveslmenls. The SociaI Inveslmenl Iorum rovides research heI for SRI
managers. A SII research vorking grou organized in 2004 organizes meelings vilh
comanies, shares besl raclices on cororale sociaI resonsibiIily (CSR) research,
rovides rofessionaI suorl lo researchers, and serves as a conlacl for comanies inlo
lhe sociaI research communily. Many SRI managers do lheir ovn research for lheir
cIienls, and some researchers, such as KDL Research and AnaIylics, Inc. make lheir
research avaiIabIe lo financiaI managers and olhers onIine.
Hov significanl and exlensive is sociaI screening of inveslmenls and vhal does il
accomIish` In lhe 1980's lhe anli-aarlheid camaign became significanl reciseIy
because of lhe many inslilulions vhich ubIicIy refused lo ovn slock in cororalions
vhich conlinued lo do business in Soulh Africa. These diveslmenls evenluaIIy acluaIIy
forced lhe cororalions lo end lheir oeralions in lhal counlry.
The sociaI inveslmenl movemenl of course conlinued afler aarlheid ended in
Soulh Africa. 78% of SRI managers al lhe lime conlinued lo sociaIIy screen inveslmenls
for cIienls, many of vhom vere aIready using muIliIe screens. The SociaI Inveslmenl
Iorum reorled in 1989 lhal lhere vas $450 biIIion invesled in comanies vhich mel
c-a,.- s s--.a.., --.,--..-.- .-.-...-,

5-7
lheir crileria. y 1998 assels under sociaIIy resonsibIe managemenl incIuded $1 oul of
every $10 and lolaIed $1.2 lriIIion. Al lhal lime lhe mosl ouIar screens incIuded
lobacco (97% of orlfoIios), gambIing, veaons, aIcohoI, human righls, and lhe
environmenl.
In 2005 lhere vere $1.7 lriIIion sociaIIy screened inveslmenls incIuding
individuaI and inslilulionaI orlfoIios and muluaI funds. IncIuding lhe doIIar amounls
of orlfoIios doing sharehoIder advocacy and communily invesling lhe lolaI vas cIose
lo $2.3 lriIIion.
How do screened investments perform?
Iiduciary resonsibiIily of inveslmenl funds is defined as maximizing a
orlfoIio's ro|ecled relurn and safely (given chosen IeveIs of risk) - aIvays soIeIy in lhe
financiaI inleresls of lhe beneficiary. Ior many years inveslors in generaI and many
lradilionaI inveslmenl managers have ob|ecled lo sociaI screening of slocks and bonds
because lhis reduces lhe universe of hoIdings from vhich lo choose. This is underslood
lo reduce olenliaI overaII relurn and is lhus seen as a bad financiaI slralegy.
UT - SRI raclilioners in lhe Church and eIsevhere from lhe beginning have
asked if such screening is reaIIy bad slralegy and vhal reaIIy are beneficiaries' inleresls`
IiscoaI isho Roberl I. Alkinson of Wesl Virginia said lhal if ve vouId nol vanl
our funds invesled in drug or roslilulion rings.... even if lhey bring 5 limes lhe
relurns of olher inveslmenls (lhen) ve are in agreemenl lhal our inveslmenl slralegies
shouId refIecl our sociaI vaIues". We have lhus Iearned lhal lhe sociaI screening
movemenl has broughl lo lhe fore many inveslors vho mainlain and have slaled lhal
lheir 'inleresls' incIude sociaI as veII as financiaI ob|eclives.
Ividence does nol suggesl lhal sociaIIy resonsibIe invesling is a bad financiaI
decision. A sludy in 1995 by Vanlage GIobaI Advisors comared lheir unscreened
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-8

universe of 1300 slocks vilh an SRI universe of 950 slocks. The unscreened grou
oulerformed lhe SRI grou by onIy 6 cenls er $1 inveslmenl over 9 years, a hardIy
significanl difference. Iul anolher vay, invesling your vaIues cosls a IillIe more lhan
one-haIf of one ercenl er year.
In 1998, a lime vhen lhe slock markel vas booming, lvo oul of lhree sociaIIy
resonsibIe muluaI funds earned lhe besl ossibIe rankings from Lier AnaIylicaI
Services and/or Morningslar. In lhal year lvo sociaIIy screened index funds, Cilizens
Index and Domini SociaI Iquily, vilh relurns of 31.5% and 25.8% resecliveIy,
conlinued for lhe fiflh year lo oulerform lheir eers - Iarge-ca grovlh comanies. Ior
Domini SociaI Iquily il vas aIso a year of oulerforming lhe S&I 500 during lhe firsl 3
quarlers.
The Domini SociaI Index, founded in 1990 and made u of 400 sociaIIy screened
comanies, roduced a comarabIe relurn lo lhe S&I 500 from 1990 lo 1996 as did lhe
SociaI Avareness Iund during lhose years, as reorled by VanlageIoinl (a ubIicalion
of Vanlage GIobaI Advisors) in 1997. Ior lhe 10 years ending in }uIy 2003, lhe Domini
SociaI Index shoved 11.17% relurns, The S&I 500 shoved 10.29%. In generaI lhis
erformance resuIled from ils sociaIIy screened slock seIeclion and vas nol based on
invesling slyIe (such as grovlh or vaIue) or induslry biases (based on vhal's
erforming lhis year) as is oflen lhe case. Al lhe same lime il vas aIso lrue lhal anolher
grou of muluaI funds subslanliaIIy undererformed lhe S&I. The message here is lhal
il is lrue lhal al any given lime SRI muluaI funds may nol do as veII as lhe S&I lhis is
lhe slock markel. Hovever Sleve Lydenberg of KLD beIieves lhal sociaI screening has al
vorsl a neulraI effecl on muluaI fund erformance. The VanlageIoinl arlicIe concIudes
by saying lhal "vhal lruIy affecls relurns is a manager's abiIily lo seIecl allraclive slocks
(vilhin his/her chosen universe)." According lo lhe SociaI ResonsibiIily Inveslmenl
c-a,.- s s--.a.., --.,--..-.- .-.-...-,

5-9
Grou in AlIanla, Mosl inveslmenl slralegies, if veII lhoughl oul and racliced vilh
disciIine, viII succeed in lhe Iong run. SRI is a vaIid aroach lo lhe securilies markels
vhich yieIding inveslmenl oorlunilies vilhoul sacrificing Iegilimale elhicaI
concerns.
There has Iong been an aclive discussion around lhe queslion of vhelher
comanies ranking high in cororale sociaI resonsibiIily (CSR) viII in facl erform
beller over lime. SRI raclilioners in acceling lhe concel of choosing inveslmenls
from a smaIIer universe have said for many years lhal cororalions vhich, for examIe,
do nol ay fines or Iiligalion cosls viII erform beller. They see lhis as an examIe of
good managemenl vhich in ilseIf shouId generale above normaI relurns for inveslors.
SociaIIy resonsibIe inveslors are in facl usuaIIy viIIing lo lake sIighlIy Iover
relurns in exchange for lhe salisfaclion of doing lhe righl lhing and of knoving lhal you
are nol ovning cororalions vhich are causing harm. Many consider such inveslors lo
be Iess lhan serious. Such crilics ask vhy invesl in cororalions al aII, since aII
cororalions cause some harm. Ior lhese eoIe SRI is ineffeclive al besl.
Iven lhough il is lrue SRI inveslors may agree in arl vilh bolh of lhese
ob|eclions lo sociaI screening, lhey aIso see lheir inveslmenl or refusaI lo invesl as an
elhicaI slalemenl vhich aIIovs lhem lo send a message lo cororalions bolh by lhe
screening ilseIf and by sharehoIder resoIulion aclivily.
The Church and SRI
According lo lhe SRI seclion of TIC's vebsile, lhe Church as of March 2005 has a
no buy Iisl incIuding 19 US comanies and 13 non-US comanies. This screening
currenlIy is in lhree areas:
militarism - companies whose military contracts exceed 50% of revenue
tobacco - companies which produce any tobacco related products
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5-10

Sudan - companies doing business in Sudan or benefiting the Sudanese
government
The Iisl of comanies vhich are excIuded from TIC inveslmenls can be found by
a cIick from lhe vebsile.
In Ieb. 2006, lhe Church of IngIand's GeneraI Synod voled lo divesl church
funds from comanies rofiling from IsraeI's occualion of IaIeslinian lerrilory. The
immediale largel of lhis vole vas lhe US comany CaleriIIar vhich has suIied
vehicIes lo IsraeI vhich have been used lo demoIish IaIeslinian homes. (This vole vas
aarenlIy chaIIenged even lhough il vas suorled by lhe Archbisho of Canlerbury.)
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
SharehoIder aclivism/advocacy incIudes vriling Iellers lo and inilialing diaIogue
vilh comany managemenl, sonsoring slockhoIder resoIulions al annuaI meelings,
ubIicizing and soIiciling suorl for sharehoIder resoIulions, and voling in erson or
by roxy for or againsl such resoIulions. SlockhoIders oflen vork in coaIilions vilh
olher concerned sharehoIders in lhese efforls, vhich may addilionaIIy invoIve
elilioning lhe Congress or lhe SIC for changes in roxy Iavs and IegaI aclion.
SociaIIy resonsibIe money managemenl firms have been ma|or Iayers in
sharehoIder aclivism. They oflen aIIocale severaI fuII lime slaff lo lhis vork. Those vho
invesled lhrough lhese firms in lhe Iale 1990's rovided lhe resources for lhe allenlion
Iaced on lhe human righls abuses in urma and lhe abusive Iabor raclices of WaIl
Disney. Inveslors in SRI muluaI funds in effecl have hired rofessionaIs lo diaIogue
and ressure comanies lo change secific raclices. These muluaI fund comanies and
money managers oflen ubIicIy reIease informalion on lheir advocacy rograms vhich
has lhe effecl of romoling lhis vork and rounding u voles among olher inveslors
vhich can uIlimaleIy benefil lheir efforls.
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5-11
The exlenl of sharehoIder aclivism as measured by lhe doIIar amounl of assels
ovned by lhose invoIved in sociaIIy resonsibIe roxy resoIulions lolaIed $703 biIIion
in 2005. WhiIe lhese shares in aclivism somelimes overIa lhose vhich are sociaIIy
screened, il's common for aclivisls lo urchase slock in a given comany vhich vouId
nol aear in a screened orlfoIio for lhe exress urose of exerling ressure in an
area of concern. In lhese cases significanl sharehoIder slalus is used lo gain access lo
uer managemenl, iniliale diaIogues, fiIe resoIulions and hoefuIIy accomIish
change. Iund managers and individuaI inveslors aIso communicale vilh comanies
vilhoul using formaI resoIulions. Domini SociaI Inveslmenls ubIishes a videIy-used
annuaI guide lo roxy voling.
In 2003 sociaIIy resonsibIe sharehoIders fiIed 320 resoIulions, gaining 11.4% of
voles (u from 8.7% in 2001). SharehoIder resoIulions on issues from cIimale change lo
diversily receive higher vole laIIies every year. According lo Coo America vhen lhese
sociaIIy resonsibIe voles reach 20% managemenl knovs lhal il musl change ils vays or
suffer a Ioss lo ils reulalion - and maybe ils rofils!
The Church and Shareholder Activism
WhiIe sharehoIder aclivism robabIy began in lhe 1960s, il look off in a big vay
in 1971 vhen lhe IiscoaI Church made slockhoIder aclion hislory by fiIing lhe
resoIulion asking GeneraI Molors lo vilhdrav from Soulh Africa. WhiIe lhis resoIulion
did nol ass, il vas cIearIy lhe beginning of lhe movemenl vhich resuIled in much
inveslor and cororale diveslmenl from Soulh Africa, and vhich in lurn Iayed a roIe
in lhe evenluaI overlhrov of lhe aarlheid syslem. Olher earIy aclions occurred in 1988
vhen lhe Church arlicialed in 6 roxy resoIulions concerned vilh Soulh Africa
again, and aIso nucIear veaons roduclion and lransorl and comensalion
discriminalion.
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5-12

The Inlerfailh Cenler for Cororale ResonsibiIily (ICCR) vas formed vilhin a
year afler TIC's hisloric resoIulion. This non-rofil advocacy grou has for more lhan
30 years been lhe Ieading coordinalor of lhe sharehoIder advocacy vork of reIigious
inveslors. Today lheir membershi incIudes 275 Iroleslanl, }evish and Roman CalhoIic
inslilulionaI inveslors. They are in a osilion lo channeI lhe coIIeclive over of $100
biIIion in orlfoIio assels of lhese denominalionaI bodies and reIigious orders. Their
aclivilies incIude sonsoring resoIulions, direcl diaIogue vilh managemenl,
arlicialing in ubIic hearings, ubIishing annuaI reorls, and organizing Ieller
vriling camaigns. ICCR's grovlh and success has demonslraled vhal reIigious grous
can accomIish vhen lhey vork logelher, magnifying lhe infIuence vhich any one
couId have aIone.
The rimary vork of The SociaI ResonsibiIily in Inveslmenls Commillee of lhe
IiscoaI Church is researching lhe sociaI records of lhe comanies in lhe Church's
orlfoIio lo delermine hov lo vole each annuaI meeling roxy and vhelher il is
aroriale lo fiIe sharehoIder resoIulions. These decisions are based on lhe rinciIes
adoled by lhe GeneraI Convenlion and lhe Ixeculive CounciI in each lriennium and
lhe Church's roxy voling guideIines.
The SRI Commillee of TIC aIso Ieads lhe Church lo "engage cororalions and
iniliale osilive inveslmenl raclices vhen deaIing vilh comanies in vhich il ovns
slock." The slalemenl vas in resonse lo lhe Ixeculive CounciI's charge lo invesligale
vhal cororale aclions "mighl be aroriale vilh comanies lhal conlribule lo lhe
infraslruclure of IsraeI's occualion of lhe Wesl ank and Gaza slri and vilh
comanies lhal have conneclions lo organizalions resonsibIe for vioIence againsl
IsraeI."
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5-13
The SRI commillee roulineIy vorks lhrough ICCR using lheir currenl Iroxy
Voling GuideIines. The Ixeculive CounciI in 2004 and Ieb. 2005 aroved aclion
reIaled lo 40 resoIulions in lhe foIIoving generaI areas: equaI oorlunily, environmenl,
cororale governance, heaIlh, human righls, miIilarism, and oIilicaI conlribulions.
ICCR reorls lhal lhe Domeslic and Ioreign Missionary Sociely of TIC look
aclion on resoIulions reIaled lo lhe reIease of equaI emIoymenl oorlunily dala,
vomen and eoIe of coIor on cororale boards, redalory Iending, environmenlaI
resonsibiIily, veaons lechnoIogy roIiferalion, and Iiving vages.
Aboul 2/3 of lhe resoIulions TIC fiIes are vilhdravn foIIoving diaIog vilh lhe
comany because il has accomIished or lakes sles lovard achieving lhe desired end.
COMMUNITY INVESTING
Il is veII knovn loday lhal lhe ga belveen lhe rich and lhe oor is increasing in
lhis counlry and in mosl arls of lhe "deveIoing vorId" rimariIy due lo gIobaI forces
and unreguIaled cororale grovlh. Cororale cailaI fIighl has devaslaled lhe
induslriaI base of many U.S. cilies and ruraI areas, eIiminaling |obs of Iov and
moderaleIy aid vorkers. In loday's sociely |obs and access lo cailaI are lhe key lo
buiIding individuaI and communily veaIlh. In addilion, convenlionaI Iending
inslilulions are generaIIy nol financing Iov cosl urban housing or business
deveIomenl in Iov income and minorily neighborhoods.
Our economy is fueIed by inveslmenl and by credil. As individuaIs, our
inveslmenls - in a home, educalion, business - affecl our abiIily lo deveIo Iong-lerm
securily, lo conlroI our Iives, and lo Iive u lo our ovn olenliaI. ul lo make lhese
iniliaIIy imorlanl inveslmenls in our fulure, ve oflen need credil. In addilion non-
rofils and smaII business and housing deveIomenl aII reIy on lhe fIov of inveslmenl
and credil. In many communilies eoIe and organizalions do nol have access lo lhe
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5-14

credil lhey need lo imrove lheir Iives. Access lo credil may be bIocked by inslilulionaI
barriers vhich have lheir basis in race or cIass, by lhe cosl of borroving, or because
lradilionaI credil slandards disquaIify some eoIe or organizalions. In many
communilies financiaI inslilulions such as IocaI banks no Ionger even exisl.
Lack of credil for deveIoing and suslaining communilies creales a cycIe of
disinveslmenl and ereluales overly. When communily residenls do nol ovn lheir
homes or IocaI businesses, money aid for renl and for goods and services lends lo
Ieave lhe communilies. Wilhoul oorlunilies for ovnershi, lhere is no fIov of money
inlo a communily lo buiId IocaI economic assels or move individuaIs oul of overly.
A slarlIing slalislic reorled by Iair Communily Lending Services in Los AngeIes
is lhal African Americans have Iosl ovnershi of 14 miIIion acres of Iand since 1920--
from 15.5 miIIion acres lo 1.1 miIIion--because of Iack of access lo credil and high
inleresl charges.
The Adrian (Michigan) Dominican Sislers (Roman CalhoIic) robabIy quaIify as
lhe originaI examIe sellers for invesling in communilies. They began
aIlernalive/communily invesling in 1978, having been chaIIenged by lhe Second Valican
CounciI lo move oulvard from lheir lradilionaI roIes in schooIs and hosilaIs inlo vork
in lroubIed areas of secuIar sociely. Al lhe same lime lhe sislers vere facing lhe need lo
reare for a lime of caring for aging members. They decided lhal lhese lvo needs in
lhe conlexl of lheir vov of overly caIIed lhem lo secificaIIy ul some of lheir
accumuIaled assels lo vork lovard change in oor communilies. They sav lhis as a
vay lo buiId on lhe assels aIready in lhose communilies, lhe very assels vhich lhey
Iearned vouId rovide lhe coIIaleraI lo rolecl lhe Ioans lhey vouId make and Iessen
lheir risk.
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5-15
NolabIe communily invesling slalemenls and inilialives have come from
IiscoaI sources aIso. Irom lhe Michigan McGehee Inlerfailh Loan Iund, originaIIy
lhe McGehee Iund of lhe IiscoaI Diocese of Michigan, comes lhe beIief lhal "ve can
be assisling lhose in need by enabIing lhem lo use lhose resources lhal ve save or invesl
ralher lhan donale."
As earIy as 1994 - in resonse lo lhe 1988 GeneraI Convenlion's economic |uslice
inilialive - isho Theuner of Nev Hamshire
vas vorking vilh lhe lruslees of lhal diocese
lo "lry lo find resonsibIe vays lo invesl our
money." Al lhal lime he eslimaled lhal lhe
IiscoaI Church nalionvide vas "silling on
ols of goId" vilh al Ieasl $35-45 biIIion in
inveslabIe funds, incIuding lhe funds of
dioceses, hosilaIs, and schooIs, nol counling
income roducing reaI eslale. His conlenlion
vas lhal lhis money couId be "divesled from
bad slock and reinvesled in Ioan funds and
olher lhings of vhich you arove." isho
Theuner vas famiIiar vilh lhe Nev
Hamshire Communily Loan Iund, one of lhe
originaI communily Ioan funds (CLIs) in lhe
counlry, and he aIso knev lhe Church. He described lhe obslacIes in lhe church - lo
screening slock and bond orlfoIios and lo communily invesling - as "lhe oId bugaboo
aboul fiduciary resonsibiIily".
What is the Track Record and
Impact of Community Investing?
lrveslors lrrougr eslao||sred C0Fl's rave
rare|y |osl rorey. C0Fls, |rc|ud|rg lre
ur|rsured ores, C0LFs, r|croerlerpr|se
lurds, ard poo|ed lurds, rave oeer sale
|rveslrerls.
lopelu||y |r lre lulure C0Fls W||| pul
lrerse|ves oul ol ous|ress. lr lre rearl|re
C0Fls W||| accorp||sr reeded corrur|ly
deve|oprerl ard |r add|l|or educale aooul
ard eslao||sr lre rar|el lor l|rarc|a| serv|ces
|r lrese corrur|l|es lo Wr|cr lrad|l|ora|
oar|s ray, |r lre lulure, respord. Lel us
rope lre 1 Carpa|gr goa|s are reacred
ard surpassed as C0Fls rove loWard lrese
erds. Tre soc|a| relurr W||| oe greal lor
|rveslors ard corrur|l|es.
To l|rd oul lre |rpacl ol a parl|cu|ar
|rveslrerl you or your par|sr r|grl cors|der,
go lo WWW.soc|a||rvesl.org, c||c| or lrpacl
ard lrer lrpacl Ca|cu|alor. Trey do lre ralr
lor youl
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5-16

Il can be shovn lhal lhe assumlion by many bolh in lhe Church and eIsevhere
lhal you can'l safeIy ul your money in good lhings and earn a relurn is mislaken. In
facl invesling in communily economic deveIomenl has become an imorlanl and
viabIe vay lo begin redressing lhe hisloric economic in|uslices vhich have denied many
areas access lo cailaI. Communily economic deveIomenl buiIds assels in dislressed
communilies and enabIes communily residenls lo achieve secific economic oulcomes
incIuding home ovnershi, meaningfuI |obs, a share in lhe ovnershi of roduclion,
and lhe abiIily lo save, invesl, and anliciale a reliremenl vilh securily againsl adverse
financiaI circumslances. We need lo invesl in lhis deveIomenl and ve can!
The 1997 }IIC (}uslice Ieace and Inlegrily on Crealion) reorl says lhe foIIoving:
"DoIIars are a means lo a beller Iife lhrough meeling basic needs, lherefore lhe
foIIoving needs lo be examined: crealing cailaI, veaIlh dislribulion, deaIing vilh
alliludes aboul money, sociaIIy resonsibIe aIlernalive inveslmenls. The Church musl
focus on economic |uslice vilh allenlion lo cailaI for Iov-income
ro|ecls/communilies. The Church shouId be a visibIe aIlernalive rohelic communily
Iiving oul lhe GoseI and our alismaI Covenanl by invesling Church funds in
sociaIIy resonsibIe vehicIes.
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)
UnIike vhen isho Theuner began lo onder, loday aII of us can invesl our
rinciaI for a relurn in communily economic deveIomenl. There is in our counlry
loday a deveIoing veb of rivale seclor communily deveIomenl financiaI
inslilulions, vhose rimary ob|eclive is lhe rovision of financiaI credil lo individuaIs,
organizalions, and businesses serving eoIe of Iov and moderale income. The ma|or
CDIIs (vilh numbers in exislence in lhe Uniled Slales as of 2005) incIude communily
deveIomenl banks (100), communily deveIomenl credil unions (275), communily
deveIomenl Ioan funds (500), and microenlerrise funds. CDIIs, oflen vorking in
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5-17
coIIaboralion vilh commerciaI banks, have become Ieaders in roviding lhe cailaI
needed lo recIaim America's Iosl neighborhoods and lhe eoIe vho Iive in lhem. y
roviding access lo credil for unconvenlionaI borrovers, lhey enabIe lhe conslruclion of
nev and rebuiIl affordabIe housing, communily faciIilies, and communily based
businesses. CDIIs are much more lhan Ienders, lhey educale, rovide lechnicaI
assislance and reaI eslale and olher deveIomenl services. Some CDIIs largel lheir
efforls lovard arlicuIar communilies or arlicuIar grous such as vomen and some
seciaIize in secific Ioan roducls.
y lhe end of 2006 cumuIalive lolaI financing by 135 members of Oorlunily
Iinance Nelvork had reached $ 12.5 biIIion incIuding 533,394 housing unils, 39,250
businesses and microenlerrises, 174,422 |obs crealed or mainlained, and 5,858
communily service organizalions. <vvv.oorlunilyfinance.nel>
In aII lhese vays CDIIs creale nev economic oorlunily for businesses and
individuaIs vho do nol have access lo mainslream financing. They channeI rivale
cailaI inlo such Iov income communilies vhich more and more is comIemenled by
lhe increasing communily inveslmenl efforls of banks. The bollom Iine is lhal CDIIs
have become successfuI Ienders using lheir business exerlise lo "rofilabIy" Iend lo
borrovers vho have been shunned by convenlionaI Ienders.
The exislence of CDIIs does nol reduce lhe need for convenlionaI banks lo
exand lheir communily inveslmenl aclivilies, and slrong enforcemenl of lhe federaI
Communily Reinveslmenl Acl is aIvays needed.
CDIIs are financed by Ienders and inveslors vhose rimary commilmenl is lo
lhe Iong lerm deveIomenl of communilies. CDIIs using funds moslIy from reIigious
organizalions, foundalions, and individuaIs viII robabIy never have lhe caacily lo
fuIIy cailaIize needed communily deveIomenl, bul vorking vilh governmenl and
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5-18

lradilionaI banks CDIIs can ooI and Ieverage funds lo cailaIize more ad more
communily deveIomenl ro|ecls.
AII of lhis demonslrales hov lhe caII of |uslice lo churches can and musl go
beyond charily inlo arlicialion in buiIding a |usl markelIace. In 1995 anolher bisho,
WiIIiam Sanders (relired of Iasl Tennessee), seaking as a member of lhe Iconomic
}uslice ImIemenlalion Commillee al lhe }IIC economic |uslice Ienary said:
"Our rohelic roIe is nol onIy lo rovide resources for eoIe lo heI
lhemseIves, bul (il is ) lo sland vilh lhem in deveIoing oIicies lhal romole |uslice
and oorlunily for lhose of aII vaIks of Iife, arlicuIarIy eoIe vilh Iov income.
Those vere lhe needs lhal gol us lo lhis rogram. The bibIicaI imeralive has been lhere
aII lhe lime....Our lask ve have feIl is lo Iifl u lhal imeralive so lhal every
congregalion and every diocese underslands lhal . . . economic |uslice is arl of lhe
cenlraI mission of lhe Church"
GeneraI Convenlions over many years have assed resoIulions urging IiscoaI
arlicialion as communily inveslors in various vays. Iour of lhese resoIulions are
Iisled beIov even lhough for lhis aer ve have nol researched vhal resonses lhere
may have been by arishes or dioceses.
in 1979-C031 encouraged investing property and resources in community
economic development
in 1985-D059 recommended the Church Pension Fund (CPF) continue
deposits in minority banks and that the SRI Committee share information on
socially responsible investing
in 1991 called on the US government to apply FDIC (insurance) policies to
community based banks
in 2000-D102 urged the CPF to develop policies consistent with the Jubilee
Year of Justice including investing in community economic development
The mosl effeclive and imorlanl sle vas laken by GeneraI Convenlion
resoIulion 1988-C030 vhich caIIed on TIC and ils dioceses and arishes lo eslabIish a
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5-19
minislry of communily inveslmenl and economic |uslice for lhe economic
emovermenl of lhe disadvanlaged and lo uliIize communily conlroIIed economic
deveIomenl rograms lo achieve lhis end. Al lhe same lime TIC commilled $7 miIIion
of ils lrusl funds lo communily inveslmenls and formed lhe Iconomic }uslice
ImIemenlalion Commillee lo manage lhese funds. Very earIy a Ioan of $1.5 miIIion
vas made lo lhe NalionaI Associalion of Communily DeveIomenl Loan Iunds (nov
Oorlunily Iinance Nelvork lhe CDII lrade associalion) vhich in lurn Ioaned lhe
money lo IocaI Ioan funds as a chaIIenge lo IiscoaI enlilies lo make simiIar Ioans. A
successfuI resonse lo lhis chaIIenge vas in Vermonl vhere lhe Vermonl Communily
Loan Iund raised/borroved a lolaI of $230,000 from IocaI IiscoaI sources and from
lhe $7 miIIion Iconomic }uslice Loan Iund
These $7 miIIion of TIC lrusl funds avaiIabIe for communily inveslmenls are
nov managed by lhe Iconomic }uslice Loan Commillee vhich has conlracled vilh
Oorlunily Iinance Nelvork lo rovide undervriling services for Ioan aIicanls and
moniloring of oulslanding Ioans. As of earIy 2006 |usl over $5.3 miIIion vas oul in Ioans
or commilled and $1.3 miIIion vas avaiIabIe for Iending. The money is al vork in many
arls of lhe Uniled Slales as veII as around lhe vorId via Accion InlernalionaI. In lhis
rogram TIC's I}LC aIso uses lhe rofessionaI services and communily invesling
exerience of lhe Oorlunily Iinance Nelvork knoving lhal lhe funds viII be Iaced
vilh seasoned, slrong erforming, and commilled non-rofil communily deveIomenl
financiaI inslilulions.
Anolher adoled resoIulion (2000-037) has imIicalions for communily
invesling by churches and vas suorled by INI}. Il asks lhe Ixeculive CounciI lo
consider exanding lhe $7 miIIion Ioan fund u lo $ 24 miIIion and oening lhe fund lo
Ioans from olher IiscoaI enlilies. There has been no officiaI resonse lo lhis from lhe
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5-20

I}LC or Ixeculive CounciI. The delaiIs caII for addilionaI nalionaI church money as a
chaIIenge lo dioceses and arishes lo Ioan funds. Il is INI}'s osilion lhal if ICUSA sel
u such a ooIed fund il vouId be an incenlive lo olher church enlilies lo invesl. The
fund vouId rovide a diversified, cenlraIIy managed vehicIe vilh reduced risk and
high sociaI imacl for inveslors, and il vouId be an easy vay for IiscoaI enlilies lo
invesl in communilies. An addilionaI incenlive mighl be lhal lhe fund couId seek lo
Iace lhe money vilh CDIIs vhich in lurn vouId Ioan lo quaIifying IocaI IiscoaI
deveIomenl ro|ecls.
Ior aImosl every IiscoaI congregalion or every IiscoaIian lhere are nov
easiIy avaiIabIe oorlunilies lhrough CDIIs lo uliIize lheir resources lo benefil
individuaIs and communilies vilh reaI needs. Such inveslmenl is ossibIe bolh for
congregalions and individuaIs vilh smaII savings accounls as veII as for lhose vilh
Iarge endovmenls. Minimim inveslmenls begin al $500 - $1000. The SociaI Inveslmenl
Iorum <vvv.communilyinvesl.org> is an easy resource for finding inveslmenl
olions vhich viII meel inveslors' needs. The vebsile rovides informalion on sociaI
imacl, financiaI guideIines and much more.
We are aII accuslomed lo lhinking aboul our resonsibiIily lo give a orlion of
vhal ve have lo lhose in need. We give lo lhe congregalion vhich ve allend, lo
charilies, and lo olher rograms vhich benefil our communilies. ul ve are much Iess
accuslomed lo considering lhal ve can assisl lhose in need by enabIing lhem lo use for
eriods of lime a orlion of our savings, inveslmenl funds or endovmenls.
The groving veb of CDIIs in lhe U.S. loday has become lhe vehicIe for offering
lhe financiaI credil so deseraleIy required by Iov and moderale income famiIies and
has made communily invesling easier, more secure, and more effeclive lhan ever
before. The grovlh of lhis nelvork is due in arl lo lhe suorl of reIigious
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5-21
congregalions and inslilulions vhich heIed finance lhe earIy efforls lo romole
communily invesling.
The US Treasury is aIso invoIved. As lhe resuIl of IegisIalion assed in 1994
lhrough lhe hard vork of lhe CDII CoaIilion reresenling 310 CDIIs, lhere are nov
aroximaleIy 800 Treasury-cerlified CDIIs aII of vhom are eIigibIe for lechnicaI
assislance and granls for Ioan cailaI. To dale a lolaI $5.7 biIIion in federaI funds has
been rovided lo CDIIs, incIuding some banks, for housing, business deveIomenl and
financiaI services. These funds have grealIy slrenglhened lhe communily inveslmenl
induslry, bul unforlunaleIy, as vilh olher federaI rograms, lhe funds for lhis rogram
have been grealIy reduced in recenl years.
Iconomisl Gar AIerovilz has oinled oul lhal lhere are onIy 2 lradilionaI
slralegies for deaIing vilh overly: lrickIe dovn, lhe ReubIicans' slralegy, and
redislribule lhe fruils, lhe Democrals' slralegy. AIerovilz says lhal neilher of lhese can
vork any Ionger, as demonslraled by lhe US having Iosl ils economic hegemony in lhe
inlernalionaI environmenl. Churches' lradilionaI economic |uslice minislries have
soughl lo inlervene in lhe ubIic oIicy rocesses usuaIIy ursuing IiberaI IegisIalive
slralegies, bul AIerovilz says lhis vork shouId be shul dovn aIso. AIerovilz is
quoled as conlending lhal lhe vay forvard (lovard eIiminaling overly) is lo "form
communily and neighborhood based deveIomenl inslilulions vhich have conlroI of
cailaI and resources... (and) vhich can invesl in affordabIe housing and smaII
business."
In addilion reIigious inslilulions and individuaIs have lradilionaIIy resonded lo
communily needs vilh gifls and donalions. ul as inslilulions and individuaIs ve
conlroI grealer resources lhan ve are abIe or viIIing lo give avay. As slevards, ve
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5-22

musl consider hov communily invesling can muIliIy lhe imacl of our veaIlh and
resources and aIso hov our inveslmenls can serve as modeIs lo olhers.
In 2001 The SociaI Inveslmenl Iorum and Co-o America began lo coIIaborale in
order lo romole lhal sociaIIy resonsibIe orlfoIios invesl 1% or more in communily
inveslmenls. The hoe of lhis inilialive is lhal communily invesling mighl reach a lolaI
of $30 biIIion by 2010 having surassed ils goaI of $25 miIIion in 2007. (Il is inleresling
lhal in 1999 communily invesling vas documenled al -5.4 biIIion by Trends Reorl.)
SociaIIy resonsibIe muluaI funds have Ied lhe vay lovards 1%. Three of lhe
CaIverl Grou of muluaI funds began commilling a smaII ercenlage lo sociaI
inveslmenls some years ago. And lhere are olhers -```
Among inveslors lhere is a greal need for educalion aboul communily invesling.
Too many inveslors conlinue lo see communily invesling as granls or donalions from
lheir give-avay money and ralher lhan from lheir inveslmenl funds.
Given lhe above il shouId be heIfuI lo share lhe foIIoving figures vilh olenliaI
inveslors. If you invesl 5% of your orlfoIio, vhich mighl be execled olhervise
(hoefuIIy) lo relurn 8%, inlo CDII inveslmenls al 2.5% annuaI relurn, lhe lolaI relurn
of lhe orlfoIio vouId be reduced lo 7.725%. This reduclion is nol much more lhan
couId easiIy haen lo lhis orlfoIio vilh a smaII dro in lhe slock markel.
Anolher vay lo Iook al is lo consider lhal an annuaI gifl of $20 lo a charily mighl
rovide meaIs for a day or severaI nighls of sheIler. Inslead one can Ioan $1000 for lhe
deveIomenl of affordabIe housing, smaII business, or communily faciIilies. This
inveslor's lolaI relurn form lhe $1000 Ioan may be $20 Iess er year lhan if invesled
lradilionaIIy or deosiled in a CD. So, lhe inveslor has in effecl donaled $20 annuaIIy,
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5-23
bul in addilion lhe vhoIe $1000 is al vork in communilies annuaIIy for lhe duralion of
lhe Ioan!
The aeaI of lhis aroach can be demonslraled by lhe facl lhal Amy Domini,
of Domini SociaI Inveslmenls, by 1999 had channeIed $4.5 miIIion of her cIienls' funds
inlo communily deveIomenl simIy lhrough a money markel accounl al Soulh Shore
ank in Chicago.
Communily invesling can be as easy as oening checking or savings accounl al a
bank. Ior some inveslmenls il is aIso lrue lhal, as Amy Domini said in an inlerviev in
Nicaraguan DeveIomenls in 1998, lhe mechanisms for communily inveslmenls vhen
comared vilh buying slock are nol so veII deveIoed. Il is easy lo invesl $500 in
XYZ money markel fund or buy a share of slock lhrough a broker, bul il's somevhal
Iess easy lo Ioan $500 lo an uninsured communily deveIomenl Ioan fund or
microfinance fund.
Members of lhe Communily Invesling RoundlabIe of lhe SociaI Inveslmenl
Iorum, moslIy CDII rofessionaIs, have begun Iooking al vays lo simIify or
slreamIine lhe communily inveslmenl rocess bul lhis is comIicaled. Loan funds lrade
in aer vhiIe brokers lrade shares of slock seamIessIy on Iine via CUSII numbers. The
aervork invoIves lime and money for bolh arlies. Communily inveslmenls have nol
been soId on secondary markels and lhis means lhal lhere are nol ready buyers al aII
limes. In addilion lhis lransIales inlo Iess securily and more risk for lhe inveslmenl.
One sle lovard easier lrading is being laken by lhe CaIverl Ioundalion vhich
viII be seIIing ils CaIverl Communily Inveslmenl noles lhrough InCailaI, a gIobaI
inveslmenl banking firm vhich viII in lurn make lhe noles avaiIabIe lhrough more lhan
400 brokerage houses around lhe counlry. And very recenlIy il became ossibIe lo
urchase very smaII inveslmenls (as Iov as $20) CaIverl Communily Inveslmenl
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5-24

Noles and noles of severaI olher microfinance organizalions - on Iine lhrough
MicroIIace. A revoIulion may be in lhe making.
Whal foIIovs is a descrilion of lhe various communily inveslmenl (CDII)
olions aIong vilh lheir risks and lheir imacl on lhe economic and sociaI in|uslices in
our sociely bolh IocaIIy and around in lhe vorId.
Community Development Banks (CDBs)
Communily DeveIomenl anks are federaIIy or slale charlered and IDIC
insured commerciaI banks vhich are organized lo rovide cailaI for rebuiIding
largeled communilies. Like aII banks lhey are for-rofil cororalions ovned by lheir
sharehoIders. ul lhe soIe urose of CDs is lo serve Iov and moderale income
communilies vhich have been denied services and financing by lradilionaI banks in
lhe asl. Their Iending serves non-rofil communily organizalions, individuaI
enlrereneurs, smaII businesses, and housing deveIoers. Deosils and accounls in
CDs are effeclive communily inveslmenls.
As vilh aII banks, Iarge cailaI reserves are required vhen a CD is organized in
order lo comIy vilh federaI and banking requiremenls. TyicaIIy CDs meel lhis
requiremenl lhrough cailaI subscrilions from various sources incIuding lhe IocaI
governmenl(s) of lhe communily lo be served, quasi-federaI agencies such as lhe
IederaI NalionaI Morlgage Associalion, olher IocaI banks fuIfiIIing lheir Communily
Reinveslmenl Acl requiremenls, reIigious inslilulions, IocaI cororalions, and
individuaIs. AIlernaliveIy, a CD may be formed by a hoIding comany lhal ovns an
insured deosilory inslilulion and has subsidiaries and/or affiIiales vhich can
suIemenl lhe CD's Iending vilh lechnicaI assislance or direcl communily
deveIomenl aclivilies.
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5-25
The firsl CD vas lhe Soulh Shore ank of Chicago organized in 1972 vhen a
grou of bankers look over an exisling faiIed bank and reorganized il vilh a
communily deveIomenl mission. Since lhen a number of olher CDs have been
charlered. The IiscoaI Church has been inslrumenlaI in lhe formalion of bolh lhe
Communily CailaI ank in Long IsIand and lhe Communily ank of lhe ay in
OakIand CA. The Communily ank of lhe ay, as is lyicaI, has a broad cross-seclion of
slockhoIders incIuding 14 reIigious inslilulions, 14 commerciaI banks, and over 100
individuaIs.
Communily DeveIomenl anks can be a ma|or force in rebuiIding America's
cilies. Soulh Shore ank invesled more lhan $272 miIIion during lhe eriod 1993-97 lo
recIaim abandoned neighborhoods on Chicago's soulh side. The success of lhe Soulh
Shore ank in slabiIizing and imroving lhe communily in vhich il oerales,
arlicuIarIy lhrough lhe rehabiIilalion of renlaI housing, vas a ma|or faclor
encouraging lhe crealion of olher CDs.
IndividuaIs and congregalions can urchase cerlificales of deosil in CDs
vhich are federaIIy insured by lhe IDIC u lo $250,000 and receive a
comelilive/markel rale relurn. CDs aIso offer lhe slandard range of banking services
lo deosilors.
Communily DeveIomenl anks are lhe onIy banks vhose rimary mission is lo
assisl in lhe deveIomenl of Iov-income communilies. Hovever, some lradilionaI
banks have slarled communily deveIomenl funds or communily deveIomenl
cororalions and have made olher seciaI efforls aimed al secific IocaI inveslmenl
needs. Deosils designaled lo such funds are characlerislicaIIy used for smaII
businesses, housing, conservalion, and communily deveIomenl. These rograms vary
grealIy in size and effecliveness, ranging from subslanliaI efforls lo lhose vhose vaIue
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-26

is rimariIy ubIic reIalions. Hovever, a commerciaI bank's invoIvemenl in communily
deveIomenl can be a faclor in choosing your rimary deosilory if lhere is no CD in
your area.
Community Development Loan Funds (CDLFs)
Communily DeveIomenl Loan Iunds ooI Ioans and some equily granls from
individuaIs, churches, comanies, foundalions, and olher sources. In lurn lhey Iend lo
Iov income largeled communilies or ouIalions for lhe urose of roviding housing,
|obs, and communily services. CDLI borrovers incIude non-rofils and smaII
enlerrises vho have nol been veII-served by lradilionaI Iending inslilulions for
ro|ecls vhich increase IocaI ovnershi, rovide Iong lerm affordabiIily lo Iov income
residenls, and buiId lhe caacily of communily organizalions.
CDLIs are usuaIIy incororaled vilhin lhe slale(s) in vhich lhey oerale as non-
rofil lax exeml financiaI inslilulions. Ixcel as required for IRS nonrofil slalus,
CDLIs are nol federaIIy reguIaled and inveslor Ioans are nol insured. CDLIs are
governed by boards of direclors usuaIIy dravn from inleresled inveslors, borrovers,
communily voIunleers, reresenlalives of reIigious grous, lechnicaI assislance
roviders, and olher financiaI inslilulions. CDLIs are revoIving Ioan funds in lhal lheir
invesled cailaI may be Ioaned severaI, or many, limes before il is reaid lo lhe Iender.
The firsl indeendenl CDLI, lhe Inslilule for Communily Iconomics (ICI), vas
originaIIy organized in 1967 as a arl of lhe civiI righls movemenl in order lo sov lhe
seeds of a nev communily cenlered economy. ICI reorganized in 1979 under lhe
Ieadershi of Chuck Mallhai vho ursued lhe communily Iand lrusl modeI for
ermanenl affordabIe housing. Under Chuck's Ieadershi lhe revoIving Ioan fund -
roviding Ioans lo CLTs around lhe counlry - began. This resuIled in ICI's significanl
grovlh, and under Mallhai's conlinuing Ieadershi ICI had a ma|or roIe in lhe forming
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5-27
of olher revoIving Ioan funds around lhe counlry and in lhe draving logelher of lhe
CDLIs lo form lhe NalionaI Associalion of Communily Loan Iunds, nov lhe
Oorlunily Iinance Nelvork (vvv.oorlunilyfinance.nel). y 1989 lhe communily
inveslmenl movemenl vas ready lo manage more and more of lhe sociaI Iinveslmenl
cailaI vhich vas becoming avaiIabIe as a resuIl of lhe successfuI efforls of inveslors lo
accomIish disinveslmenl from Soulh Africa.
The buIk of currenlIy exisling CDLIs vere organized in lhe 1980s vilh many
nev funds added in lhe 1990s. The slaled urose of CDLIs is lo buiId veaIlh and
assels among eoIe and inslilulions in dislressed communilies by:
Iroviding financing and deveIomenl services for lhe conslruclion and
revilaIizalion of Iov and moderale income affordabIe housing,
Iinancing lhe conslruclion or rehabiIilalion of faciIilies for nonrofil
organizalions benefiling Iov income communilies,
Crealing enlrereneuriaI oorlunilies lhrough lhe slarlu and exansion of
businesses Iocaled in or serving Iov income communilies.
Crealing Iiving vage |obs for Iov and moderale income eoIe.
These ob|eclives are mel lhrough Ioans lo nonrofil communily organizalions,
communily deveIomenl cororalions, Iand lrusls, cooeralives, rivale enlrereneurs
and (on occasion) for-rofil deveIoers. CDLIs frequenlIy vork in cooeralion vilh
banks and olher convenlionaI Iending inslilulions in making lheir Ioans.
CDLIs usuaIIy ay inleresl rales beIov lhal of slandard markel inveslmenls so
lhal lhey can re-Ioan lhe money al allraclive inleresl rales. The sread belveen lhese
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5-28

rales rovides some of lhe cushion rolecling lhe Ioans and ays some of lhe cosl of
oeraling lhe funds. Inveslors choose rales of inleresl and Ioan lerms vilhin ranges
offered - lyicaIIy 0%-4% inleresl, for 1-5 years, vilh minimum Ioans ranging from $500
lo $3000. Inveslors'/Ienders' money is nol insured or guaranleed by lhe governmenl or
olher oulside agencies, and Iiquidily is Iimiled vhich means lhal earIy vilhdravaI
generaIIy is nol ossibIe. CDLIs on lheir arl rolecl inveslors by hoIding coIIaleraI on
lheir Ioans, buiIding Ioan Ioss reserves, and an adequale cushion of equily/nel vorlh.
Since CDLIs are generaIIy nol comIeleIy seIf-suorling, lhey require a conlinuing
infusion of conlribulions and granls. This revenue aIong vilh nel inleresl income
rovides Ioan Ioss reserve, ermanenl cailaI/ equily, and addilionaI oeraling income.
As is lrue of olher uninsured inveslmenls such as slocks, cororale bonds,
muluaI funds, elc., asl erformance cannol necessariIy be laken as an indicalor of
fulure erformance. Therefore, a olenliaI Iender shouId invesl vilh fuII knovIedge of
lhe financiaI heaIlh of lhe fund under consideralion. This informalion can be oblained
from lhe Ioan fund roseclus vhich viII exIain lhe manner in vhich Ioans viII be
uliIized, lhe financiaI risks invoIved, and lhe asl financiaI hislory of lhe fund. If lhe
roseclus does nol conlain lhe mosl currenl audiled financiaI reorls, lhese can be
requesled as veII as lhe mosl recenl federaI informalionaI Iorm 990.
HisloricaIIy lhe grovlh and erformance of CDLIs has been exceIIenl. Al lhis
vriling lhe Oorlunily Iinance Nelvork numbers 135 CDIIs vilh aImosl $7 biIIion
assels. Their nel vrile-off or cumuIalive Ioan Iosses incurred over lhe years is 0.5%
(0.7% for CDLIs 86% of lhe CDIIs) Given lhe slrenglh shovn by lhese figures, CDLIs
have erformed as Iov risk inveslmenls and lhey have an exceIIenl record of
reaymenl lo inveslors.
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5-29
ReIigious organizalions, eseciaIIy Roman CalhoIic orders, Ied by lhe Adrian
Dominican sislers and many more as veII as non-Roman CalhoIic organizalions and
congregalions, have been earIy ma|or inveslors in and conlribulors lo lhe vork of
communily Ioan funds. To invesl in communilies beginning in lhe 1990s il vas nol
necessary lo "invenl lhe vheeI. Oorlunilies vere accessibIe and il vas reIaliveIy
easy lo ul $1000 or more in a CLI and lake advanlage of lhe Iending exerlise and
effeclive sociaI imacl lhese funds had aIready achieved.
Some earIy IiscoaI inveslors incIuded lhe IiscoaI Diocese of Nev
Hamshire, as aIready menlioned, vhere arishes, individuaIs, and lruslees leamed u
lo invesl in lhe Nev Hamshire Communily Loan Iund. The Diocese of Nev
Hamshire, TIC, and aroximaleIy 24 (haIf) of N. Hamshire arishes made
inveslmenls in lhe Nev Hamshire Communily Loan Iund. Very earIy on al lhe urging
of isho Theuner, lhis efforl raised over one miIIion doIIars for Ioans vhich rovided
more lhan 150 famiIies lhe oorlunily for ovnershi of decenl, affordabIe housing.
The IiscoaI Diocese of IennsyIvania's IiscoaI Communily Inveslmenl Iund
rovided an oorlunily for IiscoaIians lo invesl in IocaI communily deveIomenl
ro|ecls, and in lhe 1990's lhis diocese raised $3.5 miIIion for lhe Reinveslmenl Iund
(formerIy lhe DeIavare VaIIey Communily Reinveslmenl Iund).
The Diocese of Michigan is invoIved vilh CDLIs in 2 vays. The Diocese
deveIoed lhe isho H. CoIeman McGehee, }r. Iconomic }uslice Iund, nov lhe
Michigan Inlerfailh Loan Iund. This fund is aIso an inveslmenl oorlunily for enlilies
in lhe Diocese and nov has nearIy $3 miIIion al vork deveIoing for Iov income
housing, nonrofil faciIilies, and smaII businesses.
The Diocese of Massachusells' firsl efforl in 1983 vas lo creale a lask force on
communily reinveslmenl vhich deveIoed a comensaling baIance Ioan fund rogram
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5-30

in cooeralion vilh lhe Diocese's bank. The Diocese invesled $150,000 vhich vas more
lhan malched by lhe bank. This aIso rovided commeclions vilh CDLIs deveIoing in
lhe area and increased lhe avaiIabiIily of Iending/invesling oorlunilies for
individuaIs and churches.
}oe IeIham, a Ieader in lhe Massachusells efforls, oinled oul in 1989 lhal lhe
GeneraI Convenlion Iconomic }uslice rogram's focus vas on housing cooeralives,
communily Iand lrusls, vorker ovned businesses and communily deveIomenl credil
unions, aII communily conlroIIed economic deveIomenl rograms of lhe
disadvanlaged. These vere lhe aims behind lhe Diocese's crealion of lhe IiscoaI Cily
Mission, vhich, among olher lhings, nov oerales lhe IeIham Iund, a communily
inveslmenl ooIed fund for members of lhe Diocese and olhers.
In Maine lhe Diocese and 2 congregalions have Ioans vilh CoaslaI Inlerrises.
The Diocese of Weslern Mass. invesls 2% of ils endovmenl ($1miIIion) in IocaI CDLIs.
These examIes are a smaII arl of lhe slory vhich incIudes lhal aroximaleIy
15 ercenl of lhe cailaI of CDLIs nalionvide comes from reIigious sources. Ior aII of
lhese inveslors lhere is a doubIe bollom Iine- lhe financiaI relurn and lhe sociaI imacl
of heIing Iov income communilies lo buiId assels and veaIlh.
We need lo ask vhal mighl be lhe bollom Iine if aII reIigious inveslors made lhe
1% commilmenl being romoled by lhe SociaI Inveslmenl Iorum and Coo America`
CouId nol some individuaIs or arishes consider 5%-10% of our inveslmenls`
Community Development Credit Unions (CDCUs)
A credil union is a member-ovned, member conlroIIed cooeralive organized lo
rovide financiaI and banking services lo a grou of eoIe uniled by a common bond,
e.g, occualion, associalion, communily residence, or church. Credil unions exisl soIeIy
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5-31
lo serve lheir membershi, nol lo enrich sharehoIders, and lherefore oflen charge Iess in
fees and inleresl lhan convenlionaI banks.
Deending uon size, a credil union can offer a range of services incIuding
checking and savings accounls, Ioans, lraveIer's checks, and credil cards. AII members
(deosilors) in a credil union ovn shares and have a vole in lhe eIeclion of ils direclors.
As a resuIl credil unions are more IikeIy lo resecl lhe needs of aII vho seek Ioans
vhich makes quaIifying for Ioans easier, and lhey offer fair relurns for money on
deosil.
CDCUs, usuaIIy members of lhe NalionaI Iederalion of Communily
DeveIomenl Credil Unions, are charlered lo serve members of Iov income
communilies. Like aII federaIIy charlered credil unions, CDCUs are reguIaled by lhe
NalionaI Credil Union Associalion (NCUA) and deosils are insured. Some CDCUs are
very smaII and are affiIialed vilh neighborhood organizalions, communily coaIilions,
or IocaI churches. CDCUs are oen lo lhe membershi of lhese organizalions and/or
residenls vho Iive, vork, or vorshi in a cIearIy defined geograhicaI area. CDCUs
serve dislressed neighborhoods by roviding financiaI services for individuaIs, housing
ro|ecls, smaII businesses, and nonrofil cooeralives. SmaII Ioans are avaiIabIe lo
members al beIov markel rales, lyicaIIy for such uroses as fixing homes, slarling or
exanding a smaII business, allending schooI, or urchasing a car.
AroximaleIy 80% of CDCUs have federaI Iov income designalion. To be
designaled a Lov Income Credil Union (LICU), more lhan haIf of lhe membershi musl
have an income 80% or Iess lhan lhal of lhe nalionaI average as delermined by lhe mosl
recenl census. The LICU designalion enabIes lhe credil union lo accel deosils from
non-members, ubIic and rivale enlilies, and individuaIs from oulside lhe
membershi area, i.e. anyvhere in lhe counlry. These CDCUs lhus allracl deosils al
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5-32

beIov markel rales from banks vishing lo fuIfiII lheir Communily Reinveslmenl Acl
(CRA) requiremenls as veII as from foundalions, reIigious organizalions, and
individuaIs. ecause credil needs in Iov-income communilies are generaIIy grealer lhan
lhe resources avaiIabIe from lhe credil union's individuaI members, oulsider deosils
can be crilicaI lo increasing lhe credil union's caacily and communily imacl.
The NalionaI Iederalion of Communily DeveIomenl Credil Unions (NICDCU)
(vvv.nalfed.org) as of March 2007 reorls membershi of more lhan 230 CDCUs,
incIuding ruraI, urban, failh based, reservalion based and communily vide credil
unions, vilh more lhan 1,000,000 members nalionvide. TolaI assels are $4.1 biIIion. In
addilion lhe Iederalion counls 49 credil unions vilh assels of over $96.4 biIIion and
vhich vanl lo do more lo serve lhe underserved as Communily DeveIomenl
Iarlners.. These and CDCUs rovide needed banking services, morlgage and olher
reaI eslale Ioans, vehicIe Ioans, and unsecured Ioans incIuding credil cards.
One of lhe secific vays lhe Iederalion heIs ils members address lhe sources of
economic in|uslice is lhrough NICDCU's Communily DeveIomenl inveslmenl
Irogram. $ 38 miIIion from banks, foundalions, and reIigious organizalions is currenlIy
(2008) under managemenl by NICDCU and is 90% deIoyed in Ioans lo 121 differenl
CDCUs
Anolher roIe of lhe Iederalion has been lo rovide granls and lraining lo heI
CDCUs deveIo aIlernalives lo lhe various redalory Iending raclices incIuding
ayday Ienders.
In addilion in earIy 2006 lhe NICDCU vilh funds from lhe CDII Iund (US
Treasury) Iaunched lhe firsl secondary markel for communily deveIomenl credil
unions. NICDCU urchased morlgage Ioans of immigranl firsl-lime home buyers Ioans
from lhe SeIf HeI Credil Union in Durham NC, one of il's members. The effecl of lhis is
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5-33
lhal SeIf HeI has addilionaI cailaI for addilionaI morlgage Ioans vhich olhervise
vouId nol be avaiIabIe lo lhem.
IolenliaI inveslors/ deosilors shouId use lhe NICDCU vebsile lo Iook for a
CDCU in your area vilh Iov income designalion. Insured deosils can oflen be made
by an oulside individuaI or arish. Credil unions generaIIy offer comarabIe inleresl
rales for money on deosil by members (lhose incIuded in lhe credil union's fieId of
membershi) or by non-members making deosils in designaled Iov-income credil
unions. Deosils in federaIIy charlered or federaIIy insured credil unions u lo $250,000
are insured by lhe U.S. governmenl.
The besl knovn LICU affiIialed vilh lhe IiscoaI Church is lhe IiscoaI
Communily IederaI Credil Union (ICICU) of lhe Diocese of Los AngeIes. Anolher
significanl IiscoaI-affiIialed credil union (and reciienl of lhe GIoria rovn Avard
from INI}) is lhe Challahoochee VaIIey Credil Union, vhich vas deveIoed by lhe
Diocese of AlIanla.
Microenterprise Funds
Microenlerrise funds rovide Ioans in lhe range of Iess lhan $500 u lo $10,000
lo smaII enlrereneurs, usuaIIy lhose needing Iess lhan $25,000 in lolaI cailaI and
emIoying 5 or fever eoIe and vho vouId nol olhervise have access lo credil. Loans
are used lo slarl or exand smaII businesses for dislressed grous and communilies,
vhich means |ob crealion and exansion of lhe IocaI economic base. In addilion
individuaIs increase lheir income and accumuIale savings.
Microcredil funds faII inlo lhree service deIivery modeIs: lraining Ied, credil Ied,
and eer grou. In lhe U.S., microenlerrise deveIomenl rograms usuaIIy Iace ma|or
emhasis on lraining and lechnicaI assislance for lheir cIienls/borrovers in order lo
reduce risk and suslain enlerrises. The buIk of lheir funding is from governmenl
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-34

sources. Microenlerrise deveIomenl in lhe U.S. emerged in lhe 1980's because
lradilionaI business and financiaI inslilulions faiIed lo resond lo lhese secific
markels.
Microenlerrise funds are oflen ro|ecls of such organizalions as vomen's
economic deveIomenl cororalions, communily deveIomenl cororalions,
communily aclion agencies and lhe US Dearlmenl of Labor. Some are indeendenl,
non-rofils and are unreguIaled cororalions simiIar lo communily deveIomenl Ioan
funds. Some of lhem veIcome inveslmenls. MicroIending is aIso done by some
communily deveIomenl Ioan funds, banks, credil unions, and governmenl agencies.
WorIdvide in1997 lhe reaymenl rale vas 97%.
The rololye for lhese funds is lhe Grameen ank vhich ioneered lhe eer
grou modeI in angIadesh in 1983 and vhose Ioans average $70. Mohammed Yumus
began in lhe 1970s vilh a ersonaI successfuI Ioan of aroximaleIy $27 lo a voman lo
make bamboo. Hovever, afler severaI years of such successfuI Iending in many viIIages,
lradilionaI banks sliII had nol come lo see lhe vaIue in Yumus's idea, so he crealed lhe
Grameen ank. y 1992 The Grameenank vas Iending in 23,000 viIIages. In 2005 il
served over 5 miIIion borrovers in 46,000 viIIages in angIadesh, and is a fuII-service
financiaI inslilulion.
Olher ioneers in inlernalionaI microcredil incIude Accion InlernalionaI, Iinca,
and OikoCredil, aII Iarge muIli-nalionaI and muIli-biIIion doIIar organizalions. Tvo
smaIIer singIe nalion organizalions are Shared Inleresl serving Soulh Africa and lhe
Wisconsin Coordinaling CounciI on Nicaragua (WCCN). AII logelher eighl miIIion
eoIe are being served vilh microIoans.
Accion InlernalionaI uses ils donaled and borroved cailaI lo back guaranlees
by a US bank, in lurn aIIoving Lalin American banks lo lransfer funds lo be Ioaned by
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5-35
Accion's associale organizalions. This mechanism removes for lhe inveslor olenliaI
currency devaIualion and oIilicaI change risks eseciaIIy in lhird vorId counlries.
Shared Inleresl uses a simiIar mechanism by receiving Ioans lo back guaranlees
for ils arlner Thembami InlernalionaI Guaranlee Iund in Soulh Africa. These funds
Ieverage bank Ioans lo Soulh African CDIIs for housing and micro and smaII business
deveIomenl. In 2000 Shared Inleresl had a orlfoIio of $5.5 miIIion.
Oikocredil vas eslabIished in 1975 by lhe WorId CounciI of Churches. Oikocredil
has a orlfoIio of $83 miIIion in 65 counlries in Asia, Africa, and Lalin America, funding
farmers, microenlerrises, and olher communily economic deveIomenl aclivilies.
(vvv.oikocredil.org)
The NICA Iund (vvv.vccnica.org) vas eslabIished in 1998 by WCCN as lhe
conlinualion of an 7 year microcredil reIalionshi vilh CIIAD, lhe Nicaraguan CounciI
of Churches. CurrenlIy lhe NICA Iund channeIs aImosl $6 miIIion, borroved moslIy
from sociaIIy concerned inveslors -individuaIs and churches, lo ils 16 arlner agencies,
non-rofil CDIIs or cooeralives in Nicaragua, II SaIvador and GualamaIa. These
agencies in lurn address lhe rool causes of overly and sociaI in|uslice lhrough Ioans
rimariIy for agricuIlure, smaII enlerrise and commerce, Iov income housing. In each
of lhese areas lhey emhasize Ioans lo vomen. The NICA Iund's exerience is 100%
aymenl of inleresl and reaymenl of Ioan rinciaI from ils arlners and 100%
reaymenl of Ioans and inleresl lo inveslors.
In 1990 lhere vere Iess lhan len microenlerrise funds in lhe U.S. In 1997
aroximaleIy 300 vere reaching 45,000 famiIies. Mosl are smaII and devole ma|or
resources lo lraining and lechnicaI assislance for smaII businesses.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-36

Mosl borrovers bolh in lhe US and in deveIoing counlries are vomen. The
Microcredil Summil in Washinglon, DC in Iebruary 1997, vhich broughl logelher 3000
microIenders and borrovers, ended in a Iedge lo raise $21.5 biIIion for micro Ioans in
order lo bring 100 miIIion famiIies, one haIf of lhe vorId's oor, oul of overly by 2005.
Microenlerrise funds do nol usuaIIy reach lhe very ooresl of lhe oor. The
funds are Ioaned lo individuaIs in eer grous, vhich require lhal 4 lo 10 enlrereneurs
commil lo meel reguIarIy. These borrovers as eer grou members musl have
ermanenl homes and neighbors vho knov lhem. This effecliveIy Ieaves oul nomadic
homeIess eoIe and squallers. Ieer grous reviev and arove each olher's Ioan
aIicalions, exchange ideas and conlacls, comIele business educalion lraining,
rovide suorl, and make Ioan aymenls. Grou members assume resonsibiIily for
each olher's Ioan obIigalions and are resonsibIe for bringing nev borrovers inlo lhe
grou. Iirsl lime borrovers receive smaII Ioans vilh lhe oorlunily lo increase lhe
Ioan size based on lheir erformance. The Iending agency usuaIIy assisls olenliaI
borrovers, guides lhem in lhe formalion and oeralion of Iending grous, and lrains
lhem in business melhods.
Micro-enlerrise deveIomenl aIso does nol encomass lhe lolaI of vhal is
usuaIIy considered economic deveIomenl. Mohammed Yumus oinled oul in 1992
lhal lhe deveIoed vorId seems lo have lhe underslanding lhal generaling emIoymenl
for men is lhe vay eIiminale overly. Yumus' ovn beIief is lhal oflen emIoymenl oflen
Iacks resecl for individuaIs/vorkers and lhal microenlerrise Ioans for seIf
emIoymenl deveIo seIf-esleem usuaIIy of vomen. SeIf esleem, he beIieves, is a ma|or
comonenl of economic deveIomenl. This has been imorlanl enough lo borrovers
lhal lhey are viIIing lo accel and ay high inleresl rales, uvards of 16%, vhiIe
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5-37
earning aImosl no nel rofil. Yumus cIaims lhal Iover rales or a "fair deaI" from
microenlerrise Ienders vouId significanlIy deveIo lhe seIf-emIoymenl economy.
Microenterprise Investment Opportunities
Microenlerrise funds bolh in lhe US and around lhe vorId oflen oblain al Ieasl
a orlion of lheir cailaI in granls from foundalions, banks, and governmenl agencies,
and do nol aIvays reIy uon rivale inveslmenls. Hovever some have been
lransilioning lovard seeking funding from unsecured Ioans. There is lhen a need for lhe
funds lo rolecl inveslors by buiIding Ioan Ioss reserves and equily and by requiring
coIIaleraI from lheir borrovers.
Ior microenlerrise funds vhich do veIcome individuaI or congregalionaI
inveslmenls, lhe lerms are generaIIy simiIar lo inveslmenls in CDLIs. Microenlerrise
funds seek lo ay inleresl rales beIov lhal of slandard markel inveslmenls. They lhen
re-Ioan lhe money al allraclive inleresl rales. The sread belveen lhese rales rovides
some of lhe cushion rolecling lhe Ioans and ays some of lhe cosl of oeraling lhe
fund. The lyicaI inleresl rale range offered by a microenlerrise fund is zero lo four
ercenl for a lerm of al Ieasl one year in an amounl of al Ieasl $1000 aIlhough
minimums can be higher. The rale of relurn and lhe lerm of lhe Ioan are generaIIy Iefl lo
lhe discrelion of lhe Iender.
The exerience of lhese funds everyvhere has shovn lhal lhe benefils for
borrovers incIude increased income, increased savings, famiIy securily, and, in
deveIoing counlries, imroved schooI allendance for lheir chiIdren and a Iover
incidence of infanl morlaIily. In addilion, eer grous rovide a forum for Iearning and
discussion of communily issues, deveIo Ieadershi skiIIs, and encourage more aclive
arlicialion in IocaI civic Iife.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-38

In November 2005 Deulsche ank coordinaled lhe crealion of lhe GIobaI
CommerciaI Microfinance Consorlium, vhich Iinks lradilionaI financiaI inslilulions in
lhe US and lhe UK vilh SRI raclilioners such as CaIverl SociaI Inveslmenl Ioundalion.
This deveIomenl means lhal microfinance viII be more significanl on lhe radar of
commerciaI financiaI inslilulions. HoefuIIy il viII nol mean more ressure on
microfinance inslilulions "nol lo serve financiaIIy marginaI borrovers." (SociaI
Iunds.com)
Does microcredil vork` Shari erenbach, Direclor of lhe CaIverl Ioundalion says
yes, inlernalionaIIy, bul aIone il does nol comIele needed economic deveIomenl.
Microcredil aIone does nol eIiminale overly or sufficienlIy aIler lhe roIe of vomen, bul
il can and does raise househoId income, kee chiIdren, incIuding girIs, in schooI Ionger,
and buiId famiIies' roduclive assels.
CDs, CDLIs, CDCUs, microenlerrise funds and inlermediaries vhich ooI
funds for inveslmenl in lhese CDIIs, even aII logelher, do nol exhausl lhe ossibiIilies
for communily invesling. Olhers vhich are rarer and in some cases riskier incIude bul
may nol be Iimiled lo InlernalionaI Communily DeveIomenl Loan Iunds, Communily
DeveIomenl ond Iunds, and Communily DeveIomenl Venlure CailaI Iunds.
Check vilh a sociaIIy resonsibIe financiaI Ianner if you are curious or inleresled in
knoving more. See aIso lhe SociaI Inveslmenl Iorum vebsile, vvv.sociaIinvesl.org
Financial Intermediaries
IinanciaI inlermediaries can lake many forms in order lo serve various and
differenl needs. GeneraIIy seaking lhey are unreguIaled nonrofil inslilulions lhal
galher and ooI rivale cailaI from sociaI inveslors for communily deveIomenl
Iending or invesling. As such, inlermediaries acl as lhe conneclor belveen IocaI
communily deveIomenl financiaI inslilulions and inveslors/Ienders. IinanciaI
c-a,.- s s--.a.., --.,--..-.- .-.-...-,

5-39
inlermediaries lyicaIIy are formed by a grou of inleresled olenliaI inveslors vho
may, bul may nol, have an addilionaI common bond.
The Diocese of Conneclicul has a ooIed fund vilh $2 miIIion from 10 inveslors
Iaced vilh 7 CDIIs. The IiscoaI SociaI ResonsibiIily Iund in Conneclicul vas
crealed in 1990 lo resond lo GoseI imeralives. The fund currenlIy invesls in severaI
communily Ioan funds vhich in lurn ooI lhe IiscoaI funds vilh lhose of olher sociaI
inveslors and Iend direclIy lo a variely of communily ro|ecls in lhe area. In lhis vay
lhe fund achieves diversificalion and Iover risks for ils inveslors. The fund has nol
exerienced a Ioss or even a deIinquency lo dale vhiIe relurning an average of 4.2% lo
ils inveslors.
Ior some years unliI 2004 lhe Wisconsin IiscoaI Communily Inveslmenl Iund
ooIed IiscoaI funds from Wisconsin and invesled in CDIIs in lhe uer Midvesl.
This fund aid inleresl in lhe range of 3% for 10 years before cIosing. In 2004 inveslors
rinciaI vas relurned and lhey vere encouraged lo reinvesl in lhe nevIy organized
Wisconsin CounciI of Churches' Communily Inveslmenl Irogram. This fund accels
and ooIs Ioans from ils member |udicalories, congregalions and individuaIs for
inveslmenl lhrough CDIIs in Wisconsin.
The Ohio Communily DeveIomenl Iinance Iund is a Iinked deosil rogram
sonsored by a diverse grou of individuaI inveslors vho are recruiled by a IocaI
communily deveIomenl Ioan fund lhal requires addilionaI financing lo secure a
secific ro|ecl. The Iinance Iund delermines lhe amounl of cailaI required lo
comIele lhe funding, galhers lhe funding Iedges, and lhen aroaches lhe bank for
lhe required addilionaI funds lo make lhe communily deveIomenl Ioan. A deaI is
slruclured by vhich lhe Iinance Iund deosils lheir share of lhe required moneys in
lhe bank and accels a beIov markel inleresl rale vilh lhe rovision lhal lhe bank viII
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-40

make lhe Ioan avaiIabIe for lhe communily deveIomenl ro|ecl. y lhis means lhe
Ienders are rolecled u lo $250,000 each lhrough lhe IDIC. A minimum inveslmenl is
suggesled for each such Iender, lhe relurn varies
deending uon lhe agreemenl vilh lhe bank.
Linked deosil rograms are unofficiaI grous and
unIikeIy lo be regislered vilh any cenlraI
associalion. Iarishes couId consider lhe ossibiIily of
lhis form of invesling and lhis may invoIve
deveIoing lhe fund modeI in addilion if lhe arish
is nol Iocaled in Ohio.
Vermonl NalionaI ank vas lhe firsl
convenlionaI, commerciaI bank lo offer a SociaIIy
ResonsibIe anking (SR) Iund olion for users of
lhe bank's services. Any moneys on deosil in lhe
bank vhelher for checking, savings, or cerlificale of
deosil can be designaled for lhe SR Iund vhere
lhey viII be used lo suorl fIexibIe Ioans for
affordabIe housing, environmenlaI and conservalion
ro|ecls, suslainabIe agricuIlure, educalion, and
smaII businesses in Vermonl and Nev Hamshire.
The fund vas eslabIished in 1989 and makes Ioans
backed by lhe deosils of more lhan 11,000 individuaIs from 42 slales and 16 foreign
counlries. On average lhis reresenls aboul 12% of lhe money on deosil in lhe bank.
Since any of lhe bank services lo vhich deosils are made can be direcled lo lhe SR
Iund, lhere is no enaIly lo lhe subscriber vho receives lhe idenlicaI relurn as olhers
from lhe bank service of choice. In addilion, of course, any funds direcled lo lhe SR
Financial Due Diligence
w|lr currerl l|rarc|a| |rlorral|or |r
rard, lre rosl |rporlarl |rlorral|or lo
|oo| lor aooul ary C0Fl |rc|udes:
wral porl|or ol lola| cap|la||zal|or
or lola| equ|ly |s perrarerl
|rc|ud|rg doraled or earred cap|la|
corpared lo oorroWed/deol
cap|la|? (Tre slardard lor |oar
lurds |s aooul 15.)
loW rucr rorey |s |epl ||qu|d lor
|oar repayrerl ard |rleresl
payrerls lo oorroWers? (Tre
slardard |s aooul 20.)
Are ary |rleresl or |oar
repayrerls lo |erders |r arrears?
(Nore srou|d oe.)
wral percerlage ol |oars rade oy
lre C0Fl, |r ruroer ard |r do||ars,
rave rol oeer repa|d oy lre
oorroWers? (Tre slardard |s aooul
5 rax|rur.)
Are lre C0Fl's currerl |oars
d|vers|l|ed, oy lype ol oorroWer,
s|ze ol |oar, ard geograpry ol |oar
p|acererls elc.? (0|vers|l|cal|or |s
des|rao|e lo avo|d |osses lror ore
spec|l|c cause.)
0oes lre lurd l|rarce operal|rg
cosls ard oola|r equ|ly cap|la| lror
d|verse sources prov|d|rg des|rao|e
d|vers|ly or lre |rcore s|de ol lre
operal|or?
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5-41
Iund are insured by lhe IDIC in lhe same manner as aII olher deosiled funds. Olher
banks lhroughoul lhe nalion are beginning lo offer lhis service as veII. Ask your bank
or banks in your communily.
In 1995 CaIverl Communily Inveslmenls vas Iaunched by lhe CaIverl SociaI
Inveslmenl Ioundalion, a 501(c)(3), as a vehicIe lo receive Ioans from individuaIs and
inslilulions. This ooIed fund has become lhe Iargesl and mosl resecled communily
invesling inlermediary in lhe Uniled Slales. CaIverl SociaI Inveslmenl Iund, a reIaled
for-rofil muluaI fund vilh cIose lo 10 years of successfuI exerience vilh 1%-3% of ils
funds in high sociaI imacl communily inveslmenls, gave lhe Ioundalion lhe assurance
lhal in facl a 'muluaI fund' enlireIy invesled in communilies vas a viabIe ossibiIily.
CaIverl Communily Inveslmenls invesls 100% of ils borroved funds in communily
deveIomenl banks, Ioan funds, credil unions and micro-enlerrise funds. CaIverl
Communily Inveslmenls oerales vorIdvide. AroximaleIy 69% of lhe funds are in
domeslic CDIIs and 31% are invesled inlernalionaIIy.
CaIverl Ioundalion's iniliaI funding, vhich rovides Ioan Ioss reserves and
roleclion for olher inveslmenls, came as rogram-reIaled inveslmenls from a grou of
foundalions. In addilion as 2008 ended lhey had $150 miIIion in borroved funds from
4000 inveslors aII for reinveslmenl in Iov income housing funds, CDs and CDCUs,
inlernalionaI inlermediaries, and micro-enlerrise funds. The minimum Ioan is $1000.
CaIverl Ioundalion's Ioans are made lo exerienced CDII's according lo slricl
crileria. One of lhese crileria requires lhal CaIverl never make lhe firsl Ioan lo a Ioan
fund. Such a Ioan fund by definilion couId have no lrack record. According lo Direclor,
Shari erenbach, CaIverl Ioundalion beIieves lhal high income individuaIs vilh
loIerance for risk and due diIigence caabiIily can besl Iead lhe vay in communily
invesling. Wilh such venlure cailaI CDIIs can deveIo organizalionaI credibiIily
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

5-42

vhich lhen aIIovs ooIed funds lo bring in lhe many smaII inveslors. CaIverl
Ioundalion aIso never rovides more lhan 10% of lheir cailaIizalion lo any one
organizalion
Anolher vay lo invesl in communilies is lhrough funds/ooIs sel u by
inveslmenl firms or financiaI Ianners/advisors. (Again, see vvv.sociaIinvesl.org)
These, Iike CaIverl, oflen aIIov cIienls lo choose from a re-seIecled menu of
inveslmenls.
And lhe nevesl and mosl accessibIe communily inveslmenl olion is lo go lo
MicroIIace.com and in severaI minules begin communily invesling vilh as IillIe as
$100. ( This amounl is redicled lo go dovn lo as IillIe as $20 in 2009)
CONCLUSION
In 1991 Amy Domini described lhe reaIily lhal inveslors come lo one or aII of lhe
lhree Iegs of lhe SRI slooI for eilher ersonaI or inslilulionaI goaIs - maybe bolh. She has
oinled oul lhal lhese goaIs are being achieved lhrough many smaII viclories. The Iisl of
cororale resonses or communily deveIomenl successes is loo Iong lo be allemled
here, bul lhere have been many knovn and unknovn.
Amy Domini knev in 1991 lhal "lhe smaII viclories" al lhal lime vere "nol
enough lo convince aII inveslors" and il's ossibIe lhal she vouId say lhal lhis is sliII
lrue loday. Hovever she aIso said al lhal lime lhal smaII viclories "do uIlimaleIy aIler
lhe course of hislory." Nov 18 years Ialer ve musl aIso say lhal unforlunaleIy hislory's
course has nol yel been noliceabIy aIlered, bul ve do beIieve lhal, forlunaleIy for
hislory, her vords sliII hoId lrue.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

6-1
Chapter 6
Creating a Culture of Justice

The urose of lhis manuaI is lo heI you creale a cuIlure of |uslice in your
arish, diocesan commission, or olher minislry organizalion. Deending on lhe hislory
of your arish or grou lhis may be exlremeIy easy or very difficuIl. One can imagine a
lyicaI arish. One lhird of lhe members may have deveIoed a cuIlure based on
charily. They are viIIing lo dedicale lime and money lo feed lhe hungry, cIolhe lhe
naked, and rovide denlaI care lo oor chiIdren. This grou may nol be inleresled in
sociaI anaIysis and civic invoIvemenl. Al lhe olher end of lhe seclrum anolher lhird of
lhe grou may be immersed in some form of cuIluraI Darvinism vhich couId be
summed u in lhe mollo, The oor you viII aIvays have vilh you or erhas
survivaI of lhe fillesl. The middIe lhird incIudes a broad array of eoIe incIuding
eoIe invoIved in foreign exchange rograms, reconciIialion minislry, book cIub,
youlh minislry, and a conlingenl vho are lolaIIy absorbed vilh |usl lrying lo survive
Iife's vicissiludes.
Hov can ve creale a cuIlure of |uslice in such an environmenl` One aroach is
lo find a core of individuaIs vho are Iooking for somelhing more and vho have lhe
olenliaI lo be Ieaders or change agenls in lhe congregalion. Then use lhis manuaI as a
sludy guide beginning vilh lhe maleriaIs rovided in Chalers 1 and 3 and reIaled
aendixes. These chalers and aendixes (A, C, and K) rovide lhe lheoIogicaI
foundalions for economic |uslice minislries and are lhus lhe foundalion uon vhich a
cuIlure of |uslice can be eslabIished. In Chaler 1, ve described lhe conlinuum belveen
service rovision (charily) and aclivilies vhich creale oIicies or slruclures vhich
change lhe economic slalus of lhe oor (|uslice). Your arish mighl rovide emergency
food and cIolhing or heaIlh care lo 1,000 famiIies. Thal vork is vonderfuI and is
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6-2
suorled slrongIy by our failh lradilion. In Chalers 2-5, ve have focused on
slralegies vhich couId raise lhe income IeveIs of eoIe so lhal lhey vouId have Iess
need for emergency services. Ior examIe, church-based advocacy efforls have heIed
ass Iiving vage ordinances in severaI cilies and severaI slales have recenlIy raised
lhe minimum vage. The IiscoaI Church lhrough lhe IiscoaI IubIic IoIicy
Nelvork (IIIN) is currenlIy advocaling for Congress lo raise lhe minimum vage.
Such IegisIalion vouId imacl lhe Iives of miIIions of Americans.
Whal if raising lhe slale or federaI minimum vage or advocaling lhal emIoyers
ay a Iiving vage is conlroversiaI in your arish` Whal if even a heaIlhy diaIogue on
lhese issues does nol seem roduclive` There are Ienly of olher |uslice issues lhal are
nol so conlroversiaI. AffordabIe housing, erhas` Iredalory Iending, access lo heaIlh
care for oor chiIdren, reinvesling in Iov-income communilies, financiaI services lhal
are non-exIoilalive` Whal aboul neighborhood revilaIizalion` Whal does il lake lo
change eoIe's Iives and rovide hoe lo lhose in desair` Who are loday's vidovs
and orhans and hov can ve use our laIenls and resources lo heI lhem`
Some of lhe modeIs described in lhese chalers are lransforming lhe sociaI and
hysicaI Iandscae of enlire neighborhoods. These communily organizalions and
economic deveIomenl cororalions are described in Chaler 4. The modeIs described
in Chaler 5 (SociaIIy ResonsibIe Invesling) are arl of a nalionaI and inlernalionaI
movemenl lhal has heIed Iifl lhe burden of overly for miIIions of eoIe. Crealing a
cuIlure of |uslice in your congregalion means deveIoing an avareness of lhe fuII range
of slralegies for addressing lhe issues of overly and racism in our counlry and in our
vorId. DeveIoing such a cuIlure invoIves finding or refining a framevork incIuding
lhe lheoIogicaI, lheorelicaI, and raclice eIemenls incIuded in lhis manuaI.
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6-3
As ve oinled oul in Chaler 1, lhere is no dicholomy belveen charily (direcl
service) minislries and lhose vhich invoIve economic |uslice. There is a conlinuum.
We do nol aIvays foIIov lhe slages imIied in lhe iIIuslralion on age 1-12. The
conlinuum Iays oul in severaI vays. In lhe modeIs ve have Iisled in various chalers
and aendixes, some congregalions have iniliaIIy engaged in service minislry. Afler
engaging in lhe Iives of Iov-income eoIe lhey have found il necessary lo add an
economic |uslice comonenl in lhe form of advocacy, communily organizing,
communily economic deveIomenl or sociaIIy resonsibIe invesling. Olhers have
moved immedialeIy inlo an enabIing form of economic |uslice and founded a credil
union or housing minislry onIy lo find lhal il is imossibIe lo do effeclive vork in
vorking cIass neighborhoods vilhoul addressing lhe need for beller heaIlh, human
services, and educalion. So lhey move back on lhe conlinuum lo eslabIish direcl
services or eslabIish a arlnershi vilh service roviders. IxamIes in Chaler 4,
incIude Church of lhe Messiah Housing Cororalion in Delroil and HarIem
Congregalions for Communily Imrovemenl. IiscoaIians lhroughoul lhe counlry
are having an enormous imacl lhrough such minislries.
ShouId every congregalion seek lo engage in economic |uslice minislries` y
advocaling lhal congregalions slrive lo creale a cuIlure of |uslice as veII as a cuIlure
of charily, ve are saying no more lhan lhal lhere shouId in our Ianguage and in our
minislries be a fuII refIeclion of our failh. We need, in order lo be failhfuI lo lhe
examIe of }esus our modeI, lo bolh feed lhe hungry and vork lo correcl lhe in|uslices
in our counlry and vorId lhal cause eoIe lo be hungry. ul, as }ohn HaII oinls oul
in Organizing for Iconomic }uslice (HaII, 1990), you do nol have lo go il aIone.
Whelher your arish is smaII and slruggIing or Iarge and secure, you have lhe olion of
|oining exisling IocaI efforls and/or gelling heI from nalionaI nelvorks such as
Inlerfailh Worker }uslice (advocacy), GamaIieI Ioundalion (communily organizing),
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6-4
NalionaI Commillee for Communily Iconomic DeveIomenl (communily deveIomenl
cororalions), IiscoaIians for GIobaI ReconciIialion (gIobaI overly) and IiscoaI
Nelvork for Iconomic }uslice (sociaIIy resonsibIe invesling and aII olher economic
|uslice focaI areas). ecoming arl of a Iarger muIli-arish, ecumenicaI, or inlerfailh
coIIaboralive is a viabIe olion in many communilies.
In lhis manuaI ve have rovided lhe looIs ve lhink viII be usefuI in heIing you
creale a cuIlure of |uslice in your congregalion. These incIude refIeclions on our failh
lradilion and examIes from around lhe counlry of many of lhe vays IiscoaIians are
carrying oul minislries of charily and |uslice. Ior lhose congregalions lhal are veII-
advanced in carrying oul economic |uslice minislries, ve hoe lhal you find affirmalion
and a usefuI framevork for inlerrelalion and evaIualion. We aIso execl you lo leII us
hov lo imrove lhis manuaI or lo deveIo aroriale educalionaI maleriaI lo
suIemenl il.
To lhose congregalions |usl gelling slarled in economic |uslice minislries, ve
have rovided some hov-lo maleriaI in each chaler. We have rovided furlher
modeIs in lhe aendixes. We have aIso rovided a bibIiograhy (Aendix L) and
educalionaI resources (Aendix I). Ior lhose vho need addilionaI hov-lo
informalion, ve recommend lhe foIIoving:
Gcncra!: Organizing for Iconomic }uslice , by Roberl HaII, eseciaIIy Chaler 6,
Gelling Organized vhich ve have incIuded in Aendix C. This is lhe basic
IiscoaI Church resource. vvv.eiscoaIchurch.org/congregationalservices/ and
Aendix D of lhis manuaI. The Lulheran reference is Doing }uslice: Congregalions
and Communily Organizing, MinneaoIis: Iorlress Iress, 2001
(vvv.forlress.ress.com). The Roman CalhoIic equivaIenl is CredibIe Signs of
Chrisl AIive: Case Sludies from lhe CalhoIic Camaign for Human DeveIomenl, by
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6-5
}ohn I. Hogan, Nev York: Sheed and Ward, 2003 (avaiIabIe from lhe CalhoIic
Camaign for Human DeveIomenl, Washinglon, D.C.).
Advncacy: See lhe veb sile of lhe IiscoaI IubIic IoIicy Nelvork. Ior Advocacy
educalion resources (See Aendix D and visil vvv.ene|.org.)
Cnmmunity Organizing: See lhe communily organizing seclion of our bibIiograhy
(Aendix K) and lhe veb siles of lhe InduslriaI Areas Ioundalion (IAI), DART,
GamaIieI Ioundalion and IICO (age 4-4).
G!nba!izatinn: In addilion lo reading lhe Rev. Cn. Richard GiIIell's nev book, The
Nev GIobaIizalion: RecIaiming lhe Losl Ground of Our Chrislian SociaI Tradilion,
CIeveIand, OH: IiIgrim Iress, 2005, ve recommend use of resources rovided by
IiscoaI ReIief and DeveIomenl and IiscoaIians for GIobaI ReconciIialion.
Cnmmunity Ecnnnmic Dcvc!npmcnt and Hnusing: See lhe modeIs Iisled in
Chaler 4, Aendix }, and lhe veb sile of lhe NalionaI Commillee for Communily
Iconomic DeveIomenl (NCCID), vvv.ncced.org.
ENEJ Mentors
Crealing a cuIlure of |uslice for mosl arishes viII invoIve a rocess of educalion
or ccnscicniizacicn, if you refer, and you may feeI you need some guidance in gelling
lhis slarled. Senior members of our nelvork are viIIing lo share lheir exerience and lo
heI you idenlify aroriale maleriaIs and lechniques. Some of lhem are Iisled here
by loic.
Advncacy: Dianne Aid, The Rev. Canon Richard GiIIell, Aina Gulierrez
Cnmmunity Organizatinn: The Ven. MichaeI KendaII, Archdeacon of Nev York,
MichaeI MaIoney, MichaeI ryanl, The Rev. Geoffrey Curliss
Ecnnnmic Justicc Educatinn: }ohn Hooer, Sue LIoyd, Aina Gulierrez
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6-6
Cnmmunity Ecnnnmic Dcvc!npmcnt: MichaeI ryanl, The Rev. Geoffrey Curliss
Crcdit Uninns: UrIa Abrigo, Vicky Iarlon
Cnmmunity Dcvc!npmcnt Lnan Funds: Sue LIoyd, }ohn Hooer
5ncia!!y Rcspnnsib!c Invcsting: Sue LIoyd
Wnrkcr Justicc: Aina Gulierrez, Lucinda KeiIs
Wca!th Bui!ding: MichaeI ryanl
Hnusing Dcvc!npmcnt: The Rev. IarI Kooerkam, The Ven. MichaeI KendaII
Gcncra!: The Rev. Arlher S. LIoyd, The Rev. Geoffrey Curliss, The Ven. MichaeI
KendaII.
Conlacl informalion is avaiIabIe for lhese resource eoIe al
www.enej.org/steeringcommittee/. If you have queslions regarding our menlors, Iease
conlacl our slaff, MichaeI MaIoney al meamon+aoI.com or 513-531-8799.
Provincial Liaisons
INI} aIso has a syslem of IrovinciaI Liaisons. These individuaIs can advise you
regarding INI} resources and olher eoIe aclive in your arl of lhe counlry:
Prnvincc I: The Rev. Norman IarameIIi
Prnvincc II: The Rev. IarI Kooerkam
Prnvincc III: The Rev. CarI RehIing
Prnvincc IV: Iric LiIes
Prnvincc V: arbara Larsen
Prnvincc VI: The Rev. Slehen Schailberger
Prnvincc VII: vacanl
Prnvincc VIII: Dianne Aid
Prnvincc IX: The Rev. Canon Carmen Guerrero
Conlacl informalion is avaiIabIe al vvv.ene|.org/sleering commillee
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6-7
Conferences
INI} is organizing a series of rovinciaI conferences. IIease conlacl our slaff or
your rovinciaI Iiaison erson lo gel on lhe e-maiI Iisl for lhese evenls. They viII aIso
be osled on our Iislserv and veb sile once dales have been eslabIished. Iconomic
|uslice nelvorks aIso are emerging in Irovinces III and VIII.
An Invitation
In lhis manuaI, ve have described lhe lheoIogicaI ralionaIe for economic |uslice
minislries, oulIined lhe ma|or aroaches currenlIy in use and some of lhe resources
avaiIabIe lo congregalions. The delh and scoe of lhis maleriaI makes cIear lhal lhe
IiscoaI Church has made reaI rogress since lhe adolion of The Michigan IIan by
lhe 1988 GeneraI Convenlion. Thal Ian became lhe charler for INI} and many of
lhe inilialives ve have described here. We viII resenl an udaled Ian for economic
|uslice vork al lhe 2009 GeneraI Convenlion. We invile lhe reader lo become arl of
lhis movemenl lhrough engagemenl in IocaI efforls and lhrough becoming aclive in
INI}. IIease use lhe foIIoving ages lo give us feedback on lhe manuaI and lo begin or
renev your membershi in lhis nelvork. Do nol hesilale lo conlacl us if ve can be of
assislance in your IocaI, diocesan, or rovinciaI efforls.
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6-8
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6-9
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6-10

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Appendix A
Taking Action for Economic Justice





A TheoIogIcaI Assessment
(Summary Statement)

8y ]ames PerkInson


EpIscopaI CeneraI ConventIon
DetroIt
]uIy, 1988


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A-2

Table of Contents

Introduction A-1
Context A-1
North American Context A-2
Global Context A-2
The Tradition A-3
Birth and Betrayal of Israel A-4
The Baptism and Burial of Christ A-5
The Future of the Church A-7
The Challenge: A Question of Salvation (An Option that is
a Must)
A-7
The Avenue: The Cooperative Structure and the
Conversion Process
A-9
Footnotes A-10







James Perkinson has been a member for 14 years of the Episcopal Church of the
Messiah in Detroit, Michigan where several cooperative projects have been initiated.
The author received M. Div. and M.T.S. degrees at St. Johns Seminary in Plymouth,
Michigan. He has been adjunct professor of theology at St. Johns Seminary and the
University of Detroit, as well as McMath scholar at Whitaker School of Theology.

The complete theological paper, of which this is a summary, is available for $5.00 at
the Diocese of Michigan, Office of Public Affairs, 4800 Woodward Avenue, Detroit,
MI 48201.
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A-1
Introduction
In the 1988 General Convention proposal Taking Action for Economic Justice, the
Episcopal Church is urged to throw its weight behind a particular strategy for economic
development. The focus in the proposal on land trusts, housing cooperatives, worker-
owned businesses and community development credit unions does not represent a facile
top-down solution to our current economic crisis, but instead demonstrates a concern to
stoop below and help undergird creative grass roots initiatives arising from below. In
adopting such a strategy, the Church faces a baptism of sorts. Like Jesus approaching
John the Baptist for initiation into the prophetic movement of the rural Palestinian poor,
the Church finds itself summoned to submit its resources and energies to a social
movement already in progress.
There are various situations around the country where local parishes are already
involving themselves in the economic initiatives recognized in the proposal. In these
situations, cooperative structures and processes are enabling the community of the
baptized and the community of the oppressed to participate in each others agenda. Here
the Church is beginning to once again reclaim its historic option for the poor, and the
poor are beginning to once again become the inspirers of the Church. The modern
cooperative economic movement thus represents a sign of the times and a vehicle
whereby the Church can translate its traditional faith into a concrete language of
contemporary witness. Before highlighting the theological possibilities in such a
proposal, however, we do well to briefly characterize our contemporary context and
refresh our memory of our biblical heritage.
Context
The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery;
they have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the
foreigner without redress. And I sought for one among them who should
build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that it
should not be destroyed; but I found none. (Ezek. 22:29-30)
The quintessential biblical question when the land is in trouble is a question of walls and
breaches. Among those who see and hear, who will actually dare to build and what will
they construct? Among those who believe and hope, who will actually be moved to
take a stand and where will they draw their line? The God of the Bible shows up
continually in history as a God of the breaches and walls who suffers being moved into
the middle of the human war zone out of compassion and indignation, and who builds
from the bottom up, even as the blows fall or the bullets fly. The people of God in
history are those who dare do not less. And the people of God today stand before a
breach that threatens to wax apocalyptic before its very eyes.
In a world that has become a single vast interdependent reality, it is now possible to
witness the logic of polarization that inexorably arranges and rearranges the lives of
everyone on the globe. What appears in ever clearer focus is the emergence of a two-tier
world of haves and have-nots that cuts through every level of the human reality and
increasingly succeeds in integrating every local political economy into its lockstep march.
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A-2

North American Context
Within our own North American context, we are bedside spectators at the breach-birth of
a new technological order. The old economic world of secure U.S. dominance was a
product of numerous factors: the 1944 Bretton Woods agreement to utilize the dollar as
the international medium of exchange (giving the U.S. access to markets, raw materials,
and work forces around the globe); interventionist foreign policy tactics (the U.S.
intervened in the internal affairs of other nations on the average of once every 14 months
in the decades following World War II); utilization of the military budget as an economic
stimulus (leading to the establishment of the military industrial complex); and reliance
upon the multinational corporation as the instrument of choice for getting business done
and for organizing other areas of life (e.g., the metamorphosis of cities from networks of
self-sufficient neighborhood villages to impersonal compartmentalized bedroom
communities).
1
In the context of the post-World War II economic mix, America
greened, the American Dream became accessible to some of the working class (though
not, by and large, to the black community or to millions of others locked into poverty),
and the ethic of more and more reigned supreme.
Today however, a new reality is making itself felt. As has happened three other times in
the last four centuries, economic crisis is precipitating a re-arrangement of the
international division of labor.
2
Capital is moving to cheaper sources of labor supply.
Continual plant closings, raging corporate takeover battles, incessant capital-intensive
automation and robotization, ballooning deficits, and the mortgaging of the economy to
foreign investors are the mere foreshadows of a more haunting specter: the massive
restructuring and bifurcation of our own socio-economic context into two separate
worlds, unequal and divided.
3
On one side of that divide stands an increasingly
internationalized professional and managerial elite, in economic control of the technology
and political control of the institutions. On the other, there is emerging a self-
perpetuating, permanently lost underclass, burgeoning numbers of homeless, and an
increasingly harried, anxious and left behind middle class which has itself eroded
demographically by 14% since 1980.
The wealthiest 10% of U.S. families now own 86% of the nations wealth; the bottom
55% operate with zero or negative financial assets.
4
The breach on the national scene
grows daily wider and increasingly reflects the overwhelming structural divisions that
bedevil international relations.
Global Context
The global situation since World War II has grown increasingly violent. The pax
Americana aftermath of the war has been anything but a pax mundi. Underlying the
obvious questions of participative political structures that fuel the contemporary scenes of
violent confrontation are even more fundamental questions of economic structure and
viability. The 1980 Brandt Commission clearly identified Northern Hemisphere-
Southern Hemisphere development conflicts as the paramount economic challenges of
our time.
United Nations attempts to close the gap between the developing economies of the
South and the industrialized developed economics of the North with its Decade of
Development program in the 1960s only resulted in even greater disparity.
5
The share
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of trade between the First and Third Worlds shifted from 68% and 32% respectively in
1951, and 82% and 18% by 1970.
6

Attempts by developing countries to form themselves into trading blocs either failed
(OCEC) or resulted merely in the creation of yet another rich elite (OPEC). The oil crisis
of the early 1970s resulted in new levels of instability in international finance markets
and an ever-swelling supply of cheap dollars looking for investment. Development then
took the form of learning how to manage the debt as Third World countries mortgaged
their futures to international lending institutions.
7

The simplest characterization of North-South relations since World War II is that of the
creation of massive dependence.
8
Typically, Third World economies have found it easier
to integrate into the global economic structure by focusing on raw materials export than
to opt for a pace and style of economic growth more commensurate with their own and
cultural orientations.
9
Focusing their development on the purchase of the latest
technologies has resulted in a catastrophic chain reaction: cities amenable to such
technology receive most of the attention; rural areas find themselves unable to compete
either economically or culturally; food and other products essential to the life of the poor
are deemphasized in favor of exports; land is concentrated in the hands of the wealthy;
the poor are forced to flee rural areas for survivals sake; and massive immiseration
(i.e., misery on a massive scale) engulfs the urban areas choked with the inflow of
refugees from the hinterlands.
10

Reliance upon First World know-how and vision has translated into a fundamental
economic deformation.
11
A wealthy and educated elite manipulates the technology and
enjoys the finished goods and imports, while the masses find themselves concentrated in
the export sectors eeking out a subsistence living and often enough the pawns of massive
disruptions of precious ecosystems.
12
Internally, no infrastructural elements (demand for
consumer goods, internal markets, production of the means of production, evolution of
psychological and sociological structures necessary to deal with sophisticated
technological environments) have matured and development stimulus has stagnated.
13

Co-opted by rapacious short-term self-interest, the de facto result of every First World
attempt to ameliorate the growing wealth and technology gap has been increased
exploitation and marginalization of the Third World. The global breach broadens daily
and admits of no easy solutions.
The Tradition
So much for the national and international context which informs the economic justice
proposal. What perspectives emerge when we torn to the biblical tradition? We can do
no more here than attempt to sketch out the identity and mission of the people of God at
two highpoints of salvation history when, in the face of great social travail, that "new
peoplehood" was expressed with particular clarity and genius. We are equally mindful of
how easily that identity and mission can end up historically compromised when the
community of God ceases moving and refuses its latest summons to the breach. A quick
glance backwards can only make abundantly clear how much the "people of God"
remains a free subject in history, assuming or compromising its identity, reforging or
reneging on its mission, rediscovering or refusing its destiny in each new crisis that
unfolds.
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A-4

Birth and Betrayal of Israel
For the Hebrew people, the Exodus event was the originating and paradigmatic experience
shaping both their collective identity and their understanding of God.
14
The event lodged in the
memory of the people as the foundational revelation of Yahweh and served as the touchstone of
all subsequent experience. Yahweh, in the Hebrew mind, was above all else the one who
brought the people out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage (Ex. 20:2). The annual
celebration of the Passover festival kept this memory alive as an interpretive framework for
each new crisis Israel faced.
In its most basic outlines, the Exodus event itself is the story of an immigrant people
working as "guest labor" in the land of Egypt who are gradually forced into slavery status. The
oppressive experience building royal cities and storehouses under the whip-hand of Pharaoh
(Ex. 1:11) quietly erodes the inner spirit and resilience of the people (Ex. 6: 9) until they are
left moaning inarticulately in their brokenness (Ex. 2:23).
The story of this people's liberation from Egyptian bondage is most remarkable for the kind of
God it testifies to. Unlike all of the other divine figures of the ancient world who preside
over the oppressive systems of the Pharaohs and kings, Yahweh appears on the scene as one
who champions the cause of the poor.
15
The slave people are taken notice of, their cries heard,
and their longing for escape honored. The struggle to leave Egypt behind, both externally
and internally becomes the locus of revelation for the distinctiveness of the Exodus
God. This distinctiveness is clarified in both the confession at Sinai and the move into
Canaan.
According to recent exegetical and archeological scholarship, the so-called Canaan
conquest is actually a quite complex socio-political event involving both internal
(Canaanite) revolt and external (Israelite) incursion. Throughout the 14th and 13th
centuries B.C.E. various groupings of Canaanite peasants throughout Palestine apparently
revolted against the oppressive feudal city-state structures along the Mediterranean coast
and began to band together under the name "Israel" (a theophoric name incorporating the
Canaanite god "EL")
16
. The arrival of the band of liberated slaves from Egypt carrying
with them their story of the Exodus deliverance and their awareness of a God who takes
up the cause of the oppressed, further catalyzed insurrection and galvanized the new
tribal organization. Yahweh became the rallying banner under which "Israel" expanded
and organized its common life and its self-understanding.
For the next 200 years Israel existed as a kind of "free Canaan," a liberated zone,
complete with new name and new God, unique in its day for its decentralized political
structures and egalitarian land tenure practices.
17
The people were organized in a loose
knit cooperative structure composed of tribes, clans and families in which decisions were
taken for the whole people by ad hoc assemblies of the most respected elders. Land was
distributed evenly among all of the various sub-groupings, thus eliminating "serf" or
"tenant farmer" arrangements and granting access to land for the formerly landless.
18

In the Sinai Torah enactments, the originality and genius of Israel's early structures
emerge with full clarity. In the traditions connected to the holy mountain in the
wilderness, social transactions and conflicts are anticipated and resolved with a clear
view to securing the interests of those with the least legal standing or economic
,,--a. a.-, -..-- .- t----.- .....--

A-5
wherewithal within Israel. Widows, orphans and guest laborers ("sojourners") are the
subjects of special divine protection (Ex. 22:21-24).
In the legal material covering the jubilee tradition in Lev. 25, Israel manages a full
confession of the economic vision arising out of its Exodus experience. The totality of the
land was understood to be held in trust with Israel as fiduciary, Yahweh as ultimate
owner, and each family or clan the subject of an inalienable lease, securing access to land
and livelihood in perpetuity (I Kings. 21:1-24). Whatever the swings of fortune in the
interim, every 50 years debts are erased, slaves released and land returned to its original
holders.
Whether or not it was ever implemented, the jubilee ideal became one of the touchstones
for prophetic critique of later developments in Israel, when the foundational experiences
were betrayed and an option was taken for oppressive monarchical structures like those
that had provoked the original revolts (Jer. 34; I Sam 8:4-18)
19
. The prophetic task itself
could be understood as a matter of standing in the newly created breach between rich and
poor and crying out, in the name of the God of Exodus, for return to the original vision.
Once initiated, however, centralized decision-making processes and acquisitive land-
banking practices (Mic. 2: 1-2; Is. 5: 8) quickly became entrenched, despite grave social
crises (Amos 7:4-6) and trenchant prophetic critique (Jer. 6:16-26). Yet, in spite of these
later compromises, the Exodus liberation experiment and its corresponding socio-
economic norms were never entirely effaced from the traditions of Israel and became
fertile in another moment of genius nearly a millennium later.
The Baptism and Burial of Christ
When Jesus takes up the catch phrase "Kingdom of God" as the watch word of his
ministry, he is likely invoking the memory of the first 200 year period of Israel's
experience when no one was king in the land except Yahweh
20
, when the "rule of
Yahweh" found socio-political expression in decentralized decision-making and socio-
economic expression in equitable land tenure arrangements and cooperative village
agriculture and pastoral activities.
21
Indeed, Luke depicts the ministry of Jesus as a
moment-by-moment "living" initiation of the Jubilee year release:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; therefore he has anointed me...to
announce a year of favor (jubilee year)." (Luke 4:18-19)
The socio-economic and religio-political strategy of Jesus only becomes clear, however,
when we take stock of the context in which he was operating. First century Palestine was
essentially a colonized "Third World" country. Roman administrative reorganization,
Herodian expropriations of land, a double-barreled tax burden (Roman tax and Temple
tax supporting the Jerusalem priestly aristocracy), and various crop failures and
ecological crises (droughts, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.) had all combined to force many
rural farmers into tenancy arrangements, dispossess many others, and concentrate
economic assets in the hands of a few.
22
Destitution and social restlessness were virtually
pandemic.
23
The struggling lower and middle classes coped in various ways: diaspora
emigration; Zealot "guerilla warfare"; brigandage; monastic (Essene) retreat to the
wilderness; begging as a vocation; mental/spiritual breakdown (demon possession); and
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

A-6

prophetic resistance activity (the social movement of John the Baptist taken over by
Jesus).
24
The majority lived only a small catastrophe's breadth away from utter ruin.
Rome ruled through the religious, intellectual and aristocratic "elites."
25
The legal
rigorism promulgated in the countryside by the scribes and Pharisees provided the
ideological justification for the privileged lifestyle of the Jerusalem priestly
bureaucracy.
26
The masses of villagers were carefully structured into the religious system
as a country "rabble" (John 7:49). They were despised as virtually illiterate in the ways of
the Torah, stigmatized by some as "sinners" simply because of their destitution, but
absolutely essential to the structure because of their annual tithes.
27

The orientation of Jesus in the context of this structure was clear-cut and decisive. In his
baptism he demonstrated his option for the poor masses of the countryside who had
rallied around John the Baptist as their religious leader of choice.
28
Under John's hand he
not only opened himself providentially to the Spirit from on high; he also declared
himself strategically in alignment with the marginalized down below. Henceforth, his
context for doing ministry would be the struggle of the oppressed for survival and well-
being. And his vital struggle for the religious poor would translate inevitably into a
mortal struggle against the religious rich.
29

Jesus proclamation of the kingdom set up three distinct groups in Israel in which he
related on quite different bases.
30
The rich and powerful found themselves painfully
surprised by Jesus' talk of reversal (MK. 10:31; 12:1-12). Radical change was demanded
of them (Lk. 18:18-30), curses were called down upon their heads (Lk. 6:24-25; Mt.
23:13-36), dinner parties became occasions of challenge (Lk. 7:36-50). If they allowed
themselves to be moved in the direction of concrete sharing with the poor, they might
even be affirmed (Lk. 10:25-37; 19:1-10).
The poor and marginalized, on the other hand, found themselves addressed as those to
whom the kingdom belonged (Lk. 6:30). With them Jesus kept company (Mk. 3:20, 31-
35); among them he did works of power (Mk, 1:40-45; 2:1-12); to them he looked for
models of faithfulness (Mk. 5:24-34); upon them he depended for protection (Mk. 12:12;
Lk. 19:46-47); and because of them he leapt for joy (Mt. 11: 25; Lk. 10:21). The
"challenge" issued to them consisted primarily in "blessing" them (Ml 19:3-15; Lk. 6:20-
22), with shared meals and friendship (Lk. 15:1; 10: 38-42; Mk. 6:30-44; John 6:1-14).
The change called for amounted to "new hope"; confidence in themselves and belief in
their worth to society. Would they lift up their heads and live now, in the present, the
eschatological reversal of self-worth and social definition that was to come in the future
(Lk. 1:46-55; 21:28).
Part and parcel of the strategy of Jesus among the oppressed was to open up new social
space in which formerly muted needs could be expressed.
31
Because of his capacity to
listen "below the surface" to the painful stories of the poor and victimized (Mk. 5:25-34),
it quickly became impossible for him to go anywhere without raising a ruckus (Mk.
10:46-52). His reputation preceded him: in every village on his circuit, the oppressed
began to risk their cries for liberation. And throughout his ministry Jesus linked up such
newly risked personal "words" with his own expression of compassionate healing (Mk.
10:51-52). Mysteriously, Kingdom "power" (including "miraculous" power) was
,,--a. a.-, -..-- .- t----.- .....--

A-7
constituted as much by the faithful cries of the poor as by the responsive presence of
Jesus himself (Lk. 19:39-40; Mt. 21:14-16).
From among either rich or poor, Jesus attempted to gather disciples (Mk. 10:17-31). This
third group faced the most stringent demands of all. They were summoned to live as
Jesus didclose to the bone (Mt. 6:25-33), on the run (Mk. 6:30-31; 7:24; John 7:1; Lk.
9:58), vulnerable to surveillance and public censure (Mk. 7: 1-5), often hungry (Mt. 12:
1-8), utterly dependent upon the poor themselves for sustenance (Ml 10:5-15), ready to
meet emergency needs and share cooperatively with the destitute (John 6:1-14), given
over to organizing the masses and being consumed by their brokenness (Mk 6: 31-44),
willing to deal with the stress of public confrontation and political realism (Mk. 8:31-38;
11:15-19), and even to begin to choke down their fears of prophetic destinies (Mk. 13:9;
14:26-31,31-38; John 15:18-27).
They were given one basic charge: to be about the prophetic task of attacking the
ideological manipulation of raw human need under the guise of religion. They were to do
this in the name of a God of liberation and healing and for the sake of a coming kingdom
of justice and mercy (Mt. 10:5-15). In a word, they were to do what Jesus did and to
anticipate ending as he ended: in both life and death, buried within the hopes and
struggles of the poor. They were not only to experiment with new structures of living in
the midst of the breach (Acts 2:44-45); they were to reconcile with the necessary fate of
dying there (Lk. 13:33; Mk. 8:31; John 21:15-19).
The Future of the Church
In the first section we identified the biblical metaphor of the breach as the primary
optic through which to focus our observations and briefly examined our own
contemporary socio-economic crisis. In the next section we outlined two particularly
cogent faith responses to social crisis as these have been preserved for us in the biblical
witness. In this final section, we return to our introductory comments. Given our
experience, in the light shed by our tradition, what concretely are we to do and what
theologically is at stake?
The proposal Taking Action for Economic Justice issues as challenge to us to concretize
our faith in action and highlights an avenue by which we may do so. In this final section,
we want to focus on a theological assessment of what is at stake in both that challenge
and that avenue, given our contemporary context and our biblical convictions.
The Challenge: A Question of Salvation (An Option that is a Must)
As a response to the working paper of the Urban Bishops Coalition, the proposal seeks
to take seriously the bishops call for Christians to commit themselves to a process of
informing the conscience of society about the paradox of a prosperity that generates
poverty.
32
The language of paradox is simply a modern way of speaking of the
biblical breach. Organized economic activity today is paradoxically disorganizing the
social fabric; it has created and incessantly widens a breach. And such a situation
demands a response of conscience.
At the heart of the proposal is a recognition that economic activity does not take place
outside the realm of the human spirit and is not by any stretch of the imagination
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

A-8

amoral activity. Whether we desire it to be the case or not or whether we are
conscious of it or not the economy is a realm of choice-making in which we both
determine persons and decide destinies. At issue in our economic choices and
experimentations is the ultimate allegiance of each of us as well as the proximate well-
being, or even survival, of everyone else. The economy is an arena of fundamental moral
and spiritual formation.
What is less explicit in the proposal but nonetheless part of its basic orientation towards
reality is its ecclesiological implication. The Church is not merely being urged to do
something herein, but to become something it has only managed to realize at particular
moments of kairos in the past. It is being asked to clarify where it ultimately stands and
for what it is willing to risk.
After noting that at one level the resolution amounts to a fund drive (page 21), the
proposal goes on to assert that it is also a call to the economically advantaged in the
Church to become more engaged with the lower income community in its journey to
equal opportunity within an insensitive system (page 17). Later on it will add, The
more fully we enter into partnership with the marginalized, the more we will be enriched
by their resources. The outreach to the have-nots of the world will be the criterion of
salvation for the haves of this world (Mt. 25: 31-46) (page 19).
It is here that we touch the central nerve of the entire proposal. Theologically speaking,
what is at stake for the Church in the relationship to the poor is ultimately a question of
the Churchs own salvation. Judging not only from Mt. 25 but from the entire biblical
tradition and not least from the passionate public struggle of Jesus of Nazareth, the option
for the poor is in reality a must, not an option.
At issue, however, is not only our willingness to reach out and help the disadvantaged
but, even more critically, the development of our capacity to receive from them. Mark
tells us that Jesus once interrupted an argument among the Twelve concerning who was
the greatest with a kind of impromptu prophetic symbolic action in which he pulled a
child into their midst, enfolded the child in his arms and said, Whoever receives one
such child into their midst, enfolded the child in his arms and said, Whoever receives
one such child in my name receives me (Mk. 9: 33-37). When we remember that
children in first century Palestine constituted the poorest of the poor, almost a sub-human
category of person, we catch a glimpse of where and how Jesus thought authentic
leadership was to be tested and measured. It was a question of reception. The challenge
to the Twelve in their servant role as co-leaders of the poor masses with Jesus was to
become vulnerable to them to the point of genuine interdependence. The masses were to
become for the Twelve as they were for Jesus a primary sacramental reality (Mk. 25: 31-
46) and a significant human community (Mk. 4: 31-35).
The proposal is mindful of the difficulty of the discipleship passage from mere
condescension towards the poor to genuine partnership with them. It cautions that
churches and other supportive institutions tread a careful line as they assist but are
careful not to take-over or co-opt these groups. (page 18) The line envisioned here must
without question be carefully traversed, for biblically it cuts straight through the heart of
the Church and not between it and the poor. Ultimately, from a biblical perspective,
church and movements and organizations of the poor are not distinct entities. In
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A-9
tracing its roots back to both the liberation-birth of Israel and the prophetic community of
Jesus of Nazareth, the Church as the People of God in history reveals itself as doubly
constituted. When those who have embraced some measure of voluntary spiritual
poverty (the vision of discipleship in Mt. 5:3) begin to take seriously those who have
been forced into material impoverishment (the vision of discipleship in Mt. 5: 3) begin to
take seriously those who have been forced into material impoverishment (the vision of
discipleship in Lk. 6: 20), the conditions are ripe for church to happen.
33
If the people
shaped by these two experiences collaborate together in a life and death struggle against
the alienating grip of structural poverty, while continuing to honor the liberating value of
voluntary gospel poverty, the kingdom explodes, healing begins to flow, the powers are
challenged, accusations come down, crosses go up and resurrection breaks out.
Salvation (from the Latin word salvus, wholeness) begins to materialize in history
when the breach begins to be crossed over and occupied in the new religio-political and
socio-economic reality called church.
The Avenue: The Cooperative Structure and the Conversion Process
At the heart, then, of the biblical vision of the People of God is the idea of a historical
community living the eschatological reversal. Church is that human geography in
which the rich own and live out their need for the poor and the poor discover and live out
their gifts for the rich in the name of Jesus Christ. The fact that bifurcation rather than
amalgamation characterizes the social make-up not only of society, but of the Church
itself, highlights the need for conversion and pilgrimage on the part of the People of God.
It is just this pilgrimage of faith and discipleship that the modern day cooperative
movement can facilitate.
Cooperation, as either a process or structure, is by no means infallible. It is subject to
manipulation and co-optation by the self-interested and the powerful as is any other
system of getting things done. What it does provide for, however, that many other
systems do not, is a structure of mutual influence and mutual vulnerability. It can allow
rich and poor to come into relationship with each other without immediate colonization
or instant passive-aggressive sabotage. Because it builds in a structural equality up
front, to which both are accountable, it can become an arena of conversion for both.
The rich can be opened up to the faith endowment and capacity for joy of the poor, and
the poor to the expertise and know-how of the rich.
It is perhaps the metaphor of baptism that best illuminates the theological meaning of the
potentialities the cooperative movement offers the Church. We could even go so far as to
say the cooperative movement offers the Church. We could even go so far as to say the
cooperative structure offers the community of the baptized the possibility of recapturing
the meaning of their baptism. Baptism always has to do with solidarity and submission.
In it, we decide with whom we will suffer and for whom we would be willing to die. It is
always proximately embarrassing and ultimately regenerating. It implies a voluntary
shrinking of space and potential the taking upon oneself of a limitation for the sake of
a deeper spirituality and a broader justice.
In a sense, the poor of the land are already baptized; they are already on Calvary. The
physical reality of the streets and the prisons and the psychological anxiety of insecurity
bring them face-to-face with the questions of solidarity and death all the time. Quite
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

A-10

frequently, they already know for whom they would die and they certainly recognize with
whom they are forced to suffer. Under the necessity of survival, they often experience
and comprehend the meaning of community in ways that font or pool baptized
Christians never begin to know. Already baptized into the suffering of Jesus, they long
for even the vaguest glimmering of resurrection. The cooperative structure and process
give them some small hope of coming up out of the water.
Cooperation then must never be understood as a new way for the Church to impose its
agenda upon the poor. Understood under the aegis of baptism, however, it can become
the sociological character of that sacrament made plain. It is a way for the Church to go
under and come up not only new itself but in a new context. Authentic cooperation
for the Church means stepping through a time-warp into the eschaton and through a
culture-warp into the community of the awakening poor; it also means recognizing that
faithfulness to that new baptismal reality will be judged by its arrival at the second
baptismal moment: Calvary!!


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A-11


1
D. Collum, The Way America Does Business, Sojourners, Nov., 1985, p. 13-14.
2
S. Ryan, The Irruption of the Third World, Concilium, 187, Edinburgh: Clark, 1986.
3
D. Collum, The Way America Does Business, p. 15.
4
A Surge in Inequality, The Scientific American, May 1987.
5
J. de Santa Ana, How Rich Nations Came to be Rich, Concilium, 187, p.14.
6
W. Buhlmann, The Coming of the Third Church, Maryknoll: Orbis, 1976, p. 58.
7
Santa Ana, Rich Nations, p. 17.
8
G. Enderle and A. Luthi, Economic Dependence and Dissociation, Concilium, 140, New York:
Seabury, 1980, p. 4.
9
E.F. Schumacher, Small is Beautiful, New York: Harper & Row, 1973, p. 171-190.
10
Ibid, p. 172.
11
D. Senghaas, Dissociation as a Development Strategy, Concilium, 140, p. 58-59.
12
Ibid, p. 59.
13
Ibid, p. 59-60.
14
A. Nolan, The Option for the Poor in South Africa, Cross Currents, Spring, 1986, p. 20.
15
Ibid., p. 20.
16
J. Pixley, The People of God in Biblical Tradition, Concilium, 176, Edinburgh: Clark, 1984, p. 18.
17
N. Gottwald, The Tribes of Yahweh, Maryknoll: Orbis, 1979, p. 389,489.
18
W. Brueggeman, The Earth is the Lords, Sojourners, October 1988, p. 13.
19
G. Mendenhall, The Tenth Generation, Baltimore: John Hopkins, 1973, p. 196.
20
Ibid, p. 1.
21
Gottwald, Tribes, p. 389.
22
W. Stegemann, The Gospel and the Poor, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984, p. 19.
23
G. Theissen, Sociology of Early Palestinian Christianity, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977, p. 34-35.
24
Ibid. p. 36.
25
Ibid, p. 70-71.
26
Ibid, p. 44.
27
J.L. Segundo, The Historical Jesus of Nazareth, Maryknoll: Orbis, 1985, p. 118.
28
A. Pieris, Speaking of the Son of God in Non-Church Cultures, e.g., in Asia, Concilium, 153, New
York: Seabury, 1982, p. 68.
29
Ibid, p. 68.
30
J. L. Segundo, Historical Jesus, p. 119.
31
P. Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, New York: Continuum, 1970, p. 75-77.
32
Economic Justice and the Christian Conscience, a paper adopted by the House of Bishops in October,
1987, p. 3.
33
A. Pieris, To Be Poor as Jesus was Poor? The Way, July, 1984, p. 192.
Appendix B
Charity and Justice Responses

When people are poor, when people lack the basic necessities to develop fully as human beings, what has been the
usual Christian response? For the hungry, we give food, for the homeless, we open shelters, for those who need
clothes, we collect used clothing.
The social teachings of the Church have been very specific in the past hundred years directing us to ask not only how
much money or food people need, but to ask why people are poor and needy. This approach to the problems
examines the causes of poverty and injustices, not only their effects.
Below is a chart examining the distinctions between the works of charity and those of social justice.
The intention is not solely to clarify the different forms of Christian response to persons in need; nor pose one
mode of response as superior to the other. Both are essential, neither is superior.
The issue is that we know out of which mode we are operating and to be sensitive to the needed use of both
responses.
CHARITY SOCIAL JUSTICE
Occasioned by an accidental event, e.g, act of God: floods,
earthquakes, etc.
Assistance is to the individual victim.
Condition of injustice not accidental, results from unfair or
inadequate human systems, institutions, e.g. segregation,
racism, sexism.
Structural change is needed To relieve the victims: the
Causes of the evil (structures) must be addressed.
Spontaneity: in it there is no attempt to identify and cope
with the causes; relief is designed to go directly to the ones
in need.
Addressing the causes calls for long term persistent and
concentrated efforts; Short term, sporadic efforts are
inadequate and ineffective.
Temporary provisions: immediate assistant to satisfy basic
human needs, e.g, food, clotting, shelter, etc. Expectations
are that conditions will return to normal and relief
measures will no longer be needed.
Victims are usually found in similar conditions: inadequate
food, poor housing and medical care, etc. But donating
food or rent money wont address the environmental
conditions until the causes are recognized and addressed.
Non-controversial actions: victims of natural calamities or
individual tragedies are clearly identifiable. Questions are
not whether to respond but how much should be given.
Root causes of injustices usually require questioning the
institutions and social policies which violate the human
dignity of groups of people. This kind of change is usually
controversial
Example: Good Samaritan
The Gospel story doesnt attempt to survey the causes of
highway banditry. The Good Samaritan provides temporary
and adequate assistance.
Example: Exodus Story
Moses didnt ask for food and medicine for the local slave-
labor force. He challenged the institutional injustice of the
Pharaoh's system. Ultimately, Moses led his people to a new
identity as a people.
The Ministry of Jubilee in the Episcopal Church is an attempt at being "a Christian community in which the drama of the
streets and the inner silence of which God speaks are bound together." (The Standing Committee on The Church in Metropolitan
Areas-1982)
While we are called to feed the hungry we are also equally called to address the cause of that hunger. Therefore our goal is to know the
difference and to be prepared to work in both areas for the glory and honor of God.


C-1
Appendix C
Excerpts from Organizing for Economic Justice
Usc! uiin pcrnissicn. |xccrpic! jrcn Cnapicrs 2 an! 6 cj Organizing jcr |ccncnic jusiicc,
Ha||, |c|cri T. uiin jcnn Hccpcr an! Grcicncn Snajjcr, S.S.j. |ccncnic jusiicc |np|cncniaiicn
Ccnniiicc, inc |pisccpa| Cnurcn, 1990.
Christian Faith and Economic Justice

Iconomic }uslice in lhe }udeo-Chrislian lradilion vas nol Iimiled lo charily for lhose
vho are Iess forlunale. The vaIues imIicil in our failh are indeed aIicabIe lo lhe
slruclures of our economic inslilulions as veII as direclIy lo individuaIs vilhin lhe
syslem.
Covenant and Community
The failh of IsraeI, focused uon lhe exodus exerience, is one of covenanl and
communily. God gives lhe Iand lo lhe eoIe God has Iiberaled from sIavery and
romises God's bIessing. The eoIe of IsraeI are lo shov lheir failhfuIness lo lhe
covenanl by conducling lheir ersonaI and communaI Iives according lo God's Iav.
The Iav Torah governs nol onIy reIigious riluaI (sacrifices and feasl days) and
ersonaI reIalionshis (dulies lo arenls, marriage Iavs), bul aIso lhe economic
reIalions of eoIe vilhin lhe communily.
The syslemic significance of lhe Iav of Moses is cIear. IsraeI vas lo have ils ovn sel of
economic inslilulions. The Lord loId Moses lo seak lo lhe IsraeIiles in lhese vords.
You shaII nol do as lhey do in Igyl vhere you once dveIl, nor shaII you do as lhey
do in lhe Iand of Canaan lo vhich I am bringing you, you shaII nol conform lo lheir
inslilulions. You shaII observe my inslilulions and my Iavs. (Levilicus 18:3-5)
The ruIes Iaid dovn in Ixodus, Levilicus, Deuleronomy and Numbers cover virluaIIy
every asecl of economic Iife.
The concel of slevardshi, reinforced as il vas by lhe sense of lhe Hebrevs being
eIecled or chosen, carries slrong universaIislic imIicalions. The veaIlh of lhe earlh is
lo be avaiIabIe lo aII eoIe. When an aIien sellIes vilh you in your Iand, you shaII nol
oress him. He shaII be lrealed as a nalive born among you, and you shaII Iove him as
a man Iike yourseIf, because you vere aIiens in Igyl (Lev. 19:33-34).
The New Covenant
}esus' emhasis on lhe imminenl end of lhe age (Do nol be concerned for lomorrov),
his radicaI elhic (If someone demands your coal, give him your cIoak as veII and his
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

C-2
siriluaI erseclive (My kingdom is nol of lhis vorId) can easiIy give lhe imression
lhal lhe Nev Teslamenl vrilers gave IillIe lhoughl lo lhe oIilicaI or economic
reslrucluring aIlhough he did, of course, command a radicaI sharing of lhe vorId's
resource. This in ilseIf, hovever, mighl have been more aroriale if lhe end of lhe
age vas execled in a maller of days or veeks.
WhiIe lhe eschaloIogicaI erseclive may have recIuded Iong range Ianning lo
reslruclure lhe economy, }esus' chaIIenge lo lhe exisling slruclure vas essenliaI lo his
message. His reaching consliluled a direcl chaIIenge lo lhe slalus quo. He rocIaims
lhe }ubiIee year (Lk. 4:18-19) and reIenlIessIy condemned lhe accumuIalion of veaIlh al
lhe exense of lhe oor. Whal has nov come lo be recognized as }esus' referenliaI
olion for lhe oor vas lhe sum and subslance of his vay of Iife and lhe Way of his
foIIovers. Iven as an inlerim arrangemenl, lhe communily lhal }esus deveIoed
consliluled a radicaI break vilh lhe sociaI-oIilicaI slruclure of firsl-cenlury IsraeI.
}ames Ierkinson has alIy summarized lhe communily vilhin sociely lhal }esus
crealed.
From among either rich or poor, Jesus attempted to gather disciples (Mk. 10:17-
31). This third group faced the most stringent demands of all. They were
summoned to live as Jesus did close to the bone (Mt. 6:25-33), on the run (Mk.
6:30-31; 7:24; John 7:1; Lk. 9:58), vulnerable to surveillance and public censure
(Mk. 7:1-5), often hungry (Mt. 12:1-8), utterly dependent upon the poor
themselves for sustenance (Mt. 10:5-15), ready to meet emergency needs and
share cooperatively with the destitute (John 6:1-14), given over to organizing the
masses and being consumed by their brokenness (Mk. 6:31-44), willing to deal
with the stress of public confrontation and political realism (Mk. 8:31-38, 11:15-
19), and even to begin to choke down the fears of prophetic destinies (Mk. 13:9;
14:26-31, 31-38; John 15:18-27).
1

To lhe disaoinlmenl of some, }esus' slralegy vas nol one of oIilicaI conlroI. He did
nol alleml lo reslruclure sociely by raising an army lo drive oul lhe Romans or by
seizing over from lhe }evish reIigious eslabIishmenl. His mission vas lo caII
individuaIs inlo disciIeshi in a nev communily vhich vouId Iive by ils ovn vaIues
vilhin lhe }udeo-Roman slruclure. Il vas reslrucluring by crealing an aIlernalive as an
examIe. Iven al lhal, of course, il vas more lhan lhe eslabIished overs couId
loIerale.
The earIy Chrislian communilies lhal reached lhe good nevs of lhe resurreclion aIso
kel aIive lhe nev Way. They heId aII lhings in common (Acls 2:44) and as many
as ovned Iands or houses soId lhem and broughl lhe roceeds lo be dislribuled lo
lhose in need (Acls 4:32-35), alism meanl idenlificalion vilh an aIlernalive economic

1
James Perkinson, Taking Action for Economic Justice: A Theological Assessment.
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communily one based uon economic rinciIes in shar conlrasl vilh lhose of lhe
surrounding cuIlure.
WhiIe Chrislian communaIism has been racliced in many vays lhroughoul lhe
cenluries and remains for many an essenliaI Iife-commilmenl, il is nol nov generaIIy
considered lo be mandaled by alism as lhe onIy vay lo be failhfuI. The oinl of
recaIIing lhis asecl of lhe immediale Iegacy of }esus is lo emhasize lhe exlenl lo vhich
lhe failh invoIves an economic re-orienlalion as veII as olher forms of ersonaI and
siriluaI conversion. (Il is inleresling lo nole lhal measures roosed in Congress lo
vean lhe U.S. economy avay from miIilary roleclion are nov referred lo as economic
conversion Ians.)
Chrislian efforls al economic reslrucluring have nol aIvays been successfuI. The
communiaI }erusaIem Church, for one reason or anolher, vas rescued by IauI's
soIicilalions of charily from lhe genliIe churches. SliII lhe rinciIe uon vhich IauI
made his aeaI shovs lhal economic |uslice vas an essenliaI eIemenl of lhe goseI
message: Il is a queslion of equaIily, IauI said lo lhe Corinlhians, Al lhe momenl
your surIus meels lheir need, bul one day your need may be mel from lheir surIus.
The aim is equaIily. (2 Cor. 8:14). There is slrong evidence, furlhermore, lo lhe effecl
lhal lhe sharing of vorIdIy goods racliced in various vays by lhe Chrislians of lhe firsl
lvo cenluries acluaIIy heIed lhe communily and lhe goseI ilseIf lo vilhsland
erseculion.
Irom lhe lime of lhe earIy church lhrough lhe Reformalion, economic |uslice vas an
imorlanl reIigious concern. TheoIogians and counciIs debaled lhe rivale ovnershi
of roerly and lhe roriely of laking inleresl on Ioans. WhiIe rivale ovnershi vas
generaIIy aroved, greed and lhe accumuIalion of veaIlh al lhe exense of olhers
vere universaIIy condemned. Inleresl on Ioans, hovever, vas evenluaIIy rohibiled
aIlogelher.
Irom lhe lime of Sl. Thomas Aquinas in lhe lhirleenlh cenlury lo lhe resenl, Roman
CalhoIic leaching on economic |uslice has cenlered on lhe queslion of roerly.
Throughoul lhis eriod a fairIy consislenl osilion evoIved lo lhe effecl lhal rivale
ovnershi of roerly is |uslified because eoIe lake grealer care of lhings lhal are
lheir ovn, bul lhal excess roerly eseciaIIy roerly used for lhe economic
roduclion and lhereby essenliaI lo lhe IiveIihood of lhe communily musl be used for
lhe good of aII. Il vas cerlainIy feIl lo be vilhin lhe Iegilimale over of lhe slale lo
reguIale lhe ovnershi and use of roerly for lhe common good.
Marlin Lulher's emhasis on lhe nolion of a secuIar caIIing casl a nev Iighl on lhe
queslion of economic |uslice by ennobIing human Iabor. Il aIso Ialer lended lo give
grealer |uslificalion lo lhe accumuIalion of lhe fruils of one's Iabor. }ohn CaIvin decided
lhal lhe 12lh cenlury rohibilion of laking inleresl on Ioans made IillIe economic sense
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C-4
in lhe commerciaI 16lh cenlury, bul he did require lhal lhe inleresl rale be reasonabIe
and lhal Ioans be made lo lhe oor vilhoul charge.
The Eclipse of Economic Justice in Western Thought
The 17lh and 18lh cenluries mark a lurning oinl in Chrislian lhoughl vilh regard lo
lhe queslion of economic |uslice. Wilh regard lo roerly, lhe lheories of }ohn Locke (d.
1704) have been mosl infIuenliaI. Locke heId lhal vhiIe lhe earlh and ils fruils vere
originaIIy given by God for lhe earlh and ils fruils vere originaIIy given by God for lhe
common use of aII, individuaIs couId acquire righls lo lhe ovnershi of Iand by
invesling lheir Iabor in il. Since lhis ovnershi couId lhen be lransferred lo olhers by
IegaI lilIe, ovnershi came lo be underslood Iess as slevardshi and more as an
absoIule righl. Locke quaIified his lheory of ovnershi vilh lhe roviso lhal roerly
couId onIy be arorialed lhrough invesling Iabor in il vhere lhere is enough, and as
good Iefl in common for olhers (Second Trealise on Governmenl, Ch.5 Sec. 27), Whal
vas more oflen remembered and more videIy quoled, hovever, vas Locke's basic
lheory of governmenl vhich lends lo imIy lhal roerly righls are absoIule. The
greal and chief end, he vrole, of men's uniling inlo commonveaIlhs, and ulling
lhemseIves under governmenl is lhe reservalion of lheir roerly (Ibid. Ch. 9, Sec.
124).
Crilics have charged lhal vhiIe lhe arorialion of Iand from an originaI slale of
common ovnershi is fair vhen lhere is an unIimiled amounl of Iand lo be acquired in
lhis vay, lhere is cerlainIy nol nov enough and as good Iefl. Olher crilics aeaIed
lo lhe nolions of slevardshi and covenanl lo oinl oul lhal roduclive roerly
such as faclories or olher means of IiveIihood is nol ersonaI roerly and musl be
considered vilh regard lo lhe needs of lhe communily.
Desile lhese crilicisms, lhe nolion of roerly righls as absoIule became firmIy
enlrenched in veslern lhoughl. And as roerly righls came lo be considered absoIule,
lhe Chrislian sense of economic |uslice look a back seal.
A second lrend in veslern lhoughl during lhe enIighlenmenl eriod senl lhe nolion of
economic |uslice inlo a near lolaI ecIise. In 1776 vhen Adam Smilh ubIished The
WeaIlh of Nalions, he vas reacling againsl a syslem in vhich lhe business of economic
roduclion vas lighlIy conlroIIed by Iav and lradilion. The use of lhe Iand and ils
resources vere slriclIy governed by Iavs regarding inherilance and lhe lradilions of lhe
communily. Who roduced vhal goods and vho vorked for vhal vages vere
delermined by lhe guiId syslem lhe reIalions of maslers, |ourneymen and arenlices
assed dovn from generalion lo generalion. Commerce vas reguIaled by nalionaI
mercanliIe Iavs vhich sel lhe lerms of exorl and imorl. The syslem vasn'l vorking.
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Smilh's revoIulionary roosaI vas lhal lhese conlroIs vhich inhibiled commerce and
discouraged roduclion be reIaced by a free markel rice syslem. Lel goods be soId al
vhalever rices lhal viII bring and lhe markel demand viII delermine vhal is
roduced. Lel Iabor be soId for vages and lhe same demand viII delermine vho vorks
vhere. Lel Iand and resources be renled or soId for vhalever rices lhey viII bring and
lhese naluraI resources viII aIso be aIIocaled lo lhe uses for vhich lhere is lhe grealesl
demand. And Iel money be invesled in vhalever enlerrises offer lhe highesl relurn
and il loo viII fIov lo lhe mosl roduclive enlerrises. Iach eIemenl in lhe syslem
Iand, naluraI resources, Iabor, cailaI, and even lechnicaI abiIily viII be ul lo ils mosl
efficienl use vhen lhal use is delermined by lhe rice lhal each brings on lhe oen
markel.
The rice syslem of roduclion and dislribulion is based, furlhermore, on lhe naluraI
molivalion of seIf-inleresl and individuaI reference. If each erson in a sociely Iooks
oul for vhal viII benefil him or her mosl, economic resources viII be devoled lo lhe
acluaI goods lhal consumers demand and lhe ersonaI references of aII viII be
salisfied. IeoIe viII even save and invesl some of lheir money in lhe hoe of fulure
rofils, so lhe syslem viII rovide naluraI incenlives for economic deveIomenl.
The rice syslem is aII lhe more allraclive because il does nol deend uon human
Ianning, Iike lhe lrade Iavs lhal reslricled commerce in Smilh's day. Il reIies onIy
uon lhe Iav of nalure. Il is naluraI lhal eoIe viII seek lo lrade lheir Iabor for lhe
necessilies of Iife, or lo invesl lheir resources in vays lhal viII bring lhe mosl relurn. So
vhen individuaI aclions are molivaled onIy by seIf-inleresl, lhe naluraI resuIl viII be
vhal is besl for aII lhe roduclion of exaclIy lhose goods and services lhal eoIe
vanl, and lheir dislribulion in vhalever vays eoIe choose lo send lheir vages.
In lhe eighleenlh cenlury, as loday, lhe Iavs of nalure vere lhoughl of as God's Iavs.
Since il vas God vho had vrillen lhe Iavs of nalure, God's hand couId be discerned
behind lhe syslem. IndividuaIs acling onIy on lhe basis of lheir ovn seIf-inleresl viII, in
lhe vords of Adam Smilh, be Ied by an invisibIe hand lo romole an end vhich vas
no arl of lheir inlenlion. Thal end, of course, vas a syslem of roduclion and
dislribulion vhich vorks lo lhe benefil of aII.
Hovever secuIar or marginaIIy reIigious lheir origins, beIiefs vhich are slrongIy heId
by any grou of eoIe lend lo vork lheir vay inlo lhe fabric of lhal eoIe's reIigion.
Thus, over lhe Iasl couIe of cenluries, lhe markel syslem has become a basic rinciIe
of failh. Il has, as HaroId Laski has said, achieved lhe slalus of a lheoIogy. And lo lhis
exlenl, olher Chrislian nolions of economic |uslice have been nearIy lolaIIy ecIised.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

C-6
Meeting Basic Needs
As lhe IiberaI economic hiIosohy of lhe foIIovers of Locke and Smilh became lhe
guiding Iighl of lhe induslriaI revoIulion, Chrislian concern vas diverled lovard more
immediale raclicaI robIems. Wilh induslriaIizalion and lhe grovlh of cilies, human
needs in lhe areas of heaIlh care, educalion and veIfare became aramounl. The
induslriaI syslem crealed a need for direcl services vhich has occuied lhe allenlion of
lhe failhfuI dovn lo lhe resenl.
Chrislian resonses lo lhe human needs of lhe induslriaI age have, in facl, roduced
some of our ma|or and mosl effeclive sociaI inslilulions. The Sunday SchooI movemenl
vas a resonse lo lhe need for educalion vhich vas evenluaIIy ansvered by lhe
deveIomenl of ubIic schooIs and lhe founding of coIIeges and universilies. HosilaIs
vere buiIl lo care for lhe sick, and reIigious organizalions Iayed a ma|or roIe in lhe
eslabIishmenl of veIfare rograms.
WhiIe lhe deveIomenl of services lo meel immediale needs occuied lhe Iarger arl of
Chrislian concern, efforls of a more slrucluraI nalure deveIoed from lime lo lime. The
seclarian-uloian communilies in lhe Uniled Slales Oneida, Amana, Nev Harmony,
el aI. vere based on lhe resuosilion lhal economic |uslice required a comIele
break vilh lhe induslriaI syslem. In IngIand lhe vorkers cooeralives founded by }ohn
MaIcoIm LudIov (d. 1911), lhe Rev. CharIes KingsIey (d. 1875) and lhe Rev. Irederick
Denison Maurice (d. 1872) and lheir associales consliluled an efforl lo exand lhe base
of ovnershi and conlroI of roduclion vilhin lhe induslriaI framevork.
In lhe Uniled Slales concern for economic |uslice deveIoed inlo a fuII crilique of
cailaIism in lhe SociaI GoseI movemenl of lhe earIy 20lh cenlury. Ils ma|or
sokeserson, WaIler Rauschenbusch, drev a shar conlrasl belveen Chrislianily and
lhe revaiIing economic hiIosohy of lhe age: Chrislianily makes lhe Iove of money
lhe rool of aII eviI, Raushenbusch said, CailaIism cuIlivales lhe Iove of money for ils
ovn sake and gives ils Iargesl veaIlh lo lhose vho use monooIy exlorlion.
2
On lhe
raclicaI side, Chrislian invoIvemenl in lhe Iabor movemenl consliluled anolher efforl
lo romole grealer |uslice vilhin lhe cailaIisl syslem lhrough an inslilulionaIized
mechanism (coIIeclive bargaining) lo reeslabIish a more equilabIe baIance of over.
The righls of vorkers lo organize and bargain coIIecliveIy vere mosl slrongIy and
consislenlIy affirmed in lhe leachings of lhe Roman CalhoIic Church.
In recenl years, deveIomenls in ibIicaI sludies and in Chrislian raclice in lhird vorId
sellings have direcled allenlion back lovard lhe queslion of economic |uslice. ibIicaI
sludies have reveaIed anev lhe exlenl lo vhich lhe GoseI as reached and racliced
by }esus and his foIIovers osed a direcl chaIIenge lo lhe economic slruclures of his

2
Christianizing the Social Order, N.Y.:Macmillan, 1907, p. 321).

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C-7
age. This relurn lo lhe source of our failh has IileraIIy oened lhe eyes of Chrislians lo
lhe economic |uslice imIicalions of Chrislian failh. As ve become conscious of lhe
secific hisloricaI conlingencies lo vhich lhe GoseI message vas addressed in lhe firsl
cenlury, ve cannol heI bul refIecl on lhe hisloricaI conlingencies of our ovn lime. The
more ve undersland lhe meaning of lhe lexls in and for lhe age in vhich lhey vere
vrillen, lhe more ve are abIe lo aIy lhe rinciIes lhey embody lo our ovn age. And
lhe more ve are conscious of lhe sociaI, oIilicaI and economic slruclures of our sociely,
lhe more ve reaIize our resonsibiIily for aIying lhe rinciIes of our failh lo lhem.
Al lhe same lime, lhe facl lhal Chrislians in many arls of lhe vorId Iive lheir Iives
vilhin economic slruclures in vhich lhe baIance of lhe dislribulion of lhe vorId's goods
is so one-sided crealing an infIexibIe lvo-cIass sociely has made lhem some of lhe
mosl ercelive inlerrelers of lhe GoseI chaIIenge. The Iiberalion lheoIogy lhal has
enIivened lhe failh of so many in our age rocIaims a Iiberalion from oressive
economic slruclures and conslilules, in many resecls, a relurn lo lradilionaI Chrislian
concels of economic |uslice. The Iife of failh invoIves refIecling on lhe meaning of lhe
GoseI for our ovn arlicuIar hisloricaI silualion, and lheoIogy is lhe crilicaI rocess of
lhis refIeclion. The silualion is enIighlened by lhe GoseI and lhe GoseI is rendered
meaningfuI in lhe silualion. Allenlion lo lhe economic dimension of our Iives,
lherefore, is an aroriale asecl of lhe failh exerience bolh in lerms of our
underslanding of lhe GoseI message and in lerms of our failh as a erseclive from
vhich lo evaIuale and reform lhe slruclure of our economy. We cannol say lhal lhe
GoseI enIighlens our Iives vilhoul submilling aII of our Iives incIuding lhe economic
slruclures of our sociely lo crilicaI examinalion in lhe Iighl of lhe GoseI message.
Nor can ve say lhal ve are failhfuI if ve, Iike Ananias and Sahira, alleml lo hoId
back essenliaI dimensions of our exislence our economic Iives from lhe GoseI
demands for Iove and |uslice.
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C-8
Getting Organized

The foIIoving aroach lo organizing economic |uslice inilialives is a very generaI
guide for lhe lask. Since ve have in mind inilialives lhal may be as smaII as arish
educalion rograms or as vide as a diocesan efforl lo Iaunch or assisl some sorl of
business enlerrise, lhe sles lhal ve oulIine viII sureIy nol aIy lo aII eoIe al aII
IeveIs. The reader viII have lo ick and choose vhal may or may nol be heIfuI and
viII sureIy have lo adal lhese suggeslions lo his or her ovn silualion.
There are, hovever, cerlain generaI guideIines lhal can be suggesled for gelling slarled.
We resenl lhese as slages. Iach slage is conceived as a sle vhich invoIves secific
aclivilies and rocesses, and a secific oulcome.
1. Getting Started
Issues of economic |uslice can be raised in a church communily in any number of vays.
Some arishes in economicaIIy deressed urban or ruraI areas find lheir
membershi sIiing avay or have difficuIlies meeling lheir annuaI budgels. These
robIems, in lurn, roml refIeclion and aclion on lhe economic condilions of lhe
neighborhood or area.
VoIunlary grous formed lo address ressing economic robIems of an area may
seek lhe assislance of a arish, even if onIy as a requesl for lhe use of meeling rooms.
To lhis exlenl, lhe arish is aIready vieved as a communily resource.
IeoIe invoIved in direcl services are oflen lhe firsl lo see lhe need for slrucluraI
change because lhey are eseciaIIy avare of lhe difficuIlies eoIe have in lrying lo
gel a slarl economicaIIy. If direcl service ro|ecls are underlaken |oinlIy belveen a
number churches and synagogues, lhe board lhal oversees lhe ro|ecl vouId be a
good Iace lo slarl.
Al limes aduIl sludy grous on eoIe and |uslice issues can be encouraged lo focus
allenlion on economic |uslice issues. Some of lhe maleriaIs in lhis manuaI may serve
as educalionaI resources for a grou lhal vanls lo consider lhis issue.
A reclor may aoinl a commillee lo address lhe robIem, or lhe bisho may caII for
lhe aoinlmenl of a commission in resonse lo lhe urging of lhe Iconomic }uslice
ResoIulion of lhe 1988 NalionaI Convenlion.
The rocess can begin vilh a fev eoIe erceiving a need or vilh an evenl lhal
An Apprnach Inr 5ma!! Parishcs
}oin a communily organizalion aIready in exislence. Iconomic |uslice issues require
cooeralion. SmaII arishes or commillees musl seek lo vork vilh olher churches
or communily organizalions lo gel lhings done. Nol onIy can'l you do il aIone, you
don'l have lo!
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C-9
occuies lhe allenlion of a vhoIe communily. Some of lhe vays of gelling slarled
mighl be characlerized as bollom u inilialives in vhich eoIe vilh economic
robIems aroach eslabIished inslilulions for heI. Olher inilialives are lo dovn
in lhe sense lhal a Ieader or an inslilulion reaches oul lo individuaIs vho are
economicaIIy al risk.
Righl off, ve mighl caulion lhal if lhe rocess you are invoIved in is a lo dovn
rocess, you shouId vanl lo make conlacl quickIy vilh individuaIs vho are in lhe
economicaIIy al risk calegory lhal viII be lhe focus of your allenlion. This is
imorlanl bolh because lhey need lo be invoIved in lhe inilialives from lhe oulsel and
because you need lo see lhe robIems from lheir erseclive. The oosile is aIso lrue:
eoIe vho are vorking from lhe bollom u, i.e., lhose al risk of being Iefl oul of
economic roserily, viII vanl lo lry lo invoIve some of lhose vho are economicaIIy
veII eslabIished. Iconomic |uslice requires cooeralion from aII sociaI cIasses.
Working With Others
ReIigious grous quile naluraIIy devole mosl of lheir allenlion lo lhe deveIomenl of
lhe grou o communily ilseIf. They are aIvays accuslomed lo seeing lhemseIves as
arlicianls in lhe Iarger communily, eseciaIIy in an economic or oIilicaI sense. To be
invoIved in sociaI |uslice aclivilies, hovever, il is essenliaI for church grous lo vork
vilh olhers lo see lhemseIves as a arl of a Iarger efforl.
There are advanlages lo lhis. No doubl, many individuaIs from smaII arishes vho
read lhese vords may lhink, Hov can ve do aII lhal` Some of lhese economic |uslice
inilialives are ma|or underlakings, ve are so smaII. The ansver is lhal you do nol
have lo do il aII by yourseIf. In facl, in many Iaces economic |uslice inilialives are veII
undervay and invoIvemenl is a maller of bringing a arish church inlo arlnershi
vilh eslabIished organizalions.
Communily coaIilions exisl in many areas lo address secific robIems or lo confronl
in|uslices. These may incIude reresenlalives from unions, neighborhoods,
governmenlaI agencies, nonrofil organizalions and business. As communily
organizalions cIarify lhe nalure of lhe robIem, lhey oflen savn aIlernalive
communily grous lo address lhem. Communily DeveIomenl Cororalions lhal Ian
and imIemenl Iong-lerm redeveIomenl are oflen naluraI aIIies of churches vilh
regard lo economic |uslice issues.
Oulside of lhe immediale communily, coaIilions and associalions exisl lhal can rovide
a suorlive environmenl as veII as offering secific exerlise. Associalions of Iand
lrusls, cooeralives, vorker-ovned businesses and credil unions exisl on slale, regionaI
and nalionaI IeveIs. Training sessions and conferences bring logelher slaff, members
and voIunleers lo share exeriences, concerns and resources.
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C-10
One ansver lo lhe feeIing of insignificance or overIessness in lhe face of robIems so
Iarge is lhe recognilion lhal ve are nol aIone. In many areas, in facl, lhe economic
|uslice movemenl is aIready roIIing and churches are lhe Iale comers. Ierhas il is
lime lo find oul vhal God is aIready doing.
Diocesan Commissions
A diocese is a Iarge area and incIudes eoIe vho generaIIy do nol knov each olher
much al aII. IconomicaIIy il covers urban and ruraI areas, deressed and veII-lo-do
areas, and residenliaI, commerciaI and induslriaI areas. Il mighl be besl for a diocese lo
eslabIish a lask force lo conducl a reIiminary sludy of lhe area rior lo forming an
Iconomic }uslice Commission. The lask force couId:
a) investigate whether existing Episcopal or ecumenical groups are already addressing the issue,
b) look briefly at the major economic issues in the area,
c) identify people who will be representative of areas, interests, expertise, and different social-
economic levels to be members of the commission, and
d) develop a proposed work plan for the commission including activities, budget and staffing.
Establishing an Economic Justice Implementation Committee
Whelher lhe grou is a arish commillee or a diocesan commission and vhelher il is
aoinled or comes logelher as a voIunlary associalion, arlicianls need lo be
conscious of hov il deveIos. Grou behavior is a sludy in ilseIf. We need nol aII be
exerl in grou rocess or slruclure, bul if ve ay allenlion lo some of lhe basics, lhe
lask viII be easier.
Iirsl, lhe comosilion of lhe grou is imorlanl, eoIe from aII sides of lhe economic
seclrum need lo be incIuded. This may veII mean lhal a grou aoinled by a church
veslry shouId Iook oulside ilseIf for arlicianls, or lhal a arish grou shouId Iook lo
lhe communily oulside lhe arish. The ob|eclive shouId be an aroriale baIance of
men and vomen vilh roorlionale members from minorily communilies and olher
affecled grous.
Second, lhere is aIvays a rocess of a grou gelling lo knov one anolher. This is oflen
a maller of a grou making each arlicianl feeI lhal he or she is an imorlanl
conlribulor. Il viII be of IillIe heI lo have arlicianls from differenl economic
circumslances if some of lhem feeI hesilanl or inlimidaled by olhers vhom lhey
erceive eilher lo be in conlroI or lo knov aII lhe ansvers.
Some grous use rocesses of aclive Iislening lo faciIilale deveIomenl. IeoIe can
usuaIIy be encouraged lo leII lheir slories in vays vhich bring olhers inlo lheir Iives.
The slories of lhose vho are economicaIIy al risk are eseciaIIy imorlanl for gaining a
grou erseclive on economic |uslice issues.
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Third, given lhe diversily of economic |uslice grous, il may be besl if Ieadershi is
shared or rolaled. uiIding Ieadershi is arl of lhe goaI. IeoIe may emerge as
Ieaders vho erhas had nol seen lhemseIves as Ieaders before.
Iourlh, il viII be imorlanl lo kee lhe agenda oen so lhal differenl issues can come lo
lhe fore. If lhe agenda is conlroIIed by a fev, lhe reaI issues may never surface.
Iconomic |uslice grous may veII find lhemseIves going in differenl direclions al
differenl limes, or a reviousIy minor issue may become a ma|or focus.
Iiflh, il heIs lo have some record of vhal lhe grou has done and vhere il is going.
Wilh some grous lhis may be in lhe form of a reorl lhal gels circuIaled belveen
meelings lo kee eoIe lhinking aboul lhe sub|ecl. Wilh olher grous, a summary al
lhe beginning or end of a meeling may be lhe vay.
Sixlh, don'l forgel lo refIecl on lhe resources of lhe failh. eginning lhe meeling vilh a
rayer viII nol be enough. The common ground in lerms of underslandings among lhe
members of lhe grou shouId reaIIy be reIaled lo lhe leachings and vaIues of our failh.
IdeaIIy one vouId vanl lo kee a discussion of lhe economic imIicalions of lhe failh
going aIongside discussions of economic robIems. The |uslice in economic |uslice
is a failh erseclive.
Outcome: Mission Statement
We suggesl lhal lhe deveIomenl of a MISSION STATIMINT is an imorlanl sle in
lhe organizing rocess. Mission slalemenls don'l change lhe vorId, bul lhe rocess of
ulling logelher a slalemenl of vhal lhis grou considers lo be ils erseclive and ils
goaIs is imorlanl for lhe grou ilseIf. The rocess may discIose differences of
erseclive, differenl ercelions of robIems, or differenl vaIues vilh regard lo
soIulions.
A mission slalemenl can aIso leII olhers vhal lhe grou is aboul. This may be an
imorlanl firsl sle in lhe dynamics belveen an economic |uslice grou and a
congregalion. If Ialer efforls are going lo require arish commilmenls, il is essenliaI
lhal lhe congregalion be kel informed of lhe grou's aclivilies. A mission slalemenl
can resenl lhe economic |uslice erseclive lo lhe arish communily.
The mission slalemenl may be in lhe form of lhe ResoIulion lhal couId be resenled al a
arish meeling or diocesan convenlion. ResoIulions al meelings or convenlions have
lhe effecl of Iacing concerns on lhe ubIic agenda of lhe communily. This is anolher
vay of educaling and bringing lhe communily aIong vilh lhe commillee.
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2. Gathering Information
The second slage of lhe economic |uslice organizing rocess is lo slarl ulling logelher
lhe informalion necessary lo begin lo address lhe robIem. Il shouId be cIearIy
recognized lhal addressing economic |uslice issues is nol an overnighl lask. Whelher
regionaI or IocaI, il look a Iong lime for lhe economy lo deveIo ils resenl robIems
and viII require considerabIe lime and energy even lo deveIo smaII exemIary
aIlernalives.
The rocess of galhering informalion, hovever, is a venlure in seIf-educalion, il has
considerabIe vaIue on ils ovn aarl from ils roIe in rearing for fulure inilialives. This
is nol lhe sorl of lask lhal can be handed lo a slaff erson or consuIlanl. The ob|eclive of
lhis slage is lhe idenlificalion of commillee, grou or commission aclivilies or ro|ecls.
Resources
Sources of informalion for economic |uslice grous incIude:
1. Existing direct service projects. People involved in direct service projects food
kitchens/pantries, clothing centers, shelters, counseling can be invaluable resources: they
generally know a great deal about the housing and employment situations as well as about
the immediate needs of people. Direct service projects may be conducted by other churches
or synagogues, or by non-religious groups.
2. Site visits to direct service programs, small businesses or other economic projects in the area
are very important. It is difficult to get a grasp of the picture without seeing it first hand.
Small business people are especially important to talk to since they are already engaged in
initiatives of their own.
3. Surveys of the economic needs of a neighborhood or area can help to identify resources
(existing ventures) as well as problems. Sometimes physically mapping an area is helpful a
community development corporation may have done this already, or a neighboring CDC may
be able to get a group started.
4. Investigation of the resources of a parish or a diocese itself is also important. Trustees of
parish/diocesan funds should be invited to discuss the question of socially responsible
investing. A socially responsible investing initiative is often one of the most immediate
projects an economic justice committee can undertake. Banks, of course, can also be
surveyed regarding the amounts and types of community investing they do.
5. Parishes located in more affluent neighborhoods will want to expand their range of concern
to look at the needs of the broader community. Suburban communities can often be quite
isolated and will need to develop partnerships with parishes or community agencies in lower
income areas.
6. Governmental agencies conduct certain projects such as Job Corps programs or Head Start
programs that are designed to address economic problems. Administrators of these programs
often have information that is useful. Sheltered workshops and other programs for
individuals with disabilities are often entrepreneurial efforts in themselves that have been
engaged in economic development initiatives already. State economic development, labor,
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health and human services agencies often have information that will help an economic justice
group to educate others with regard to the nature and extent of the problem.
7. Sometimes local and state public officials are good resource people. Officials can be invited
to meet with committees to share their perspectives on economic development problems. It
might be noted that public officials often have conventional assessments of problems and
solutions (All we need is to get a major industry to move into the area) that are unrealistic
(a new major industry would perhaps employ very few local people.
8. Finally, printed and media resources are important. Stories about re-inventing the wheel are
true. Other communities have faced problems and some have solved them. One good
example can often be worth months of worrying over a problem. The last chapter of this
volume provides some information on printed and media resources and on contacts with
established groups.
Outcome: Prioritizing/Decision-making
The ob|eclive of lhe informalion galhering slage is lo focus uon vhal mighl be
accomIished. There is a greal deaI of |udgmenl invoIved in lhe riorilizing of needs
and vaIues around aIong vilh eslimalions of vhal mighl be mosl feasibIe. There are
aIvays loo many lhings lhal need allenlion, bul il may be a mislake lo focus on lhe
grealesl need firsl if il requires an inilialive lhal is nol one lhe resenl economic |uslice
grou can manage.
A searalion belveen ma|or and minor aclivilies in lerms of lhe lime, energy and
resources required may be heIfuI. Housing, Iand and |obs inilialives are cerlainIy
ma|or underlakings requiring in mosl cases lhe evenluaI deveIomenl of resources lo
varranl fuII-lime vork. Iarish and communily educalion, sociaIIy resonsibIe
invesling and oIilicaI advocacy, aIlhough imorlanl, vouId require Iess.
Galhering informalion can be lhe mosl imorlanl sle of lhe organizing rocess.
Ixerienced organizers knov lhal lhings do nol usuaIIy begin lo haen unliI eoIe
erceive robIems as invoIving in|uslice. The besl organizing advice is lo gel
informalion aboul and gel invoIved vilh some immediale and secific robIem
eoIe being evicled, a governmenl rogram reslricling eIigibiIily or a Iabor disule.
Irom lhis concerns aImosl inevilabIy exand lo more slrucluraI and syslem robIems
lhe Iack of housing, business deveIomenl or ubIic advocacy.
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Example
A Community Needs Survey
The following survey form (abridged) was developed by Helen Lewis of the Highlander
Center in Tennessee.
Part I: Community Changes
1. List the jobs that your community has lost in the last five years.
2. List the jobs your community has gained in the last five years.
3. List the major ways that people survive in addition to (or instead of) jobs:
Part II: Listening
1. What problems are people talking about?
2. What are the needs people are talking about?
Part III: Likes and Dislikes
1. What are the five qualities or characteristics of your community which you feel best
describe what it is like?
2. List the five things you like most about your community.
3. List five things you do not like about your community.
4. What would you most like the community to be ten years from now?
Part IV: Priorities
Which of the following would you like to see in your community?
___Jobs ___Water system
___Recreation ___Sewage
___New housing ___Housing repairs
___Stores ___Transportation
___Rescue Squad ___Health Care Clinic
___Home Care Program ___Child Care Program
___Community Center ___Education Program
Part V: Employment
1. List all businesses, services, and industries which provide employment for members of the
community.
2. Average earnings, wage rates, employment policies and history: unemployment, lay-offs,
seasonal stoppages, union, strikes.
3. Where does the workforce live? Where do owners, managers live or come from?
4. Do businesses buy locally, sell locally, bank locally, pay taxes locally, contribute to
community projects?
Part VI: Housing
1. Housing information: Type of housing, owned or rented, need of repair.
2. Count individuals by sex, age, race or ethnic background, education, occupation,
source of income, place of employment, travel distance to work.
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3. Planning
Serious business aclivilies generaIIy begin vilh some sorl of feasibiIily sludy. The
urose of a feasibiIily sludy is lo gauge lhe markel for a roducl, lo assess lhe
roduclion cosls and lo invesligale lhe avaiIabiIily of resources (bolh maleriaI and
human) necessary for roduclion. IIanning is serious business.
There is no reason vhy an economic |uslice inilialive shouId nol be |usl as serious,
vhelher il is lhe inilialion of a arish inveslmenl sludy, a communily educalion
rogram, or a business venlure. IIanning is imorlanl nol onIy because il heIs lo sel
oul and assign lhe lhings lo be done, bul because, vhen il is underlaken seriousIy, il
can change lhe slruclure or even lhe nalure of lhe inilialive. Il is |usl as imorlanl lo
Iook inlo vho is IikeIy lo buy inlo an educalion rogram as lo knov vho viII buy
vidgels. The characlerislics of lhe olenliaI audience for an educalionaI rogram viII
sureIy affecl vhal is resenled and hov il is ackaged.
ConvenlionaI feasibiIily sludies address four issues:
1. What is the market for which the product is produced?
2. What is the design of the product?
3. What will it cost to produce it?
4. Is the technical expertise available?
We addressed lhese queslions in Ianning and roducing lhis manuaI, and lhe ro|ecl
changed as oflen as ve found beller and beller ansvers lo our queslions. Il began vilh
lhe idea of selling oul sles for gelling slarled on economic |uslice commillees and
inilialives. We lhen found lhal eoIe reaIIy needed lo see some examIes of ossibIe
inilialives and needed an exIanalion of lhe economic |uslice erseclive. Al a brief
conference in Iillsburgh ve discovered more aboul lhe nalure of lhe inlended
audience. We decided lhal il vas essenliaI lo resenl somelhing of a lheoIogicaI
orienlalion ralher lhan |usl assuming lhal, since ve are aII Chrislians, or IiscoaIians,
ve vouId have enough of a common background in lerms of our failh erseclive.
IniliaIIy lhe commillee inlended lo roduce a searale voIume on resources, bul Ialer il
seemed lhal ve shouId kee lhe vhoIe business logelher, so Chaler V vas added lo
lhis voIume. In various vays ve had lo ansver lhe feasibiIily queslions: Whal` Ior
vhom` Hov much viII il cosl` And vhal do ve need lo do il`
To laIk aboul feasibiIily sludies, roducls and lechnicaI resources is lo imorl lhe
Ianguage of business managemenl. ReIigious communilies may nol be accuslomed lo
lhese concels, bul lhey can heI in lerms of seeing lhe Ianning of inilialives as an
idenlifiabIe and imorlanl lask. Time invesled al lhe Ianning slage is seIdom Iosl.
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C-16
Ior Iarger ro|ecls such as housing cooeralives and vorker-ovned business venlures,
of course, lhe feasibiIily sludy viII have lo be more delaiIed and more formaI. Secific
dala and oflen even a markel survey viII be necessary. In such efforls lhe arlicianls
oflen gain skiIIs and exerlise lhey vouId olhervise nol have acquired, so Ianning is
imorlanl for seIf-deveIomenl.
Criteria
The second eIemenl in effeclive Ianning is lo evaIuale lhe ro|ecl on lhe basis of
aroriale crileria. In lhis case lhe crileria are nol onIy ragmalic (viII il vork) and
economic (viII il be seIf-sufficienl), bul aIso elhicaI. WiII lhe inilialive advance lhe
cause of economic |uslice in lerms of securing equilabIe access lo avaiIabIe resources
resuIling in a reduclion of inequaIilies based on income, veaIlh and over` WiII il
emover eoIe lo make decisions, delermine aclions and lake conlroI of lheir ovn
economic deslinies`
Keeing in mind lhis nolion of economic |uslice and lhe vaIues lhal emerged in our
discussion of lhe Chrislian erseclive (Chaler II, above), ve submil lhe foIIoving six
crileria as generaI guideIines for ro|ecl evaIualion.
1. WiII lhe ro|ecl invoIve lhe inlended beneficiaries (lhe oor or lhe economicaIIy al
risk) al aII IeveIs of ils Ianning and oeralion`
2. WiII lhe ro|ecl emover lhe arlicianls` (Iducalion and sociaIIy resonsibIe
invesling rograms may emover eoIe by exanding lheir erseclives and
heIing lhem lo lake conlroI.)
3. WiII lhe ro|ecl be seIf-suslaining` (Wilh communily deveIomenl ro|ecls Iike
vorker-ovned businesses or cooeralive housing lhe necessary economic crilerion
is breaking even ralher lhan making a rofil. The urose of such a business is lo
rovide decenl |obs for eoIe, nol lo reaIize a high relurn on inveslmenl.)
4. WiII lhe ro|ecl exemIify communily conlroI` WiII il reIale lhe exisling economy of
lhe communily (for examIe, lhrough IocaI urchasing and hiring) in vays lhal
slrenglhen lhe communily and fosler an eIemenl of cooeralion`
5. WiII lhe ro|ecl exemIify lhe rinciIes of lhe failh lo vhich lhe economic |uslice
commillee is commilled`
Outcome: Project Plans
The oulcome of lhe Ianning slage shouId be a concrele Ian vilh slaled goaIs and
ob|eclives. GoaIs are lhe Iarger, more encomassing ends lo vhich lhe ro|ecl is
execled lo conlribule. They are oflen exressed quaIilaliveIy. Ob|eclives are lhe more
secific oulcomes lo be allained resuIling direclIy from ro|ecl aclivilies and oflen
exressed in measurabIe quanlilalive lerms.
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Iro|ecl Ians aIso shouId secify aclion hases or sles and lime-Iines for lheir
accomIishmenl. IIans heI commillees lo lack lhings dovn in lerms of vho is going
lo lake resonsibiIily for vhal asecls of lhe inilialive, and vhen lhings are going lo be
done.
4. Implementation
Since lhe imIemenlalion of an economic |uslice ro|ecl deends enlireIy uon ils
nalure, il is difficuIl lo sel oul guideIines of a generaI lye. SmaIIer inilialives
(educalion rograms, sociaIIy resonsibIe invesling, and ubIic oIicy advocacy)
require onIy a minimaI slruclure assigning lhe obvious lasks lo eoIe and carrying
lhem oul according lo Ian.
Larger inilialives housing cooeralives, vorker-ovned enlerrises viII require
formaI and oflen highIy sohislicaled slruclures. Searale commillees or individuaIs
viII have lo be resonsibIe for finance and accounling, ersonneI, oeralions, IegaI
advice, lechnicaI suorl, ubIic reIalions, markeling and olher asecls of lhe
oeralion. Il may be desirabIe searaleIy lo incororaled ro|ecls vilh oards of
Direclors and aid slaffs.
This is nol lhe Iace lo discuss organizalionaI and oeralionaI mallers, bul ve shouId
Iike lo menlion a fev oinls lhal mighl be considered al lhis slage.
Integration
There may be a lendency for an economic |uslice ro|ecl, eseciaIIy one lhal grovs lo
any size, lo sin off from lhe communily in vhich il originaled. This is arlicuIarIy
lrue if lhe ro|ecl is underlaken in cooeralion vilh olher organizalions or if il meelings
or oeralions are moved oul of church buiIdings.
Some efforl may be required, lherefore, lo kee lhe reIigious communily (lhe arish or
diocese) invoIved vilh lhe ro|ecl and lhe ro|ecl eoIe invoIved vilh lhe reIigious
communily. The incIusion of economic |uslice concerns in sermons, announcemenls,
rayers and discussions is essenliaI if lhe economic |uslice erseclive is lo be
deveIoed as a communily and famiIy Iife slyIe, nol |usl as a seciaI inleresl of a fev.
Outreach
}usl as inlegralion is imorlanl, so is oulreach. The imIemenlalion of an economic
|uslice ro|ecl may rovide an oorlunily lo drav olher eIemenls of lhe Iarger
communily inlo lhe rogram. Inilialives lo olher churches and synagogues, civic
organizalions, business and ubIic officiaIs may be eseciaIIy effeclive as a ro|ecl is
being Iaunched. As everyone seems lo knov (excel erhas lhe church) ubIic
reIalions are very imorlanl.
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C-18
Replication
As an economic |uslice commillee underlakes one ro|ecl, olher needs are bound lo
aear. Il is imorlanl for a grou nol lo alleml lo do more lhan il can handIe.
Recognilion of nev needs or ro|ecls lhal vere given Iover riorily earIier, hovever,
can be direcled lo nev eoIe anolher economic |uslice grou or commillee. Il vouId
be a mislake for a commillee lo buiId u a backIog of ossibIe inilialives |usl because
lhey are vilhin lhe scoe of ils mandale, if olhers can gel organized searaleIy lo
address olher issues.
Evaluation
As ro|ecls are carried oul and move lo imIemenlalion or comIelion, evaIualion
becomes a key issue. Ior ongoing ro|ecls evaIualion shouId occur al reguIar inlervaIs.
Ior evenls or shorler rograms evaIualion al lhe end viII feed inlo fulure ro|ecls.
Il is essenliaI, of course, lo evaIuale economic |uslice ro|ecls on lhe basis of lhe crileria
Iisled earIier. Does lhe inilialive:
1. invoIve lhe inlended beneficiaries (lhe oor or lhe economicaIIy al risk) al aII IeveIs
of ils Ianning and oeralion`
2. emover lhe arlicianls`
3. become seIf-suslaining or generale conlinualion`
4. reIale lo lhe exisling economy of lhe communily in vays lhal slrenglhen lhe
communily fosler an eIemenl of cooeralion`
5. exemIify lhe rinciIes of lhe failh lo vhich lhe economic |uslice commillee is
commilled`
Some melhods lo go aboul evaIualing lhe ro|ecl are lhe foIIoving:
Iorm an advisory commillee as an ad|uncl lo lhe ro|ecl lo rovide inul inlo lhe
ro|ecl design and evaIuale il al reguIar inlervaIs.
Survey communily residenls lhal are affecled before and afler ro|ecl oeralions.
IncIude vrillen and/or oraI evaIualion as arl of any vorksho or seminar on
economic |uslice.
Conducl a year-end relreal for lhe ro|ecl commillee and slaff eoIe uliIizing an
oulside faciIilalor lo reviev ro|ecl Ians and delermine rogress.
Make sure your ro|ecl goaIs are quanlifiabIe from lhe beginning so lhal you can
counl al lhe end. Did enough eoIe benefil from lhe sludy grou` Were vomen
and minorilies vorking on lhe |ob` Did a significanl roorlion of lhe housing go lo
Iov income famiIies`
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C-19
e aclive in nelvorks of eoIe doing simiIar vork. Are you accomIishing your
goaIs vilh simiIar resources` Is Ieadershi emerging in your communily as in
olhers`
Outcome
IdeaIIy one ends u vilh an effeclive ro|ecl or rogram of conlinued aclivilies lhal
fuIfiIIs lhe goaIs or mandales of lhe commillee and meels lhe crileria imIicil in lhe
concel of economic |uslice. ul nolhing is ideaI in lhis vorId eseciaIIy vhere
human Ianning and imIemenlalion are invoIved.
The lask of shaing an economic |uslice osilion for lhe IiscoaI Church is lruIy a
ma|or underlaking requiring vision and rayer. To exand lhal vision inlo viabIe
economic deveIomenl rograms across lhe counlry, vhich refIecl lhe church's
mandale, has never been lried. The nolion lhal sociaI |uslice cannol come vilhoul
economic |uslice, and lhal lhe church can and shouId have a meaningfuI roIe in lhis
rocess is a ma|or sle lovard our mandale lo Iive oul lhe GoseI.
Appendix D
Advocacy Issue Papers


Economic Justice Issues
Explanations and
Suggested Action Steps
for Key Issues

A guide to Church teaching and action steps
for congregations and individual activists on
some of the economic justice issues facing
people in the United States

Prepared by the
Advocacy Committee of the
Episcopal Network
for Economic Justice


Verna M. Fausey
Nashville, Tennessee
Project Coordinator
John Mark Summers
Brooklyn, New York
Editor
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Dear Reader,
In this document, you will find brief papers on 23 issues currently facing American society
and the Episcopal Church. Each follows a similar format: explanation, church teaching,
and suggested action steps. The papers were written by a diverse group of our members
and ENEJ recommends them for your consideration and comment without necessarily
endorsing all their content. We do not claim to have covered all the vital issues and
welcome your feedback and participation in making this set of papers more accurate and
complete.
On our web site, www.enej.org, you will find additional publications including:
Economic Justice How-To Action Manual
Six economic justice popular education modules:
1) A Christian Response to Economic Inequality
2) The Real Threat to Family Values
3) Why the Economy Isnt Working for Workers
4) The Global Economy
5) Making Sense of the Recession
6) The Church and Its Money
Community Investing: An Alternative for Religious Congregations Seeking a Social as
well as a Financial Return.
Twenty Years Later: A New Resolution ENEJs proposed update of the Episcopal
Churchs program for economic justice to be proposed at the 2009 General Convention.
We invite you to join our network, receive our newsletter and participate in our interactive
listserve. Join us at www.enej.org or write to us at meamon@aol.com (Mike Maloney,
staff) or sanmateo921@yahoo.com (Dianne Aid, President).
Dianne Aid, TSSF
President
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
First Edition (December 2005)
#1 Predatory Lending....................................................................................................D-5
#2 Immigration: Images and Reality ..............................................................................D-8
#3 Taxes and Economic Justice..................................................................................D-11
#4 Outsourcing: Economic Efficiency or Global Exploitation?......................................D-14
#5 Racism and Economic Oppression.........................................................................D-17
#6 Fair Trade...............................................................................................................D-20
#7 Affordable Housing.................................................................................................D-23
#8 Living Wages..........................................................................................................D-27
#9 Hunger ...................................................................................................................D-32
Second Edition (February 2008)
#10 Crisis of Working Poverty .....................................................................................D-36
#11 Immigration Update..............................................................................................D-38
#12 Socially Responsible Investments ........................................................................D-41
Third Edition (February 2009)
#13 Racism and Economic Justice..............................................................................D-47
#14 The Effect of the Price of Gas on the Working Family...........................................D-52
#15 Economic Impact of the War.................................................................................D-55
#16 Environmental Justice ..........................................................................................D-59
#17 Fresh Water and Economic Justice......................................................................D-63
#18 Childrens Health..................................................................................................D-68

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D-3
#19 The Millennium Development Goals.....................................................................D-72
#20 Prisons and Incarceration.....................................................................................D-77
#21 The Economic Impact of the Prison-Industrial Complex........................................D-84
#22 Health Care Policy and Economic Justice ............................................................D-88
#23 Access to Fresh Local Food.................................................................................D-94

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FIRST EDITION

DECEMBER 2005






















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Paper # 1

Predatory Lending

What is wrong

Predatory lending refers to the misleading packaging of high fees, costly credit
insurance and other charges into loans to unsophisticated borrowers. These
loans area often compounded by refinancing that, instead of benefiting
borrowers, primarily generates fees for lenders.

Predatory lending strips billions in wealth from low-income consumers and
communities in the U.S. each year. Borrowers lose an estimated $9.1 billion
annually due to predatory mortgages, $3.4 billion from payday loans, and $3.5
billion from other lending abuses, such as overdraft loans, excessive credit card
debt, and tax refund loans.

A debtors payments can rise unexpectedly as one lender sells the loan to
another company. Due to the compounding of high interest, these loans may
never be paid off. In the case of high interest home equity loans, the lenders
foreclose when the borrower fails to pay, driving debtors out of their homes.

Predatory financial activities come in various forms:
Payday loans and cash leasing services that can charge interest at an annual
percentage rate of up to 390%.
Instant check cashing services which include high fees for cashing checks.
Rent to own TVs, appliances, furniture, etc, again with high and often poorly-
disclosed interest rates.
Car title loans which combine the services of loan sharks with a pawn shop
for automobiles.
Predatory and sub-prime home loans, high interest home equity loans, and
mortgages with balloon payments.
Industrial loan and thrift companies
Tax preparation agencies that charge high rates for loans on anticipated tax
refunds.
Banks and lenders that sell loans borrowers do not need.

One of the most egregiousand fastest growingexamples of predatory
lending, the payday loan industry, emerged from rural Tennessee in 1993. That
year there were 200 sites; now there are over 22,000 nationwide. 105 million
households used payday lenders in 2003.

The payday loan industry has persuaded 37 states to legalize its practices. Their
political action committees make campaign contributions to state legislators in an
effort to gain access and influence their votes. Hired lobbyists work to get
favorable legislation passed. Even respectable U.S. banks such as Wells Fargo
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and JP Morgan Chase help fund the payday loan industry by extending their
credit lines.

Who is affected?

Payday lenders target the working poor with bank accounts and jobs, who live
from payday to payday and have an annual income of $25,000 (2002).

Military servicemen are particular targets. Predatory lenders of all kinds cluster
around military bases to prey on military personnel; bad debts could cause
dismissal from military service.

Other targets are the poor who lack access to bank loans, credit cards or wealthy
relatives. High risk borrowers who cannot get loans from mainstream financial
institutions often turn to predatory institutions. Others caught in these loans are
the elderly, minorities and the poor. Loss of jobs, illness, and emergencies are
reasons for seeking these loans. Unfortunately, some do not know how to budget
or indulge in impulse spending.

Our faith

In 2001, ECUSAs executive council passed a resolution instructing the treasurer
to vote in favor of all shareholder resolutions asking financial companies to avoid
underwriting and servicing predatory loans. During the 2002-03 shareholder
season, ECUSA made affirmative proxy votes on linking executive compensation
and progress on predatory lending with Citigroup.

The Bible has many references against usury and oppressing the poor.

If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with
them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them. -Exodus 22:25

Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them...You shall
not lend them [your kin] money at interest taken in advance... --Leviticus 25:36-
37.

Remedies

1. Churches can create credit unions or participate in ecumenical and secular
efforts to establish credit unions and wealth-building strategies such as individual
development accounts.

2. Congregations can conduct financial seminars on money and budgeting, taxes
and tax refunds, credit and predatory lending.

3. Congregations can monitor predatory lending PACs to determine who gets
their money, and publicize the results.
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4. Dioceses can become directly involved. For example, the Diocese of New
York has proposed a three-pronged anti-predatory lending initiative to:
Establish a $1 million fund for small and medium-sized loans to
homeowners for repairs and other critical needs. Funds will come from the
Diocese, ECUSAs Economic Justice Loan Fund, and Seedco, one of the
nations leading community innovators and lenders.
Recruit commercial banks to refinance existing predatory loans.
Participate, with other community organizations, in an educational
campaign to help homeowners locate and access non-predatory sources
of loans.
The Diocese hopes their initiative can have a significant impact on foreclosures
and other tactics of predatory lenders now operating in upper Manhattan and the
Bronx.

5. Congregations and dioceses can join with others to support legislation that
curbs the activities of predatory lenders. Episcopal and United Methodist
churches in South Carolina worked to get a good predatory lending law in South
Carolina. There have been efforts to pass a law in Missouri and in Tennessee.
Local governments in Cincinnati and other cities have had to respond because
predatory lending causes blighted neighborhoods.




Verna M. Fausey
Nashville, Tennessee

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Paper #2

Immigration: Images and Reality

The following comments and stories of individuals come from undocumented
Mexican nationals who are living and working in the United States. Immigration
policy varies according to country of origin. This writers experience is with
several Mexican communities, and it is from this experience that I share.

In virtually every restaurant kitchen, housekeeping staffs of hotels and airports, in
every field and orchard in the western United States, Mexican and Central
American workers fill the employee rolls, working long, underpaid hours, often
sporadically, yet not free to take other jobs. The vast majority of these workers
are undocumented, working in jobs American-born workers and legal immigrants
do not want.

Family Life

Migrant life is extremely difficult on family members. Many migrant workers live in
conditions beyond belief. Several years ago, advocacy groups in eastern
Washington tried to encourage employers to provide some temporary housing.
The employers even rejected a tent city, and one large employer took the stance
that his responsibility ended with providing employment. Affected employees
included children working in the fields. Landlords refused to rent to migrant
families because they could not sign a lease. Churches rallied to house 62
individuals (including young children) within church buildings. It took several
years to begin to develop housing resources for families who harvested and
processed the crops in this farming and friendly community.

Many former migrant workers have settled down in the United States, desiring to
provide a more predictable life for their children. They have become home and
business owners, have bank accounts, participate on community boards and
action groups, and are members of churches, often taking leadership roles in
these groups. Some serve in professional capacities in the banking and
education professions. They live under the shadow, however, of being deported
at a moments notice for something so minor as a traffic stop, which begins a
domino effect eventually bringing them to the attention of U.S. Immigration
Services. Families have been separated for weeks while a deported parent
attempts to re-enter the United States, paying up to $5000 to get across the
border.

Employment and Benefits

Miguel worked for a sixty-hour week under the hot June sun cutting asparagus.
His pay was $80.00 in cash. Miguel was part of a crew. The crew leader was a
documented worker and the only one to receive a paycheck. Miguel and the rest
of the crew were paid from the trickle down of the crew leaders check. Miguel
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was paid only for the asparagus that went to the market fresh and received
nothing for what he cut that was used for canned and frozen products.

Undocumented workers who do receive paychecks have the standard social
security, income tax and unemployment taxes withheld. Most will never be able
to collect their social security benefits, and they do not qualify for unemployment
benefits. Fake social security cards and green cards (authorization-to-work
cards) cost around $300 at weekend swap meets and other locations. An
individual can work with the social security number for about a year before the
records show it to be not valid. The money that was withheld goes into a general
Social Security Trust Fund. Undocumented families are not eligible for any type
of public assistance.

How does our faith inform us for action?

There are many Biblical stories of immigration and migration, from Abraham,
Joseph and the Exodus to the exile in Babylon. Our Baptismal Covenant calls us
to respect the dignity of every human being. Undocumented workers are often
victims of racism, poverty and violence. The Church has a call to advocacy on
their behalf.

General Convention has adopted at least nine resolutions in the past twenty
years addressing refugee and immigrant rights. In 2003, the Convention called
for expansion of the temporary worker program to include all employed
immigrants. In 1997, a General Convention resolution asked Episcopalians to
advocate that needy immigrants not be denied benefits.

Faith communities are often the first places immigrants turn for help and
community in a strange land. It is a place where they find compassion and the
familiar. In many dioceses, growth in churches is coming from Hispanic and other
immigrant communities. I have been involved with many Bible studies around the
Exodus as an Education For Ministry mentor. I have also been a part of Bible
study groups with Mexican immigrants who can relate first hand to wandering
across a desert (as they did when they crossed the U.S. Mexican border). It is
a very powerful witness. Newcomers enrich our liturgies. The immigrant
community has much to give to mainstream communities.

Together as brothers and sisters we are called to advocate for changes that
allow persons who are working and contributing to our communities and
supporting families in their home countries to live a life of productivity and peace,
where there is justice and hope for all.

The last general amnesty for undocumented immigrants was in 1986. We can
look for ways to advocate for amnesty through immigrant rights groups in our
own communities and through communication with our elected officials. We can
become familiar with rights immigrants are granted. The American Civil Liberties
Union has published a short card in English and Spanish informing immigrants
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D-10
and others of their rights, for instance, police officers do not have a right to ask
for proof of legal status in the U.S. (there has been recent pressure to change
this law, however). In the shadow of September 11, 2001, immigrants are under
scrutiny, and profile stops have increased. The market for jobs that the
undocumented fill is ever present, and their ability to maintain those jobs has
become greater risk as the border inspections become more militant, and the
cost of coyotes (those who smuggle people across the border) increases.

The image I close with is from several years ago. I had been with a family who
had just crossed the border. Walking across at Imperial Beach, California, they
had only the wet clothes on their backs, no money and three small children.
Some friends questioned me as to the ethics of helping people to break the law. I
imagined a gate at the border and asked myself whether Jesus would open the
gate, or slam it shut




Dianne Aid
Seattle, Washington
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D-11
Paper #3

Taxes and Economic Justice

In 2003, Alabama Governor Bob Riley, a conservative Republican, began a push
for a radical overhaul of the states tax code that would have increased taxes on
upper-income Alabamans while reducing the burden on the states poor. Riley
had a long record in Congress as a tax-cutter and came to the Alabama state
house with strong conservative credentials, so his tax proposals surprised his
supporters and opponents alike. Where had this sudden conversion come from?

It came, in large part, from an article published in the Alabama Law Review by
Susan Pace Hamill, a University of Alabama law professor who was working on a
graduate degree in theology during a sabbatical. Her article, titled An Argument
for Tax Reform Based on Judeo-Christian Ethics, argued that Alabamas tax
system was not only unfair but, from a Christian perspective, immoral; it so
burdened low-income families with excessive taxation while limiting taxes on the
well-to-do that it flouted the clear ethical teachings of the Bible to do justice to the
poor. Riley (who is a Southern Baptist) used much of the same moral and
biblical language in his campaign for tax reform.

Ultimately, Rileys proposal was defeated in a referendum, with the states
wealthy interests as well as the Christian Coalition of Alabama leading the
opposition to reform. But the experience raises an important truth for us to
consider as both Americans and as Christians: our current tax system is unjust.

What is wrong

Susan Pace Hamill, the author of the article that impressed Governor Riley,
focused only on Alabamas state tax system, which she persuasively identified as
the most regressive and unjust in the country. But at the federal level as well as
in many other states, the tax code burdens poor and middle-class Americans
while giving huge breaks and advantages to the wealthy. Here are just a few
examples:

Since the 1960s, the top corporate and income tax rates (i.e. taxes on
corporations and wealthy individuals) have dropped sharply, while the
payroll tax (which hits the poor and middle class hardest) has more than
doubled. Today only 7% of federal government revenue comes from
corporate taxes, while 40% comes from payroll taxes.

Taxes on wages, which is the only source of income for most working- and
middle-class Americans, are higher than the tax on capital gains, which is
the primary source of income only of the wealthiest Americans. The
federal tax code is gradually being rewritten to shift taxes completely away
from wealth (with cuts in taxes on capital gains, investment dividends, and
estates), and onto wages and work.
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The 6.2% payroll tax that funds the Social Security system applies to only
the first $90,000 of a persons income. Breaking through that barrier
(which 90% of Americans never do) gives you the equivalent of a 6.2% tax
break on everything else you earn. For millionaires, the payroll tax barely
even registers, while for many working Americans it is a bigger burden
than the federal income tax itself.

Because of requirements written into federal law, individuals and families
claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (a credit for the working poor) are
audited by the IRS three times more often than wealthy individuals, and
eight times more than business partnerships.

The federal tax code is full of loopholes available only to people wealthy
enough to hire the lawyers and accountants who can find (or create) them.
While most Americans pay their taxes automatically through employer
withholding, rich investors and business owners can shift money around
until it is practically impossible to trace and tax.

Tax (and service) cuts at the federal level are increasing the pressure on
states to supply and pay for necessary services. Unfortunately, state and
local taxes tend to be even worse than the federal system in hitting the
poor and working class much harder than the well off.

What can we do

Most importantly, pay attention! People generally think that tax policy is
too technical or too complex or just too boring to understand. Thats
exactly what those who benefit from the current unjust system love to
hear. But you dont have to be a CPA to understand that a tax thats 6.2%
on someone making $15,000, and 0.04% on someone making $15 million,
is unfair. (Thats how the Social Security payroll tax works.) Likewise, our
current tax policies mean that effective tax rates are going down for
wealthy people and up for middle-class families. Thats not hard to
understand--and, if youre concerned about economic justice, it shouldnt
be boring--even if the details about it are complicated. With the current
ideological direction of the federal government, the system is likely to get
even worse in the near future, so keep on top of what is going on in
Washington and in your state.

Spread the word. Incorporate discussion of the tax system into parish
education programs. Speak about taxation in terms of biblical justice--
Susan Pace Hamills law review article is an excellent source for biblical
references and theological arguments on tax justice. This is a message
that should especially resonate for middle-class families: its primarily they
who will pay more and benefit less as taxes are shifted away from the
wealthy.
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D-13

Find out about tax clinics or other free resources in your community to
refer low-income people for tax help. Many law and business schools and
nonprofit organizations run these volunteer-based services; if there isnt
one in your community, look into setting one up. Many low-income people
dont claim refunds or tax credits they are eligible for (such as the Earned
Income Tax Credit), or they spend money on tax preparers to do
something no more complicated than filling out a 1040EZ. (These paid
preparers also push instant refunds, which are actually short-term loans
with poorly disclosed but shockingly high fees and interest rates.) Basic
education and free advice can save poor families a lot of money at tax
time.

Unlike the direct actions that we can take on many economic justice
issues (establishing credit unions or CDCs, for example), we cant set up
our own alternative to the tax system. This means it is vitally important to
make demands on the politicians who write tax law, and hold them
accountable. Let your political representatives know that we consider tax
fairness a moral imperative.

More resources

The best book on the realities of the current tax code, and written in very
clear English, is David Cay Johnstons Perfectly Legal: The Covert
Campaign to Rig our Tax System to Benefit the Super Richand Cheat
Everybody Else (Penguin, 2003). Johnston has also published an essay
on the topic in Sojourners magazine (April 2005):
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&issue=soj0504&ar
ticle=050410
United for a Fair Economy (the producers of ENEJs economic justice
education units) has resources on a wide range of economic policy issues:
http://faireconomy.org
UFE also offers questions and answers about tax policy and tax fairness:
http://www.faireconomy.org/econ/state/Talking_Taxes/index.html
Susan Pace Hamills paper An Argument for Tax Reform Based on
Judeo-Christian Ethics is available at: http://www.law.ua.edu/pdf/hamill-
taxreform.pdf
The following three organizations are think-tanks focusing on taxation
issues--good for anyone looking for more technical or in-depth analysis of
tax issues or for information on specific topics:
o Citizens for Tax Justice: http://www.ctj.org
o Tax Policy Center: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org
o Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: http://www.cbpp.org


John Mark Summers
Brooklyn, New York
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Paper # 4

Outsourcing:
Economic Efficiency or Global Exploitation?

What is outsourcing?

In recent years, outsourcing (especially offshore outsourcing) has become a
significant hot-button issue with implications both to the United States economy
as well as to the welfare of the American worker.

The simple definition of outsourcing is an arrangement in which one company
provides services for another company that could also be performed in-house.
As taught to any MBA student, outsourcing certain functions makes good
business sense because it enables a corporation to focus on its core
competencies. As a result, outsourcing business functions such as payroll
processing to a company which specializes in payroll processing makes sense
much in the same way that hiring a lawn care service might be a reasonable way
for a family to get their grass cut while attending to more pressing family and
work responsibilities.

More and more, corporations are outsourcing an ever broader array of functions
to suppliers in successively cheaper locales. No longer are these the non-core
support services that had been part of the traditional argument. As in earlier
decades when companies moved production from labor union strongholds to
places in the Sunbelt where labor unions were scarce, employers looked to reap
even more lucrative cost savings beyond the borders of the US. The current era
of offshore outsourcing had begun.

Why is outsourcing thought to be a good thing?

Traditionally, the same issues that applied to the simple case of a company
outsourcing its payroll operations applied to entire industries. A nation could
argue that moving the production of a commodity or finished product to another
country made sense if that country possessed more plentiful resources for
producing it. This certainly had been the argument for international trade. Why
should Japan, with limited land resources, try to grow its own wheat, when
Russia or the United States have superior land resources for this? In the world
of the global corporation, multinational corporations own subsidiaries all around
the world that can produce products by using the best resources at the most
competitive prices. The consumer is then able to purchase goods and services
at the best prices.

Moreover, a nation with vast human resources is able to employ its workers as
the need for traditional agricultural employment wanes through improved farming
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D-15
technologies. These jobs are often a step up from what would be available if the
industries remained in the more developed world.

Contrary to the theory, however, in the real world not quite everybody wins.

What are some of the costs of outsourcing?

From the American perspective, the most immediate result of outsourcing is the
loss of jobs in many of our communities. A plant closing can devastate a
community, not only leaving many of the residents jobless, but also reducing the
tax base, threatening schools and government operations.

One could argue that from a global perspective, one job lost is another gained.
Once all of this frictional unemployment is resolved, the worker who lost her job
will be retooled with new skills for the new economy. In the 1990s, this proved
to be true for many workers when it seemed that job losses were eclipsed by
large numbers of new jobs in the growing service economy.

But, also from a global perspective, the new job that placed the old job looks very
different. It is rarely possible to replace one job with one costing the company a
fraction as much without sacrificing worker safety, environmental standards, or
human rights. The criticism of these effects is not limited to the United States:

Ashim Roy, the President of several unions representing General Electric
workers in Gujarat in western India, said, "The jobs that multinational
companies destroy in the US outnumber the jobs they create in India, as
workers are working harder and longer. The companies create insecure
jobs at near-poverty level wages with inhuman working conditions. We
want to work with our sisters and brothers in the US and elsewhere to
prevent exploitation and guarantee jobs with fair wages and human dignity
for all."
1


Thus, this efficiency is really coming at a huge cost borne not by the
corporation, but by society-at-large.

What has the Church said about outsourcing?

At its General Conventions of the Episcopal Church, there have not been
resolutions specifically on the subject of outsourcing. But we can apply whats
been stated regarding worker justice issues at a global level.

We need to frame this discussion in a new light: Rather than the American
worker vs. the workers of the world, we need to see this as a conflict between the
needs of the global worker against the needs of the global corporation.

1
Srirekha, N.C., 12/03/2004, Anti-Outsourcing Cry Comes from Indian Labor Unions, India Post, News
Report, 12/03/2004.

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What should we be asking our legislators to do?

Push for local, regional, national and international labor standards so that the
workers in one part of the world dont possess an unfair competitive advantage
based on the exploitation of human and natural resources.

Ask that corporations receive tax incentives when they produce good jobs for
workers and risk losing these benefits when they export jobs, especially to places
which compromise human rights, health and safety standards and environmental
protections.

What should we do?

"We have met the enemy... and he is us" Walt Kelly, creator of Pogo

Sometimes we forget that we are the shareholders who demand higher returns
on our investment. We are also the consumers who shop around for the best
prices. We should always consider a corporations labor practices and their
affinity toward outsourcing when determining whether to buy their products, or to
own shares of their stock.

We should also encourage our parishes and dioceses to carefully invest
endowment funds, taking corporate policies regarding outsourcing and worker
justice into account.




Jeff Dey
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Paper #5

Racism and Economic Oppression

The term racism covers a multitude of sins. These include prejudiced attitudes,
intentional discriminatory behaviors, and social structures that, without anyones
active intent, automatically confer advantages on whites and disadvantages on
people of color. Each of these components of racism is destructive on its own;
together they create and perpetuate inequalities of many kinds, including
economic inequality.

Public opinion surveys show a change in whites racial attitudes over the last fifty
years. White respondents are less likely to say that African Americans, Latinos
and others are inherently inferior, but are more likely to attribute these groups
poverty to a lack of motivation or work ethic. This is because white Americans
increasingly believe that discrimination is a thing of the past. The most common
racist attitude among whites today, then, is a state of denial.

Has discrimination disappeared?

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits the more intentional forms of
discrimination in employment, housing, education and so on. This legislation has
undoubtedly diminished the incidence of this type of discrimination, but has not
come close to eradicating it. Audit studies, in which pairs of job candidates or
housing applicants of different races are matched in terms of qualifications,
repeatedly and consistently show continued discrimination by employers and
landlords (see e.g. HUDs 2000 Housing Discrimination Study). Lawsuits have
also uncovered many examples of deliberate discrimination: in 1996, Texaco
agreed to a $176 million settlement when a secret recording revealed executives
belittling African Americans and conspiring to destroy documents pertaining to an
earlier discrimination lawsuit.

Even more pervasive, and easier to miss, is a more subtle form of structured
inequality referred to as institutional discrimination. This occurs when practices
that seem racially neutral produce racially negative consequences. Examples
abound: a factory moves from the inner-city to the suburbs, and public
transportation linking the two locations is inadequate, so inner-city residents
disproportionately people of color have lost those jobs. Our tendency to fund
schools with local property taxes means that children in the poorest
neighborhoods attend the worst schools, where theyre ill-prepared for college.
Requiring job applicants to have a college degree appears racially neutral, but
disproportionately screens out certain nonwhite groups, since theyre less likely
than whites to have a college education.

The insidious thing about institutional discrimination is that it does not require
discriminatory intent. No bigots are needed; all thats needed is that we continue
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D-18
to do business as usual, without examining too closely the consequences of our
conventional practices.


The fruit of discrimination

But the consequences are staggering: the median family income for a black
family in 1950 was 54% of the median white familys income; even by 2000 it had
grown to only 64%. Over 23 percent of African Americans live below the poverty
level, compared to 5.3 percent of non-Hispanic whites, and with the exception of
a few years, black unemployment rates have been at least double those for
whites since World War II. For Latinos, the picture is not much better: median
family income in 2000 was 59 percent that of whites, with 20.2 percent of families
under the poverty level, and unemployment rates twice those of non-Hispanic
whites.

Further, while Asian Americans are often lumped together as a model minority,
many groups within this category are struggling: 42 percent of Cambodians and
62 percent of Hmongs, for example, live below the poverty line. Even more
established, successful Asian groups such as Chinese, Filipino and Korean
Americans have poverty rates higher than those of whites.

Our faith

Jesus said that the entire life of faith hangs on love of God and love of neighbor.
Challenged as to who constitutes ones neighbor (Luke 10:29), he made it clear
that everyone is included, even and especially those we would most like to
exclude. So we know who our neighbors are, but what exactly does it mean to
love them?

In his book Prophetic Reflections, Cornel West argues that love is not principally
a set of feelings, but a set of commitments. The first is to the premise of imago
dei that is, that all people are made in the image of God, which confers on them
dignity and worth independent of their social status. The second commitment is
to analysis: we cannot claim to love our neighbors if we cant be bothered to
understand their problems. But analysis without action the third commitment
is dead.

Action

What kind of action can the Church take against the economic and other
consequences of racism? The problem is too large to be addressed by a simple
set of steps, but the Episcopal Church has already recognized two points as
fundamental. First, in 1994 General Convention passed a resolution committing
to strengthening the recruitment, retention, and education of people of color for
the ordained ministry, and we need to continue to recruit both ordained and lay
people of color to positions of leadership. The greater the range of perspectives
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D-19
present in our conversations about race, the more productive they will be. But
people of color need to be equal participants in these conversations, not tokens,
and not representatives of some imagined consensus within their communities.
For white people to define the issues and determine the actions to be taken on
behalf of people of color is not the way forward, so diversifying our leadership is
of the utmost importance.

Second, in 2000 General Convention passed a resolution requiring all leaders in
the Church, both lay and ordained, to undergo anti-racism training. These
programs are critically important, not only to raising awareness about racial
issues, but to opening dialogue on matters that we usually prefer to avoid. For
these programs to have a real impact, however, they must go beyond the airing
and sharing of feelings about race, and include concrete, substantive
information about the status of racial groups and the state of race relations, both
in the Church and in the nation. Given that a major barrier to racial progress in
our time is the denial by so many that we have a problem, presenting evidence of
that problem should be a priority.

How do we love our neighbors? By seeing Christ in them, and doing for the
least of his brothers and sisters what we claim to be willing to do for him. We
need the intellectual integrity to work at understanding our neighbors problems,
and we need the moral courage to take action based on that understanding. In
short, we must take our neighbor seriously; our Lord has made it clear that he will
take it personally.




Susan Pitchford
Seattle, Washington
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D-20
Paper #6

Fair Trade: A Socially and Economically
Just Way of Global Trading

Global trade

Every society has engaged in trade and the societies that rose to prominence
were those that mastered the art of commerce. Historically, those people and
societies with access to the best trade routes, the best land and the best skills
relentlessly exploited those who did not.

Globalization refers to a system of global trading between nations. Currently, the
most widely recognized and practiced system is known as free trade as in
NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and CAFTA (Central American
Free Trade Agreement, not yet finalized).

As the 21st century dawned, crushing poverty, soaring debt and ongoing political
instability forced developing countries to skew their economies toward producing
natural resource exports, frequently at the expense of their own people. As a
result there exists a vast inequity in the distribution of the worlds assets that is
immoral and unjust. The world population is approximately 6 billion. Of that
number, 5 billion live on less than $2 a day. The wealth of the top 1% of
households now exceeds the combined wealth of the bottom 95%.

The way in which big multinational corporations go about doing business is
making the rich richer and the poor even more mired in poverty. Big business
gets wealthier by exploiting poor workers all over the world, mostly in already
impoverished developing countries. The dissolution of tariffs guaranteed in
international trade pacts like NAFTA allows large corporations to use cheap labor
from developing countries to produce the most goods possible at the expense of
workers. The use of child labor and sweatshop conditions further increases profit
for big business and increases the misery and poverty of workers.

Fair Trade the alternative

Fair Trade, or Alternative Trade, refers to the exchange of goods based on
principles of economic and social justice, human dignity, community, and
environmental sustainability. The key goals of Fair Trade are to empower low-
income, disadvantaged or otherwise marginalized artisans, craftspeople and
farmers around the globe to better their conditions, and to promote
understanding between them and First World consumers. Fair Trade increases
the living standards of small-scale farmers and artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin
America and other developing regions. Fair Trade businesses must meet the
most rigorous standards for ensuring worker well being and empowerment.
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Advocates of Fair Trade seek to create a system of global exchange that works
for producers and consumers.

What are the benefits of Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is an investment in people and their communities. Fair Trade
businesses pay a fair wage in the local context that covers the cost of
merchandise as well as giving the producer a good financial return. They provide
equal opportunities for all people. Producers often give back to their communities
by educating children, investing in schools and health clinics and encouraging
further development programs.

Fair Trade businesses engage in environmentally sustainable practices. Farmers
use integrated crop management and organic practices by avoiding the use of
chemicals to control pests. For example, 85% of Fair Trade coffee is organic.

Fair Trade businesses provide healthy and safe working conditions and do not
engage in the use of child labor.

Fair Trade empowers women. Over 60% of Fair Trade producers are women and
they are often the sole source of income for their families. Women are
encouraged to participate and assume leadership roles in local cooperatives and
womens programs.

Fair Trade businesses provide financial and technical assistance to producers
whenever possible. Long term and stable relationships between importers and
producers are essential and eliminate exploitative middlemen in global trading.

Fair Trade practices are supported abundantly in scripture and church
teachings

Our Baptismal Covenant calls upon us to seek and serve Christ in all persons,
to strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect the dignity of
every human being. This is exactly what Fair Trade practices and principles
strive for in addressing the economic and social injustices created by current big
business trade practices.

What can you do to support the Fair Trade Alternative?

Become a Conscious Consumer.
Read labels and try to avoid buying items from countries likely to be
engaged in unfair trade practices.
Buy Fair Trade items on-line. Every purchase improves the life of a
producer family in a developing nation.
Find a store near you that stocks Fair Trade products.
Educate yourself. Visit the Fair Trade Resource Network at
www.fairtraderesource.org. FTRN gathers and compiles research and
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D-22
data on Fair Trade advocates and galvanizes Fair Trade organizations
and individuals seeking to get involved. FTRN seeks to raise consumer
awareness about improving peoples lives through Fair Trade Alternatives.
Support local produce farmers who are using organic farming
techniques.

What can my church do to support the Fair Trade Alternative?

Buy Bishops Blend coffee or another Fair Trade coffee available locally.
Invite your congregation members to a coffee hour where they can learn
more about the difference Fair Trade makes for coffee farmers.
Make Fair Trade purchases part of your churchs purchasing priorities.
Hold a Fair Trade Holiday Craft Sale featuring crafts from local Fair
Trade businesses.
Start a campaign to visit local supermarkets, restaurants and businesses
to encourage them to carry Fair Trade coffee, chocolates and other items.

Additional resources

Here are some websites for more information on Fair Trade and to buy Fair
Trade products.

Fair Trade Federation
www.fairtradefederation.org

Far East Handicrafts
www.fareasthandicrafts.com

Fair Trade Resource Network
www.fairtraderesource.org

Global Exchange
www.globalexchange.org

Fair Trade Foundation
www.fairtrade.org.uk

Equal Exchange
www.equalexchange.com

Co-Op America
www.coopamerica.org

Oxfam International
www.oxfam.org

International Federation for
Alternative Trade
www.ifat.org

TransFair USA
www.transfairusa.org

Sweatshop Watch
www.sweatshopwatch.org

Jubilee 2000
www.jubilee2000uk.org

Free the Children
www.freethechildren.org

Multinational Monitor
www.essential.org/monitor/


Barbara Novak
Chicago, IL
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Paper #7

Affordable Housing

The problem

Even as the real estate boom (or bubble?) of recent years has increased the
wealth of homeowners and the overall health of the economy, millions of
Americans still struggle with the problem of affordable housing.

Housing is the largest expense in the budgets of most Americans, but for the
poor and near poor it is often overwhelming. Nationally, more than one in four
households face a housing cost burden (the federal government defines this as
spending more than 30% of after-tax income on housing); among low-income
households, the figure is more than half.
2
Minimum-wage earners and single-
parent households are at especially high risk for excessive housing cost burden.

Excessive housing costs threaten the present economic conditions as well as the
long-term financial security of families. Unaffordable housing can lead to
overcrowding, as families are required to force more people into less space; to
excessive debt, as households are forced to borrow more to meet their housing
costs; and even to poor health, as money spent on housing is unavailable for
other needs, such as medical care and good nutrition. Renters with burdensome
housing costs are particularly disadvantaged, as their expenses make it nearly
impossible to save enough to buy and build equity in their own home.

Causes of the problem

The crisis in affordable housing is a complex economic problem, with various
causes. For many households, low wages or unemployment may simply make it
difficult or impossible to pay the rent or mortgage (a particular problem in areas
with declining or depressed economies). Other families may earn a decent
income, but live in an area where especially high housing costs consume a
burdensome portion of that income (this is the case in many hot housing
markets on the east and west coasts). Still others may have been victimized by
predatory lending (see the relevant article in this booklet) or housing
discrimination). Housing issues are often community- and even neighborhood-
specific, so the exact character of housing affordability problems can vary widely
from place to place and from household to household.

Most generally, though, the central cause of affordable housing problems is the
small (and diminishing) supply of affordable units. All things being equal,
developers prefer to invest in properties at the higher end of the market, leaving
a shortage of housing for low and moderate-income people. Many federal

2
Meeting Our Nations Housing Challenges, Report of the Bipartisan Millennial Housing Commission
Appointed by the Congress of the United States, 2002.
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subsidies that gave private investors an incentive to supply affordable housing
are running out, causing many affordable units to be converted to market-rate
housing, or else fall into disrepair and abandonment.

The federal government has been steadily reducing its support and subsidization
of housing for low-income people. According to the Los Angeles Times, the
amount of money that Congress and the president have authorized to be spent
on housing assistance has plunged by nearly two-thirds in the last 25 years, from
an inflation-adjusted $82 billion in 1978 to $29 billion [in 2003].
3


The position of the Bible and the Church

The idea of hospitality is central to biblical teachings, especially in the gospel and
the prophets. Isaiah insists that a proper fast to the Lord requires bring[ing] the
homeless poor into your house (58:7). Jesus speaks often of the duty to
welcome the poor stranger, perhaps most dramatically in Matthew 25 (And when
was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you
clothing? Just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.). Jesus
and his disciples themselves traveled in poverty and depended on others to open
their homes and offer shelter. In sending the disciples forth on their missions, He
said to them, Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor
money--not even an extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there, and leave
from there. Wherever they do not welcome you, as you are leaving that town
shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them. (Luke 9:3-5)

The Episcopal Churchs 2003 General Convention reaffirmed the churchs
commitment to safe and affordable housing for low-income households.

What to do

In advocating for affordable housing, it is especially important to engage
government officials and decision-makers at the local level, where most housing
issues are actually decided. Affordable housing advocates can insist that permits
for major new economic development projects (particularly those supported by
taxpayers) include significant provisions for affordable housing.

In urban areas undergoing gentrification, advocates should demand that this
process be well managed. Gentrification of marginal areas can bring a rise in
property values, safer neighborhoods, and better schools. Unfortunately, it can
also lead to the displacement of the low-income residents who saw the area
through its more difficult times. It is essential to maintain an adequate supply of
affordable housing to avoid this unfair outcome.

Lobbying at the federal level can also affect the amount of money devoted to
ensuring affordable housing. Advocates can tell their representatives to stop the

3
Peter G. Gosselin, The Poor Have More Things Today -- Including Wild Income Swings, Los Angeles
Times, December 12, 2004.
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decline in federal spending on housing for low-income people, and support
policies that enable expanded homeownership for low-income and first time
buyers.

Beyond advocacy, moreover, many churches and faith-based organizations
across the country are actively and directly involved in developing affordable
housing for their communities, often through nonprofit community development
corporations (CDCs). Communities with acute shortages of adequate housing
have been transformed by the efforts of church-based development. ENEJ and
affiliated organizations and congregations have developed an impressive amount
of experience and expertise in developing affordable housing. See the section
below for examples.

Other resources

Stacia M. Brown, Building Hope: Faith-based initiatives tackle the affordable
housing crisis, Sojourners, February 2004.
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.article&issue=soj0402&article=0
40223

Episcopal (and other faith-based) CDCs involved in affordable housing
development (this is a very partial list):

Abyssinian Development
Corporation
4 West 125th St.
New York, NY 10027
212-368-4471
www.adcorp.org

Bethel New Life, Inc.
4950 W. Thomas
Chicago, IL 60651
773-473-7870
www.bethelnewlife.org

Episcopal Housing Corporation
4 East University Parkway
Baltimore, MD 21218
410 366-6200
(Daniel McCarthy, Executive
Director)

St. Edwards Redevelopment
Corporation
605 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
(The Rev. Dr. Richard L. Tolliver)

Beaver Street Enterprise Center
1225 West Beaver Street
Jacksonville, FL 32209
(Jackie Perry, Manager)
904-265-4700
www.freshministries.com

Episcopal Community
Development
31 Mulberry Street
Newark, NJ 07102
973-430-9986
(Carla Lerman, Executive Director)
ecd07102@dioceseofnewark.org
http://www.dioceseofnewark.org/ecd/

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Episcopal Housing Ministry
St. Michaels Episcopal Church
Raleigh, NC.
919-884-0110
(Robert Henley)

John Mark Summers
Brooklyn, New York
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Paper #8

Living Wages

What is wrong

Some economic development strategies attract businesses by offering huge tax
breaks and other benefits. This model frequently brings in employers of low wage
jobs. Without sufficient income, families are forced to use city and county
services to provide for their basic food, health and housing costs.

On the other hand, economic justice activists can be encouraged by the progress
of various living wage campaigns. A national study showed that living wage laws
are not only attracting increasing support (with over eighty now enacted since
1994 and dozens more pending), but are actually working to reduce poverty
levels.

In 1994 Baltimore food bank operators noticed that many of their clients were full-
time employees with city contractors. The contemporary living wage movement
began when Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD) worked
with unions and community groups to raise wages for city contractors. That year,
Baltimore enacted a living wage law.

Proponents generally define a living wage as the amount a full-time worker
must earn to pay for basic needshousing, food, childcare, transportation,
health care and taxes. Living wage campaigns highlight the gap between wages
and the cost of living for working families. Local ordinances require a wage of at
least $8.20 an hourmuch higher than the current minimum wage of $5.15.
Some ordinances require a higher wage if no benefits are offered. (The federal
minimum wage amounts to $203 per week and $10,702 per yearbelow the
national poverty threshold of $12,682 for a single parent with one child and
$18,660 for a couple with two children.)

As living wage campaigns began to have success, some large employers took
notice. At least five statesArizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri and Utah--
passed laws that ban any local living wage ordinances. In 2003 the Tennessee
state senate passed such a bill; however, its companion remained in a house
committee.

The reluctance of state legislatures and city councils to pass living wage (or
minimum wage) laws has forced proponents to mount ballot initiatives or
referendums. When the Albuquerque city council refused to pass a minimum
wage, ACORN coordinated a petition campaign to put the issue on the ballot.
The proposal would have raised the citys minimum wage to $7.50 an hour and
applied to businesses with ten or more employees. Opponents mounted a
television and radio campaign claiming the proposal violated citizens privacy,
and the measure failed October 2005
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What is the broader importance of the living wage movement? How significant is
it in the larger scheme of critical social justice issues facing the church, such as
hunger, poverty, racism, sexism and the justice of the economic system itself? It
may be helpful to look at the term itself: living wage.

Unlike the term minimum wage, which is an economic category, the notion of a
living wage has a moral connotation. Behind it is a simple but powerful premise,
namely that anyone who works full time for a living should not have to live and
raise a family in poverty. But it is not yet widely recognized that living wage
campaigns and the strategy driving the leading advocates of the movement
embrace much more than just the aim of raising the wages of low-income
workers. The movement embraces a larger vision and is basically about three
things: power, the distribution of power, and the responsibility of government to
ensure that fairness and justice prevail in our cities and communities (and
ultimately in our nation).

The living wage movement addresses larger systemic issues--hunger, racism,
sexism, economic injustice and the powerlessness of those at the bottom of the
ladder, who are disportionately people of color and women. All of these issues,
needless to say, are deeply intertwined with the present tolerance of an unjust
economic order.

Our faith

My chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. Isaiah 65:22

Do to others as you would have them do to you.--Luke 6:31

Theologian Walter Brueggeman observes Gods rescue of the enslaved Israelites
as told in the Exodus story: That rescue, however, was not an easy miracle. It
was accomplished through tedious, nerve-wracking negotiations led by Moses,
supported and authorized by God. In some part, this emancipation of the
helpless poor who became Israel is accomplished by human agency that refused
to accept degrading poverty and economic injustice as a permanent or legitimate
social condition. Brueggeman's description of the prolonged facedown between
Moses and the Pharaoh before the Israelites were liberated is an apt template for
the growing living wage movement around the country. It is apt not only in the
great effort it demands, but also in the vision of new hope that is empowering its
refusal to accept degrading poverty and injustice as an ongoing social condition.

The General Convention of 2000, reaffirming a similar resolution in 1997, passed
a resolution Poverty: National Support for the Implementation of a Just Wage. It
urged bishops and leaders within their dioceses actively to support the ongoing
implementation of a living wage within the institutions of the church and continue
to advocate the passage of living wage ordinances at all government levels. In
this vein the 2003 General Convention passed resolutions supporting both our
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D-29
involvement in living wage campaigns in our communities, and our need to pay
the Churchs own employees a living wage. The same convention urged
Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to at least $8.70 an hour--the hourly
equivalent of an annual wage at the current federal poverty line, $18,100 for a
family of four.

The Diocese of Los Angeles has taken the lead on an interfaith level and within
the Episcopal Church. The Diocese has pushed parishes and missions to bring
their own employees into compliance with a living wage standard, parallel to
that stipulated by the City of Los Angeles under the citys own living wage
ordinance (passed in 1997). It does recognize that in some cases of hardship
there will be exceptions; the diocesan resolution is, like the national one, not
binding.

In October 2005, the Episcopal Churchs Executive Council announced plans to
ask the 2006 General Convention to authorize a survey of employment of lay
employees, their compensation and benefits.

What can we do

1. Participate in and support local and state living wage campaigns.
2. Participate in and support living wage campaigns at local colleges or
universities.
3. Oppose state legislation barring counties and cities from enacting living wage
ordinances.
4. Find out if your church and diocese pays non-clergy employees a living wage.
5. Participate in studies. The Diocese of Los Angeles has done this.

Additional resources

Organizations

Episcopal Network for Economic Justice (ENEJ)
Contact Michael Maloney at e-mail: meamon@aol.com
Web site: www.enej.org

ACORN
88 3rd Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Phone: (718) 246-7900
Fax: (718) 246-7939
E-mail: natexdirect@acorn.org
Web site: www.acorn.org

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D-30
Living Wage Resource Center
88 3rd Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Contact: Jen Kern at (718) 246-7900 ext. 230
E-mail: naacorncom@acorn.org

Established by ACORN in 1998, it tracks the living wage movement and provides
materials and strategies in living wage campaigns.

Economic Policy Institute (EPI)
1660 L Street NW, Suite 1200
Washington, CC 20036
Phone: (202) 775-8810
Fax: (202) 775-0819
E-mail: epi@epi.org
Web site: www.epi.org

National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice
1020 West Bryn Mawr, 4th floor
Chicago, IL 60660
Phone: (773) 728-8400
Fax: (773) 728-8409
E-mail: info@iwj.org
Web site: www.iwj.org or www.nicwj.org

Books and videos

Living Wage Campaigns: An Activists Guide to Building the Movement for
Economic Justice by David Reynolds. 2003 Cost $15 (make check to ACORN)
Order from ACORN, 739 8th St. SE, Washington, DC 20003. This Guide has
profiles of successful campaigns, information on building a coalition, doing
research, responding to opponents, and conducting an electoral strategy. It has a
draft of a model ordinance. Portions of the Guide are available on the Internet in
a PDF format at www.laborstudies.wages.edu

The Rev. Canon Dick Gillett has several resources including a video and printed
materials. Contact the Rev. Canon R. W. Dick Gillett, 1281 E. Orange Grove
Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91104, Phone: (626) 309-4146 or e-mail:
dgillpas@mindspring.com.

Let Justice Roll Down: American Workers at the New Millennium A video, made
by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, placing the struggle of low wage
workers in a larger economic justice perspective, focusing on the struggle of
workers in Los Angeles and the response of the interfaith community there. The
video is newly available in English and Spanish in a 10-minute version, and also
in the original 30-minute version (English only). There is also 46-page printed
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D-31
booklet of the same title, with detailed economic analysis and religious response
and resources, published in Dec. 1999.

Its About More Than Just Wages is a short (4-page) introduction to the concept
and the significance of the rising living wage movement in the country, with
special relevance for the religious community. See The Witness web site,
www.thewitness.org/agw/gillett.



Dick Gillett and Verna M. Fausey
Pasadena, CA and Nashville, TN
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D-32
Paper #9

The Problem of Hunger and The Blueprint to End Hunger

What is wrong

Every year, nearly 35 million Americans, including 13 million children, are
threatened by hunger. Many children rely on a free school lunch as their only
meal of the day. Many elderly people eat too little to maintain good health.
Working parents often skip meals so that their children may eat. Food banks
have had to keep evening hours so that working poor families may have access
to food contributions.

Across the state of Pennsylvania, 1.2 million people -- about one in 10 -- live in
households where someone goes without enough food to eat, according to anti-
hunger advocates. In Allegheny County alone, it is estimated that more than
85,000 people use food pantries to feed their families. Pennsylvania pantries
reported that between 2001 and 2005, as the national poverty rate steadily
increased, they saw a 23 percent increase in people needing help. The same
statistics are echoed nationwide.

The decrease of adequate and affordable housing and of low-income rental
assistance programs, the rising cost of utilities, expensive and often inadequate
health care, lack of adequate child care subsidies for low-income working
families, and a unrealistically low minimum wage all mean that working poor
families simply have less and less money to spend on food.

Among industrialized countries, the United States is the only one that still
tolerates widespread hunger within its borders. At the 1996 World Food Summit,
the United States pledged to cut domestic food insecurity in half by 2010, but
progress against hunger has been far below the rate needed to reach that goal.

Sadly, the last resort for families with hunger has been weakening as state and
federal budgets cut resources for food security. Over the past several decades,
U.S. leaders have worked in a bipartisan way to develop national nutrition
programs such as the child nutrition programs, the Food Stamp Program and the
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).
These programs are often our last line of defense against hunger. Although they
are effective, today these programs are severely under-funded and fail to reach
many people. By strengthening the programs and improving peoples access to
them, we can do much more to reduce hunger.

Our faith

[Matthew 25]

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D-33
A General Convention resolution passed in 1985 (A080) called on the
government to reorder budget priorities to alleviate hunger. This was echoed by
the February 1995 Executive Council meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, that
called on the church to support federal nutrition programs. We have been quick
to respond to human suffering and mindful of the responsibility that wealth brings.
But despite our abundance and charitable spirit, we all have much work to do to
assure that every American is adequately fed.

What can be done
On June 3, 2004, Hunger Awareness Day, the National Anti-Hunger
Organizations (NAHO) released a working document, A Blueprint to End
Hunger. As part of the document, The Millennium Declaration to End Hunger in
America calls upon our nations leaders and all people to join together to end
hunger in America. We are called to work together, private and public leaders,
community, religious and charitable groups, so that we may achieve an America
where hunger is but a distant memory and we live true to the values of a great
nation.
Recommendations as we prepare to raise a strong moral voice of public support:
We can declare the ability to purchase needed food as a basic human
right. We can move toward a future where everyone enjoys that right as a
realistic, affordable and morally compelling goal for the Untied States. We
know how to end hunger and other advanced industrialized nations
already have done so.
We can remember in prayer that the common good is achieved through
political will of all faithful people.
The Episcopal Public Policy Network can join with the NAHO when
immediate national public policy action is called for.
We can encourage diocesan participation and parish engagement in the
study and recommendations of A Blueprint to End Hunger.
We can encourage dioceses to participate in and recommend letter writing
campaigns and active support for needed legislation.
We can encourage engagement in state and local e-advocacy and a
commitment to address every legislative level with the power to act to end
hunger locally.
We can support our local allies in our communities by working on locally
recommended hunger advocacy, and by supporting local food banks and
hunger education organizations.
We can observe National Hunger Awareness Day (June 3) in our dioceses
and parishes. National Hunger Awareness Day was first recognized in
2002, and provides a platform for American anti-hunger organizations to
speak out and raise awareness about the serious problem of hunger in the
United States. More than 34 million Americans - including 13 million
children - depend on help each year from a national network of more than
50,000 food banks and food rescue organizations, community and faith-
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D-34
based charities, and government agencies. To learn more, visit
www.hungerday.org.




More resources

The Blueprint to End Hunger can be accessed at
http://www.frac.org/Blueprint%20to%20End%20Hunger.pdf

National Anti-Hunger Organizations

Americas Second Harvest www.seconharvest.org
Bread for the World www.bread.org
Center on Hunger and Poverty www.centeronhunger.org
Community Food Security Coalition www.foodsecurity.org
Congressional Hunger Center www.hungercenter.org
The End Hunger Network www.endhunger.com
Food Research and Action Center www.frac.org
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger www.mazon.org
The National Interfaith Hunger Directors RESULTS www.results.org
Share Our Strength www.strength.org
World Hunger Year www.worldhungeryear.org




Wanda Guthrie
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

















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SECOND EDITION

FEBRUARY 2008













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Paper # 10

The Crisis of Working Poverty:
Realities, Responses, Networking Opportunities

Advocates for social and economic justice in the church are well aware of
the existence of poverty and increasing income inequalities in the United
States. Nonetheless its useful to have some basic figures at our
fingertips so we can keep challenging people to understand that they
represent real lives of real working people right in our own churches and
communities. So here are some data:

As of 2006, about 36.5 million people living in the U.S. were under the
poverty line, representing an annual income of less than $20,600 for a
family of four.

A minimum living wage for a family of four one barely adequate to
meet real costs of food, housing, health care, transportation and other
necessities ranges from about $35,000 to above $40,000 annually,
depending upon location. Even with the long-overdue passage and
signing of a bill last year to raise the federal minimum wage, it remains
pitifully inadequate. (The new wage will rise from $5.15/hr to $5.85/hr in
July and to $7.25/hr in 2009.)

The number of people without health insurance has climbed to 47 million.

In the last two years for which data are available, the Congressional Budget
Office says that income inequality among households grew ore quickly than any
other two-year period on records, back to 1979. Over those two years the growth
of inequality transferred $400 billion from the bottom 95 percent to the top 5
percent of the population.

We can consider three responses to address these crippling realities, assuming
we want to enable and empower people:

1) Living wage campaigns

After a surge of victorious living wage campaigns in cities large and small in the
early years of this century, the number of cities with living wage ordinances has
leveled off at about 150. ACORN, the national community action leader in such
campaigns, has refocused its actions on organizing at the political level to pass
state minimum wage laws (many of which are higher than the federal law). It is
also waging state or municipal campaigns to win paid sick days for workers and
related benefits.

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D-37
At the 2006 General Convention of the Episcopal Church passed two resolutions
on these topics. One, D047, commits the church at all levels to contract solely
with union hotels at its meetings, or to obtain confirmation that local prevailing
living wages are paid by all hotels the church uses. While something of a step
forward, in practice the determination of what a reasonable living wage should
be in a particular locale, as well as finding out the wages a hotel might actually
be paying its employees, has proved difficult. As a general rule we recommend
an hourly wage of at least $12 for hotels where there is no union, and/or paid
health care benefits of at least $2. We need to push for dioceses to adopt policy
statements establishing these norms, as well as explicit adherence to Res. D047
above. The best resource for checking out hotels is the non-profit INMEX
(Informed Meetings Exchange), at www.inmex.org.

2) Advocacy and support for workers in organizing

The other 2006 resolution, C008, reaffirmed the right of workers to organize and
form unions. It also affirmed the right to organize and form unions for seasonal
and migrant workers who historically have been deprived of those rights. We
support the right to organize and form unions as a means to securing adequate
wages, benefits, and safety conditions for all workers. We encourage all levels of
the church to be informed about, and act accordingly, when rights of workers to
associate is being jeopardized. Current and recent organizing campaigns that
religious groups in the West Coast have participated in include hotel workers,
grocery workers, janitors, home care workers and ports truckers.

3) Community benefits agreements

This is a relatively new strategy that is having striking success in reshaping how
land use and economic development decisions impact the lives of ordinary working
families. The CBAs are basically an organizing strategy to address workers basic
needs, such as affordable housing, living wage jobs, local hiring, and health care.
The campaign participants are diverse constituencies, including community
organizations, organized labor, environmental groups and interfaith organizations.
Together, they painstakingly build power to change public policy decisions at the
municipal and sometimes regional level. Thus, the long-practiced conventional
models offering developer-friendly incentives with little or no thought to broad
community welfare are rejected for more progressive people-oriented goals for the
common good. The most successful victories have occurred in the Los Angeles
area, with a network of community groups from Southern California, the Bay Area
and Seattle beginning to share a common vision. The vehicle for this networking
and community building is The Partnership for Working Families, with affiliated
groups now formed coast to coast. Website for information is
www.communitybenefits.org. A related website with a plethora of information and
examples of collaborative successes is the Los Angeles Alliance for a New
Economy at www.laane.org.

Dick Gillett
Seattle, Washington
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Paper # 11
Immigration Update
A battle cry for ending racism and dashed hopes for millions
Immigration enforcement

In last may of 2007, at 5:00 a.m., ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
knocked on doors of an apartment complex in Shelton, Washington. ICE claimed
they only intended to pick up an individual on a warrant; another 16 were taken
as collateral (they just happened to be undocumented people present). The
burning questions is, if ICE intended to pick up just one individual on a warrant
why did they have three vans waiting? These early morning raids are quite
typical in a punitive immigration enforcement. Children witness their parents
being taken away. This scene reminds me of a movie depicting some obscure
country the United States has declared war on to protect human rights and
dignity.

ICE is now known to wait around convenience stores early in the morning and
confront Latinos about their immigration status. This can only be summed up as
racial profiling. Workplace raids have been massive and are happening all over
the country: in New Bedford, MA, Cincinnati, OH, Portland, OR, and the list goes
on and on and on. Families left behind are in disarray, in a high percentage of
cases, children are U.S. citizens and there is no guarantee that the country of
origin of the undocumented parent will allow easy immigration. Family
reunification statutes under U.S. immigration law currently are designed to keep
immediate families together, but they are subject to change.

Since June 2007, when proposed immigration reform, which would have allowed
the estimated 12 million undocumented people in the United States to pay stiff
fines and begin a process towards legalization failed to make it to the Senate
floor, several towns, cities and even states have taken it upon themselves to
develop local immigration enforcement ordinances. These ordinances are being
challenged in federal courts and are being overturned (i.e., in Hazelton, PA).

There is great confusion about local law enforcements role in immigration
enforcement. Some cities, like Seattle, WA, are sanctuary cities, and police do
not ask the immigration status of individuals they encounter in traffic stops and
arrests. Just a few miles north of Seattle, however, the police department in the
City of Lynnwood offers ICE courtesy desk space in its police department/jail.
Domestic violence advocates and other social service workers are very
concerned about these practices of cooperation with ICE, because victims are
afraid to come forward and report crimes.
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Economics and the workers

It is well known that undocumented immigrant workers are close to being a slave
class in the United States. Many work for low and even below minimum wages
and have no benefits; even basic health care for children of immigrants in some
places has been cut. There is controversy over whether the immigrant work
force drives wages up or down, what the cost is in social services compared to
taxes paid by undocumented workers and the cost of education for their children.
Even in higher paying jobs such as construction, employers cannot attract a
sufficient workforce outside of the immigrant workers. Most undocumented
workers pay into Social Security and unemployment insurance, but can never
realize those benefits. Even a person who is eventually legalized cannot claim
retroactive Social Security.

There are reports from all over the country that crops are rotting in the fields
because the labor force is not able to come due to tighter border security. Some
California farmers have moved their operations to Mexico, following the labor
force.

Even with the raids, the tighter border security and workplace enforcement, 12
million people are not going to disappear overnight. If they lose their jobs due to
the no-match Social Security letters or have been arrested by ICE and are out on
bond and prohibited from working, most will still work, but deeper in the shadows
where the abuses are hidden from the eyes of most of us who reap the benefits
of their labor.
The broken immigration system

So why dont they just get visas or become citizens? My grandparents came
to this country and they became Americans and were proud of it. This is some
of the rhetoric that we hear over and over.

The last general amnesty was in 1986, more than 20 years ago, and there has
been virtually nothing since. On occasion, immediate family members could
adjust status within the U.S. (meaning that if they were already hear with a
spouse, parent or adult children they would not have to leave the country when a
visa became available). This is not an option now. The backlog for processing
visas is very long - anywhere from two to fifteen years, depending upon the
category.

The bill that could not get to the Senate floor due to insufficient votes to move it
forth (although the majority of senators voted for it) was being referred to as
amnesty, and this was a hot button for the anti-immigrants groups. The
proposal was anything but amnesty. A family of four could expect to pay over
$10,000 to finally be granted permanent residency. Could most afford to pay that
amount? Of course not, but would they make sacrifices and find a way? Yes.

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So how does our faith tradition inform us?

Scripture is full of stories of immigrants, sojourners and travelers. From the call
of Abraham and Sarah to Mary and Josephs flight into Egypt, we see God calling
communities to move for safety, for survival, to bring new life to new lands. The
story of Israel going into Egypt is somewhat parallel to what is going on in our
immigrant communities today. The first wave of immigrants from Latin America
was welcomed during World War II to work on the farms that soldiers had left.
They came, driven by starvation in their own countries. Something happened to
Egypt; the government changed and became fearful of the growing Israeli
community and enslaved them. The story did not turn out so well for Egypt, as
Moses led Israel to freedom. When will we ever learn, when will we?
What can we do?

Become informed about the issues.
Become involved in the New Sanctuary Movement
Reach out to the immigrant community around your church
Call congressional representatives and support compassionate
immigration reform
(Executive Council has officially supported the Sanctuary Movement and
General Convention Comprehensive Immigration Reform)
Be aware of how many items you use in a day and services you receive
that have passed through the hands of immigrant workers and give
thanks.


Dianne Aid, TSSF
Seattle, Washington


















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Paper # 12

Socially Responsible Investments

In 1971, The Episcopal Church (TEC) filed the first religious shareholder
resolution at a corporate annual meeting. Presiding Bishop John Hines asked
General Motors to cease business as usual in South Africa. Since then, the
socially responsible investment movement has grown to include many religious
and individual investors, unions, foundations and public and private pension
funds.

When a church institution such as TEC, as an owner of stock in a corporation,
introduces a resolution affecting corporate behavior or votes its shares at a
corporate annual meeting or by proxy, it exercises an important fiduciary
responsibility and supports TECs social witness often along with other religious
institutions and socially concerned investors. TEC was a founding member of the
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), an ecumenical organization
that takes the lead in promoting such shareholder action. However, activists
comprise only a small percentage of stockowners and there is a need to get
mutual fund shareholders to talk back to their mutual funds by casting proxies. A
Ceres study revealed that only two percent of assets of the 100 largest mutual
funds supported global warming shareholder resolutions.

In 2001, religious investors filed 132 (out of 226) resolutions in 96 companies; in
2002, 144 (out of 251) resolutions in 99 companies. In 2004, 210 shareholder
resolutions were filed. As of March 11, 2005, 211 resolutions had been filed. Top
issues in 2005 were the environment (especially global warming and
renewables), political contributions and lobbying activities, fair employment,
animal welfare and corporate governance.

In 1972, TECs Executive Council formed the Social Responsibility in Investment
Committee to monitor church investments. General Convention Executive
Council resolutions guide TECs proxy voting and shareholder advocacy. In
2002, TEC filed resolutions with ten of the companies in which it held common
stock and voted yes on more than 100 resolutions filed by others, according to
TECs web site. It is a good result when resolution sponsors and corporate
management reach agreements prior to officially filing a resolution for a
shareholder vote.

Investor activity can take the form of portfolio screening to avoid buying or to
intentionally purchase shares of corporations involved in certain products or
services, or placing funds with socially responsible portfolio managers and
mutual funds. TEC does some screening of its portfolio and does not own stock
in tobacco manufactures, companies doing business in the Sudan and
companies among the top five Defense Department contractors which receive
more than 50% of their revenue from military contracts.

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D-42
Community investing is another form of socially responsible investing. These are
investments, usually loans, which provide an opportunity to capitalize projects of
(usually) non-profit organizations whose work is consistent with the investors
mission. Such investments support affordable housing development, nonprofit
facilities, childcare centers, small business development and micro enterprise
lending. Community development financial institutions (CDFIs), the vehicles for
community investing, include community development banks, community
development loan funds, cooperative associations, credit unions, micro-
enterprise funds and venture capital funds.

In 1988, General Convention passed a resolution calling on TEC to establish a
ministry of community investment and economic justice directed to community-
controlled economic programs of the disadvantages, with a special focus on land
trusts, housing cooperatives, worker-owned businesses and community
development credit unions. This resolution, known as the Michigan Plan, was
the impetus for TEC creating the Economic Justice Loan Fund, which has made
seven million dollars available for lending to CDFIs.

TEC uses its position to press for social changes on issues including corporate
governance, the environment, equality in organizations, fair lending and
responsible use of capital, international operations, militarism and specific
products and services.

Since 1988 the Episcopal Churchs Economic Justice Loan Fund has made $7
million available for lending to community development, financial institutions such
as community development loan funds, credit unions and venture capital funds.

Our faith

While the Bible does not provide specific guidelines on how many independent
directors a corporate board should have, Jews and Christians are sensitive to the
issues of power and inequality.

If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your
community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord
your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted
toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your
hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it
may be.
Deuteronomy 15:7 (NRSV)

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori notes on the church web site the
importance of exercising proper stewardship of our corporate investments
through Socially Responsible Investing (SRI). She adds that the church, as an
investor in equities, has a moral and ethical obligation to ensure that the
corporations in which we invest our resources pursue profits in a socially
responsible manner.
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D-43

Over the years, General Convention and the Executive Council adopted
resolutions on socially responsible investing on a variety of issues.

Militarism--divest from the five top defense contractors; ask companies to
cease bidding on nuclear weapons
International operations--right of workers in China, divest from companies
doing business in the Sudan
Environment--promote renewable energy sources, climate change, hazardous
chemicals
Disassociate from offensive imagery of American Indian communities
Glass ceiling report on removing impediments to career advancement of
women and people of color
Avoid underwriting predatory loans
Divest from tobacco companies
Protect children from sex trafficking

What Can We Do?

Religious institutions and individual investors should look at where their money is
invested. Consider factors besides the rate of return and the risk factor. If your
diocese, parish or organization plans to invest, obtain TECs guidelines.

Determine if endowed parishes practice socially responsible investing criteria in
their investments. Pressure the endowed parishes organization, the Consortium
of Endowed Episcopal parishes, to adopt socially responsible investment
guidelines.

Place funds with socially responsible portfolio managers and mutual funds, and
in community investing.

File resolutions regarding investments at General Convention and at diocesan
conventions.

Encourage TEC to budget more funds in the churchs Economic Justice Loan
Fund.

Resources

Social Investment Forum
1612 K Street NW#650
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-872-5361
Fax: 202-42-5725
Website: www.socialinvest.org
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D-44
The trade association of SRI professionals and organizations has complete
information on SRI opportunities, including mutual funds and community
investing, recent trends, research and updates.

Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR)
475 Riverside Drive, #1842
New York, NY 10115
Phone: (212) 870-2293
Fax: (212) 870-2023
Web site: www.iccr.org
Coalition of 300 faith-based institutions, including denominations, religious
communities and others. These include Protestant, Roman Catholic and Jewish
investors.

Opportunity Financial Networks
(Formerly National Community Capital Association or NCCA)
620 Chestnut Street, #572
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: (215) 320-4310
Fax (215) 923-4755
Web site: www.opportunityfinance.net
Network of 170 private sector community development financial institutions;
has information about all funds in your area.

CERES
99 Chancy St., #601
Boston, MA 02111
Phone: (617) 247-0700
Fax: (617) 267-5400
Web site: www.ceres.org
A Boston-based coalition of investors and environmental groups, it helped
launched the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) in November 2003.

Investor Responsibility Research Center, Inc. (IRRC)
1350 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Web site: www.irrc.org
This not-for-profit investor advisory firm was founded in 1972.

Domini Social Investments
536 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (202) 352-9200

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D-45
Publications

Community Investing: An Alternative for Religious Congregations Seeking a
Social as Well as a Financial Return. Episcopal Network for Economic Justice.
1999.

Socially Responsible Investing: Making a Difference and Making Money by Amy
Domini. Dearborn Trade. 2001.

Engage Gods Mission: Policy for Action
The Social Policies of the Episcopal Church, USA
Office of Government Relations
110 Maryland Avenue NE, #309
Washington, DC 2002-5626
Phone: 1-800-228-0515
Fax: (202) 547-4457
Web site: www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn
Published by TECs Office of Government Relations, this lists resolutions
adopted by General Convention and Executive Councils between 1991-2003. A
few prior selected resolutions are included.


Verna M. Fausey
Nashville, TN

Susan Lloyd
Madison, WI



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THIRD EDITION

FEBRUARY 2009












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Paper # 13
Racism and Economic Justice
What is the Issue?

The connection between racism and economic injustice is strong. Poverty is a
form of social violence, one of many to which persons and communities of color
are subjected to a greater than average degree. Worldwide, poverty is the norm
rather than the exception. Our present economic system is organized for the
benefit of a small minority of non-poor who make the major economic decisions
that affect everyone else. Even those who benefit in small ways are still worse off
than they would be if wealth and decision-making were more fairly distributed.
Inequitable distribution of wealth, disparities in access to essential goods,
services and relationships, and unequal access to credit, education, and
employment are some of the chief forms this violence takes. To this, we should
add environmental racism, in which toxic waste, poor air and water quality, and
other environmental problems disproportionately affect communities of color.

Racism is part of an interlocking system of oppression and privilege and cannot
be understood in abstraction from oppression based on class, sex, national
origin, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. Poverty is by no means the only
form of violence involved in racism and white privilege. With the end of slavery
and legalized segregation in the United States, however, poverty retains a
degree of social acceptability that is no longer so openly accorded to other forms
of racist violence. The existence of wealthy and middle class persons of color by
no means undermines this point. These children of God are still harmed by a
system of privilege and dominance, of which poverty is only one of many tools.
Solidarity in the struggle against class-based oppression on the part of poor
whites and people of color, as well as a common struggle against racism and
other forms of oppression, are inseparable elements in any effective work for
justice and peace. For too long, elites have successfully played to racism among
working class whites, often cloaked in coded language, in order to sustain a
political economy (increasingly a global one) rife with deadly injustice.

Resources from Holy Scripture and the Church's liturgy
God creates all humankind in God's image and likeness (Gen 1:26-27). Seen in
this light, all sorts of human differences are interesting facts about us, but they
cannot form the basis for the kinds of oppressive violence on the basis of
difference that come into play in racism. Moreover, "race" is itself a socially
constructed and problematic concept, tied up with pernicious ideas about "purity."
The myth of our descent from two common ancestors, Adam and Eve, points to a
profound truth. All human beings share a genetic heritage despite (always partial)
geographic and cultural isolation that leads to observed "racial" differences.
There is plenty of sharing of genetic material across "racial" lines, not only in "bi-
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D-48
racial" or "interracial" persons but also in those who are identified, by themselves
or others, as belonging to only one particular "race." Race is a real part of our
social landscape but it is a cultural, historical, and mutable reality, and not a
difference in "natural kind." The doctrine of our creation in God's image and
likeness ought to be employed to challenge these reified distinctions in a direct
manner, but we should do so in a way that also celebrates difference. The
diversity of the world is meant to reflect God's glorious beauty and not to become
an occasion for violence (including the violence of poverty) committed against
our neighbor. Through God's abundant gifts and faithful struggle, another world is
possible.

The doctrine of the image of God grounds our promise in the baptismal covenant
to "strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every
human being." (BCP, p. 305) Response to this promise is insufficient to the
extent that it involves merely a change in attitude. Striving and respecting are far
more active than that. They involve struggle to transform unjust practices,
relationships, and institutions, in which we all participate and in which some of us
have vested interests. Holy Baptism entails the rejection of racism when we
renounce "the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures
of God." (BCP, p. 302). As Dr. King taught, racism, like other forms of oppressive
violence, harms both the oppressed (first and foremost) and the oppressor (as
well). This should form an integral part of baptismal catechesis and confirmation
instruction, and it should be preached and taught publicly, especially but not only
when baptismal vows are renewed.

In the Gospels and in Acts, Jesus is portrayed as the fulfillment of God's gracious
and salvific will for all, seen throughout salvation history and proclaimed in Isaiah
and other prophetic writings. In the liturgical year, this is especially evident in the
season of Advent (see the year A readings, esp. Isaiah 2:1-5, 11:1-10 and Is.
40:3, which is used as an opening sentence for Morning Prayer and quoted by
John the Baptist in Luke 3:6) and on the feasts of the Epiphany and Pentecost.
At Pentecost in particular, we hear in Peter's sermon a citation from Joel 2:28-32,
which speaks of God's Spirit being poured out on all flesh. As patristic
theologians (both Greek and Latin) insist, in the particular man Jesus, the divine
Logos is united with humanity in all its manifold diversity. In the Gospels, Luke's
decision to trace the genealogy of Christ back to Adam (Luke 3:23-38) and his
special concern with Samaritans and Gentiles throughout the Gospel present
opportunities to preach the Gospel in connection with anti-racist struggle. In
John, there is also a concern with the mission to Samaritans (Ch. 4), but it is in
the transitional chapters to the so-called "book of glory," (Raymond Brown) that
we observe the significance of the cross in bringing Greeks to Jesus (John
12:20ff.). In the hour of his lifting up (crucifixion-resurrection-exaltation), Jesus
draws all people to himself (John 3:14-16, 12:32).

A related teaching is found in the writings of Paul and associated epistles, which
take up the problem of how the Gentiles can be incorporated into the People of
God without first becoming Jews. In the baptismal formula of Galatians (3:27-28),
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D-49
the hostile division between Jew and Gentile, which understood as such bears
some similarities to theories of race, is seen to be overcome in Holy Baptism. In
Ephesians, the author expands on this idea when he speaks of God creating
"one new humanity out of the two" (2:15) as Jews and Gentiles come together in
one flesh in the Body of Christ and of Jesus "breaking down the dividing wall of
hostility" (2:14). This is confirmed by John's vision of the elders and saints
singing a new song, in which Christ the Lamb ransoms saints "from every tribe
and language and people and nation" (Revelations 5:9, cp. BCP, pp. 93-94).

Racism, classism, and other forms of oppression run directly counter to the
egalitarian vision present in creation, incarnation, and Holy Baptism. They also
contradict the essential character of the Eucharistic assembly as a mixed body of
"all sorts and conditions," which eats and drinks together in one place. In the
context of the table-fellowship of Jesus, differences become gifts that enrich the
community's life and the common good (1Corinthians 12-13, Romans 12), and
social divisions call into question the community's discernment of the Body of
Christ in the Lord's Supper (1Corinthians 11:17-34).

Actions of General Convention

Gathered in General Convention, the elected leadership of the Episcopal Church
has taken action to combat racism as it affects both Church and society. It is
important to realize that racism manifests itself in the Church not just as a
privately held prejudice, but also as a social and institutional evil that wounds the
Body of Christ and compromises our witness to the Gospel. Actions by General
Convention and other official bodies do not exhaust the Church's response to
racism, nor should they be allowed to become merely symbolic gestures to
absolve the Church from its responsibility to make real changes at every level of
the organization and in the surrounding culture. As with racial lines, the lines
between Church and culture are essentially permeable and fluid (see K. Tanner,
Theories of Culture). The doctrine of creation and the Gospel itself mandate our
struggle against racism. Even if the Church took no "official action," beyond what
is in the Bible and the liturgy, fighting racism and other forms of oppression would
still be the responsibility of every baptized person. Again, this fact should always
be stressed in catechesis and confirmation preparation, when expounding on the
baptismal covenant and the significance of the Eucharistic assembly.

Some actions of General Convention seem aimed primarily at transforming the
Church itself. The canons make the strongest statement in Title I, canon 17,
section 5: "No one shall be denied rights, status or access to an equal place in
the life, worship, and governance of this Church because of race, color, ethnic
origin, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disabilities or age,
except as otherwise specified by Canons." Other relevant canons concern
discernment for lay and ordained ministries (III.1.2), the election of a rector
(III.9.3), the acceptance of letters dismissory (III.9.4), and the granting of licenses
to officiate (III.9.6).

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D-50
Resolutions spell out the Church's commitment to eliminate racism from its own
life through recommendations for parishes and dioceses (1982-A062, 1991-
D043, 1994-A047); support for inclusion and justice in clergy deployment (1976-
A064, 1991-A090, 1994-A045) and in recruiting and equipping lay leaders (1994-
A046); and the specific mandates for the composition of and process used by
interim bodies of the General Convention (1991-A082, 1991-A085, 1994-D135,
1997-A051). In some cases, particular processes of monitoring or institutional
structures of accountability are called for (1979-D083, 1979-B059, 1985-A078,
1988-A092, 1988-A112, 1991-A199, 1991-D113, 2003-A010). The requirement
for anti-racism training for seminarians and lay leaders is particularly noteworthy
(2000-B049, cp. 2006-A092), as is the Episcopal Church's call to study how we
may have benefited economically from the practice of slavery (2006-A123). The
Church has also called for its practices of socially responsible investing to reflect
its anti-racist commitment (1982-D124) and for questions of racism to be taken
into account when awarding vendor contracts (2000-B041).

Other actions of General Convention are aimed at combating racism in
society. In addition to some more general statements (1991-B051, 1994-A048,
1994-D029, 1994-D136, 1997-A039, 1997-A128, 2000-A047, 2000-B006, 2003-
D025), particular social ills bound up with racism are also singled out and
particular policies commended to redress injustice. The Church's repeated
commitment to its own affirmative action policy also contains an affirmation of the
principle of affirmative action (1979-D083), which has general policy
consequences and which has not been rescinded in an era when affirmative
action is increasingly under assault in the courts. The Church has condemned
the Klan and similar hate groups (1979-D066) and opposes discrimination in
private clubs (1979-D079). The racism of our prison-industrial complex is
addressed in resolutions supporting the repeal of mandatory sentence guidelines
(2003-A008) and a moratorium on the construction of new maximum control
prisons (1994-D010). There is a specific rejection of racial profiling and violence
against Muslims and people of color (2003-D077). The Church has condemned
environmental racism (2000-D005). The plight of at risk children is specifically
tied to the development of anti-racism curricula (1994-B017). The Church has
committed to study how racism affects our society's response to HIV/AIDS (1997-
A046). Given the connection between social geography and racial injustice,
affirmation of a commitment to urban ministry may serve to question suburban
strategies of congregational development with racist overtones (2000-D052).
Perhaps the strongest particular policy recommendations concern the Episcopal
Church's support for legislation to make reparations for the economic
consequences of slavery (2006-C011).

General convention shows some awareness of the need for specific policies to
combat racism as it affects particular communities. For example, racism
sometimes takes the form of xenophobic violence and discrimination against
immigrants, and the Church has expressly rejected this form of racism (1994-
D132). In problematic language, the Church has also taken a stand in promoting
Church wide advocacy of "Indian Rights" (1985-B007).
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D-51

In some cases, the Episcopal Church has taken a position regarding struggles
against racism and other forms of oppression in countries where the Episcopal
Church does not have a presence but which are served by other member
churches of the Anglican Communion. For example, we have expressed support
for the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa (1976-D036), for minority rights in
Japan (1991-D052), and, albeit somewhat cautiously, for the Palestinians (1991-
D122). We have also called on the U.S. government to condemn caste-based
oppression and untouchability (2000-D024).


It would be a mistake, though, to draw an overly sharp distinction between those
actions designed to bring about justice in the Church and those designed to
transform the world. An Anglican, incarnational ecclesiology presupposes an
intimate relationship between the Body of Christ and the body politic. This
perspective, albeit in a slightly different form, has survived even when we are no
longer the established Church. As Gandhi and Dr. King taught us, self-
purification is the necessary precondition for non-violent struggle.



R. William Carroll
The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd
Athens, Ohio (Diocese of Southern Ohio)

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D-52
Paper # 14
The Effect of the Price of Gas on the Working Family

Over the past summer (2008), we all felt the effects of gas reaching $4 and
beyond. It was noticeable everywhere one looked. And while recent months have
seen an easing of the gas price crunch (due, unfortunately, to the overall
economic slowdown which is causing financial harm throughout the society), it is
important to reflect on and remember that, for many people, a spike in the price
of gas or other necessities is not just a pinch or a bit of a pain. These are the
people for whom this is a real crisis.

I work at The House of Concern in Seneca County, New York. It is a food pantry
and general assistance program. We try to provide food for a seven-day period.
People are able to access the pantry once a month. We have always served a
variety of people, but last summer saw a dramatic rise in the number of new
clients. Prior to that summer, we served 170 families in a typical month, and out
of that number we had maybe 10 new clients. Those were usually people who
had something unexpected happen, such as a job loss or illness.

In July, we served 192 clients and out of that group were 32 new families. In
August, we served 219 families and had 26 new families.

The newcomers all have similar stories. They work, they have families and they
had a choice of filling the gas tank or buying food. If they bought food, with the
rising costs at the grocery store, they had no money left for gas. If they didnt fill
the tank, they couldnt go to work. If they didnt go to work they would not have
the money to buy food. For the most part, these are the people who make too
much to receive food stamps. The food stamp regulations have not changed to
counter the rising cost of fuel or other necessities.

Some of you may be thinking that these people should use public transportation,
but that is not an option for the most part around here. Rural areas have limited,
if any, public transportation and jobs usually involve a commute, often of 20 miles
or more. That is a lot of gas.

We are also seeing a group of people who have not had to come to a pantry in
years but now can no longer survive without doing so. I had one such woman in
this past summer. She has a full- time job that she has had for several years.
She brought home $320 a week. Out of that she paid $110 for childcare and $51
to fill her gas tank. That left her with $159 with which to pay rent, utilities, food
and anything else that comes up. The $51 to fill the tank was only to pay to go
back and forth to work. If she needed or wanted to go anywhere else, that cost
went up. Luxuries like a phone and cable were dropped. It left little room for
,,--a. e a.--a-, ....- -a,-.

D-53
insurances and car maintenance was completely unaffordable. There was no
cushion for any emergency. These people are coming to our food pantry.

This is one story from one day at the food pantry. I could give you many others. I
could tell you that our numbers of elderly people actually went down over the
summer, because, as one older person explained to me, Most of us just cant
afford a car and gas anymore. So these people tried to carpool together, but that
was not always easy. They also sometimes took the bus, but riding a bus when
you are 80 and carrying bags of groceries is also not easy. Also, the bus runs
only hourly, leading to long waits which were sometimes just too much for them.
So they pooled their money and tried to come in together.

Our pantry is not unique. This is a situation that was and is being played out in
food pantries all over, taking a toll on the food that pantries have to offer. The
summer months are notorious for low donations. August is usually the lowest
month of the year for donations. For many of us in that time of year, the shelves
empty and funding is non-existent.
Our faith

Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and
gave you something to drink? And the king will answer them, Truly I tell you,
just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you
did it to me. (Matthew 25:37-40)

If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of
your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be
hardhearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should open your
hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.
(Deuteronomy 15:7)
What we can do

In his second inaugural address in 1937, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
said, The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of
those who have much: it is if we provide enough for those who have too little.

The gap between the haves and the have-nots is getting wider. On July 31
st
of
this year Exxon reported an 11.68 billion dollar profit for their second quarter. It
was the biggest quarterly profit ever by a US corporation.

Public awareness is key to addressing this issue. On July 31
st
, after
hearing about Exxons amazing second quarter and figuring out the
monthly statistics for the food pantry where I work, I wrote an e-mail that
was picked up by the local paper and ran in its editorial section. I let
people know just what kind of crisis we were facing with growing numbers
and needs. The community response was immediate and heartfelt. To
date, we have brought in $27,000 for the pantry. This money came from
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

D-54
individuals and groups seeing the need in their community and rising to
the challenge to do what they could. They gave food and money, and
they volunteered. They took the words of caring for their neighbors to
heart and they acted upon them. It is important to personalize stories and
make people feel ownership of the issue. Facts and figures are important,
but it is people who are affected by this situation, and it is people that we
need to focus on.
Support local food banks. Know where your local food pantry is. Find out
their needs. Have your parish adopt a pantry.
Take up a special collection once a month for monetary donations.
Encourage diocesan participation in letter writing campaigns for needed
legislation.
Encourage state and local advocacy towards the goal of ending hunger.
Support hunger education organizations.
Observe National Hunger Awareness Day (June 3) in your parishes and
dioceses.
Organize and participate in food drives.
Make our voice heard politically. Let the politicians know that it is not all
right that people have to decide between gas in their cars and food on
their table. Refuse to elect those who think that it is.
Start programs in our dioceses such as the one that was started by United
Ministries in South Carolina. It was called Our Eyes were Opened. The
programs goal was to educate the haves to make wise and
compassionate decisions for helping those in poverty, the belief being that
helping those with wealth to better understand the reality of poverty will
enable them to be better stewards of their wealth.

Resources

McGovern, George, The Essential America: Our Founders and the Liberal
Tradition, 2004, Simon and Schuster.
Schwartz-Noble, Loretta, Growing Up Empty: The Hunger Epidemic in America,
2002. Harper Collins.
Carroll, James, Hunger Affects Us All, The Boston Globe, Monday April 28,
2008.
Ehreneich, Barbara, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, 2001
Henry Hold & Co. LLC.
Shipler, David K., The Working Poor: Invisible in America, 2004 Alfred A. Knopf.





Diane Draheim
Seneca Falls, New York
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D-55
Paper # 15
Economic Impact of the War


Introduction
Like all wars, the justice or injustice of the War in Iraq may be judged on both the
intentions of the warring nations and the impact of the war on the respective
citizens of the warring nations. The war in Iraq fails on every ground to satisfy
any claim to being a 'just' war from the perspective of intention as well as from
the perspective of impact, but especially economic impact.

From the point of view of those affected in the United States, there is a perverse
economic impact from the war that has at least two major dimensions:

1) the disproportionate burden of economic detriment placed on the most
vulnerable of American society and
2) the loss of social cohesion and commonwealth enjoyed by all the citizens of
the United States.

The issue surveyed in this brief paper, therefore, addresses the perverse
economic impact of the War in Iraq in terms of economic vulnerability for specific
groups and the loss of wealth in the nation as a whole.

Lost Social Infrastructure Due to the War in Iraq

$500,000 a minute and $750 million a day are the current estimated money costs
of the war in Iraq. This is a war whose total costs are hidden in federal off-line
budgets and 'emergency' allocations. Most observers agree that the final costs
will be close to two trillion dollars.

Even were this magnitude of cost providing national security or funding an ethical
national obligation, it would be questionable. That the war is doing neither
constitutes infamy. Perhaps its most shameful domestic characteristic is the
unequal burden placed on the most vulnerable in American society in terms of
funding trade-offs for tax dollars to support the war.

The public financial context for the trade-off is the $656.1 billion so far paid by
American taxpayers to support the war.
1
(Remember this figure does not include
other money and budget transfers and off-line allocations.) Alternative
expenditures spent for society's well-being could have been:



Note: The format of this paper disallows any discussion of just war theology. My stipulative
definitions, viz.: intention and burden are well attested in the expansive literature and are not
intended to be inclusive but rather a minimal threshold.
1
National Priorities Project 2008, http://www.nationalpriorities.org/tradeoffs?
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

D-56
193,370,980 people receiving health care for one year OR
679,232,570 homes with renewable electricity for one year OR
4,170,626 public safety officers for one year OR
11,251,447 music and arts teachers for one year OR
101,437,848 scholarships for university students for one year OR
5,103,740 affordable housing units OR
289,177,337 children with health care for one year OR
90,037,052 Head Start places for children for one year OR
10,777,823 elementary school teachers for one year OR
9,479,502 port container Inspectors for one year

The Disproportionate Burden of the Economic Cost of the War

This picture is stark in terms of social waste, but it is horrifying when seen within
the context of the lives of those most vulnerable in American society. I focus on
hunger and poverty as a joint indicator of who the vulnerable are and how they
are at greater risk due to the economic impact of the war.

The Hungry
It is estimated that roughly 13 million households in America suffer from food
insecurity defined by the federal government as those households who do not
have access to enough nutrition to enjoy "active, healthy living." It is estimated
that households with children had twice the rate of food insecurity than adult-only
households. About half of these households do not have access to federally
supported programs such as food stamps.
2


The Poor
Poverty in America further defines vulnerability. About 15% of American families
live in poverty. Children living in poverty comprise about 18% of the population.
A shocking 31% of American families live at or below 200% of the "poverty level
(defined by the federal government as "a family of three with two children is
considered 'poor' if they live on less than $14,824
3
). Poverty in America pre-
dates the Iraq war but the vulnerability of the poor is deepened by the drain on
federal funds that could have been used to address the growing crisis of need. A
decade of extraordinary need was a policy result prior to the war in Iraq. Two
events are representative:

1) In 1996, President Clinton and Congress eliminated the federal entitlement to
public assistance.

2) Under the Bush administration's newer block grant program, Temporary
Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), states decide whether and how to offer

2
NPP reports, "The participation in the Food Stamp Program declined after 1996 because the
welfare reform law eliminated Food Stamp benefits to most legal immigrants and many able-
bodied adults without dependents. Other provisions reduced the allotment a participant could
receive."
3
NPP Quick Report on Poverty, 2008.
,,--a. e a.--a-, ....- -a,-.

D-57
benefits and must impose time limits and work requirements for recipients.
States themselves are suffering reduced revenues and so the debate around
public assistance has centered largely on the 'drain' of tax dollars spent on needy
families. (Spending on TANF is less than 1% of the total federal budget.)
4


Given that approximately 93% of those on welfare are women and children, the
reduction of tax-funded federal support by way of TANF limits amounts to a
sentence of life-long poverty and inter-generational social and economic
disability. The Bush administration created a policy option that preempted any
possibility of addressing hunger and poverty by allocating federal tax dollars to
war abroad instead of addressing life issues at home.

The hungry and poor represent those on the bottom of the economic-social
ladder. They suffer from this war because they are vulnerable to the economic
displacement of social services that governments can no longer provide due to
wartime conditions. The foregone social good for American people in general due
to this irresponsible war is astronomical, but there is an additional cost far
beyond the dollars-and-cents calculation.

The Loss of the Common Wealth and the Christian Response

The loss of social cohesion, represented by division and despair within suffering
communities of the poor and within the country as a whole, is an immeasurable
cost of the war. That economic component must be estimated beyond the two
trillion dollar war cost as the economic burden shifts to the poor and middle class.

When one calculates the trade-off costs in lost educational opportunities, health
care provision, police and fire provision and the innumerable other lost social
services, the picture is clear. Less clear is the insidious loss of the bond of
sociability that we call a commonwealth. This "wealth" is not shifted to another
group, nor is it recoverable. It is a dead loss. Its product is alienation and death.

As Christians, we merely need to look at Christ to know our duty in response to
this harm. That response is the cross we need to pick up and carry.

Matthew 16: 24-26
Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny
themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save
their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what
will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they
give in return for their life?





4
NPP also reports, "At $17.5 billion, the cost of TANF roughly equals the amount that will be
given to millionaires in the latest round of tax cuts in this year alone."
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

D-58
Resources

National Priorities Project
243 King St. #239
Northampton, MA 01060
(403) 548-9556
http://www.nationalpriorities.org

Center for Economic and Policy
Research
1161 Connecticut Ave. NW #400
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 293-5380
http://www.cepr.net

Economic Policy Institute
1333 H St. NW, Suite 3000, East
Tower
Washington, DC 20005-4707
(202) 775-8810
http://www.corporations.org/index.html

Institute for Policy Studies
1112 18th St. NW #600
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 234-9382
http://www.ips-dc.org
http://www.ips-dc.org/inequality
Friends Committee on National
Legislation
245 Second St. NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 547-6000
1-800-630-1330
http://www.fcnl.org/index.htm

Human Rights Watch
392 Fifth Ave., 34th Floor
New York, NY 10118-3299
(212) 290-4700
http://www.hrw.org

Women's Action for New Directions
691 Massachusetts Ave.
Arlington, MA 02476
(781) 643-6740
http://www.wand.org/wand_home.htm


Rev. Dr. Elaine McCoy, PhD
Elyria, Ohio
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D-59
Paper # 16

Environmental Justice

The problem and who is affected

Coal is a major source of electricity in the country. Half of our energy comes from
coal-fired power plants. At the same time, coal is one of the dirtiest sources of
energy available, with ash full of arsenic, lead and other chemicals and minerals,
and coal extraction and utilization practices contribute heavily to environmental
pollution. However, the coal industry and the Bush administration say the jobs
and energy from the mines outweigh any damage.

In the spring of 2008, church-going environmentalists joined other citizen activists
in an effort to stop coal companies from blowing up Tennessees mountains.

In mountaintop removal, coal companies clear-cut all of the trees, use shoveling
machines to scrape the trees, dump the rock and dirt in nearby valleys, remove
top soil from the mountains, and stuff fertilizer and fuel oil into drill holes to blast
up to 1,000 feet off the mountain top to reveal the coal seam.

Zeb Mountain in Campbell and Scott counties in Tennessees Cumberland
Plateau was dubbed the poster child of ugly mountains. All this was in spite of
the states investing $100 million to acquire and protect the area. But the state
owned only the surface and timber rights. National Coal, located in Knoxville,
owned the mineral rights.

At least 100 people lived within one mile of the mines. The blasting damaged
some of the homes. The process contaminated and degraded the water supply
(streams, water wells and ground water), destroyed wildlife habitat and polluted
the fish, making them inedible. Coal truck traffic has created high noise levels.

Coal industry lobbyists succeeded in killing a bill in the Tennessee state
legislature to stop the practice of mountain top removal. Five rural state
representatives, sitting on a subcommittee, argued that National Coals property
rights trumped the public interest. They chose to save 234 jobs when the
company threatened to leave the state.

Around the same time, citizen activists protested a pending renewal of National
Coals mining permit on Zeb Mountain at a hearing at the federal Office of
Surface Mining (OSM). In spite of the protests, OSM renewed the five-year
permit.

During the last twenty years, regulations enacted in the late 1970s or early 1980s
have been weakened, while funding to enforce regulations has been reduced. In
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

D-60
late 2008, the Bush administration proposed changes to allow mountain top
mining near streams, ease air pollution standards for power plants near national
parks, and exempt factory farms from the Clean Water Act. Another draft of
proposals weakened the endangered species act so it would not be used as a
back door to regulate gases blamed for global warming. The Bush
administration timed the changes to go into effect before the 2008 presidential
election.
1


The extraction and use of coal is an example of an environmental justice problem
that impacts a wide range of broader social and economic problems, as in the
following examples:

1) Climate change. One of these problems is climate change that threatens the
lives of people and the world. Climate change is a threat not only to Gods good
creation but to all of humanity, said Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts-Schori.
She adds that climate change has produced rising temperatures, storms and
floods, heat related deaths. Climate change exacerbates extreme world poverty
and poverty is hastening global warming. (Episcopal Life, May 2008)

The Presiding Bishop told the bishops meeting in Lambeth, It is the poorest on
this globe who suffer the most from climate change already and will continue to
suffer the most in the future. She cited the example of Alaskans who lost homes
due to melting permafrost.

Reports done by the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative and
also Redefining Progress show that African-Americans and other minorities living
predominately in vulnerable areas are harmed by climate change through heat-
related deaths, asthma, and pollution, storms and floods.

2) Environmental Racism. Environmental racism is the practice of placing
polluting industries and landfills in minority or low-income areas. Economically
distressed communities have often had to choose between under-employment
and migration and accepting landfills, pulp mills, smelters, polluting industries,
coal fired plants and surface mining. Toxic wastes and chemicals from landfills
have contaminated water wells and ground water. These are often located in or
near poor and minority communities.

To take one recent example, in July 2008 the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) issued an air quality permit for construction of the Desert Rock coal fired
power plant on the Navajo reservation. This came in spite of protests from state
and local officials, Navajo tribal members and citizen groups. The reservation is
home to two other coal power plants (including the Four Corners), coal mines,
waste disposal areas, oil and gas operations plus a uranium mine and related
operations that create waste and pollution. However, the Navajo tribal
government wanted the Desert Rock plant due to jobs and revenuean example

1
The Tennessean, July 6 and August 12, 2008
,,--a. e a.--a-, ....- -a,-.

D-61
of the choices forced by the combination of difficult economic and environmental
situations.

Our Faith

fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and
over the birds of the air and over every living think that moves on the earth.
(Genesis 1:28, NRSV)

The Bible teaches us of Gods role in creation and that we are stewards of that
creation. It is our responsibility to do what we can as the church and as
individuals to challenge the destruction that is around us. Give us all a reverence
for the earth as your own creation, that we may use its resources rightly in the
service of others, and to your honor and glory (BCP, p. 388).
The bishops at the 2008 Lambeth Conference declared that ecology and
economics are related.

The Episcopal Church has adopted a number of environmental justice
resolutions in past general conventions. It has:
Affirmed that global warming threatened the future of Gods creation,
especially the poorest and most vulnerable, and supported efforts to
reduce global warming.
Adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which includes as
Goal 7 to ensure environmental sustainability. Specific objectives are: to
reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe
drinking water and basic sanitation, and integrate the principles of
sustainable development in the countrys policies and programs.
Supported legislation eliminating the practice of locating pollution
industries disproportionately near neighborhoods inhabited by people of
color or the poor. Another resolution opposed environmental racism.
Opposed the practices of mountain top removal and valley fill mining and
other operations that threaten the ecology and low-income communities.
Encourage dioceses, congregations and communicants to become active
stewards of their water resources.

The Churchs Executive Council has taken a number of positions. It has:
Instructed the Episcopal Churchs treasurer to vote in favor of all
resolutions asking companies to report on how they will promote
renewable energy sources.
Instructed the treasurer to vote in favor of shareholder resolutions asking
companies to issue reports on the effects of their business activities on
climate change.
Urged the President and Congress to provide funds and leadership in an
effort to encourage renewable energy, energy efficiency and conservation

t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

D-62
In 2007 the Diocese of Southern Ohio adopted a resolution to study and make
policy recommendations about just, reasonable and sustainable communities,
economic development in Appalachia and minority communities. Additional
resolutions implementing this will be proposed.

What We Can Do

Be alert to legislation related to the environment and economic justice in
Congress and state legislatures.
Make connections between environmental injustice and worker injustice,
economic inequality and environmental and economic racism.
Promote community gardens.
Promote green energy.
Promote alternatives to fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas).
Promote socially responsible investments (SRI) based on environmental in
dioceses and congregations with endowments.
Urge individuals and congregations to conserve.
Resources

Episcopal Public Policy Network
110 Maryland Ave., N.E. #309,
Washington, D.C. 20002
1-800-228-0515, (202) 547-7300,
FAX (202) 547-4457
www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn

Episcopal Ecological Network
http://www.eenonline.org

The Episcopal Church Network for
Science Technology and Faith
Published Catechism of Creation: An
Episcopal Understanding
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/scie
nce

Walter Brueggemann, The Land
Place as Gift, Promise, and
Challenge in Biblical Faith, Fortress
Press. 2nd edition, 2002.
The Interfaith Power and Light
Campaign and The Regeneration
Project
220 Montgomery Street, #450
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 561-4891
Web:
www.theregenerationproject.org

(There are also many state Interfaith
Power and Light organizations.)

National Council of Churches Eco-
Justice Programs
110 Maryland Ave NE, #108
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 544-2350
Web: www.nccecojustice.org



Verna M. Fausey
Nashville, Tennessee


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D-63
Paper # 17
Fresh Water and Economic Justice
When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is
parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake
them. Isaiah 41:17

Connecting ecology and the economy enriches economic justice. The
Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, in his ecology and economy 2005
lecture at University of Kent, challenged beliefs surrounding the separation or
opposition of these two. Williams stated that the economy is a wholly subsidiary
of the environment and that the Earth ultimately controls economic activity.

Todays water problems require us to SEE Justice - that is, to connect social,
environmental and economic justice issues. Every diocese in ECUSA should
address the problems that threaten fresh water resources in the USA and in their
companion dioceses around the world: increased demand for water, over-
consumption, water abuse and use and privatization of water.

David L. Feldman, Ph.D., former University Tennessee Department of Political
Science Chair, in his papers about faith-based stewardship of water and the case
for a global freshwater policy writes: freshwater management is a growing
global environmental challenge. According to the World Resources Institute, the
world's thirst for water is likely to become one of the most pressing resource
issues of the 21st Century as demands of a growing population increase.
Conflicts over water supply are likely to worsen as surface and groundwater
supplies become over-stressed. A number of inter-governmental and non-
governmental organizations report that developing and developed countries face
a far-reaching crisis as a result of growing reliance on irrigation for crop
production; rapid urbanization and attendant growth in water consumption;
diminishing supplies due to stream and aquifer depletion and deteriorating and/or
poorly maintained urban water infrastructure; and, internecine conflict over the
control of water.

Maud Barlow writes in her book, Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the
Coming Battle for the Right to Water: the global water justice movement is
demanding a change in international law to settle once and for all the question of
who controls water. She declares the right to water is a human right and a
public trust and that a binding law to codify this right is needed. This should
ensure that states have the obligation to deliver sufficient, safe, assessable and
affordable water as a public service.

Barlow and other water experts tell us that many rich governments and their
corporations benefit from making water a commodity. Several groups around the
world are mobilizing in their communities and countries for constitutional
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

D-64
recognition of the right to water within their borders and at the United Nations for
a full treaty that recognizes the right to water internationally.

Water is becoming big business with annual revenues estimated at more than
$300 billion worldwide. Not surprisingly the United States accounts for more than
half of this number, and this is expected to grow as water scarcity becomes more
apparent. Water rights and municipal water supply systems are two of the fastest
growing market areas.

In the past decade, large multinational corporations have assumed control of
water supply systems throughout the world. Privatizing state water utilities is
evoking protests. Many countries and cities have embraced this in order to
attract private capital and expertise needed to build or expand expensive water
systems and services. We need strong government oversight to monitor rate
increases and provide environmental safeguards and quality service for remote
communities. The World Bank has made privatization of urban water systems a
condition for receiving new loans and debt restructuring. The benefits and loss of
this condition for new loans should be carefully monitored.

Ownership of water (and water as an economic good) has been an uneasy one
on the international scene. Private industry has tremendous resources that can
help solve the water crisis. However, solutions must be placed in humanitarian,
ecological and spiritual as well as economic contexts. A large part of the crisis we
have now entered results from the rejection of sustainability and the universality
of human rights by powerful economic interests who favor competition to decide
who will win and lose in wars for dwindling resources.

The Role of the Church and Religious Communities

Roberta Savage, justice advocate in Diocese of Virginia and former Executive
Director of Associations of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control
Administrators (ASIWPCA) in her Sewanee 2007 Water Conference presentation
stated: Societal equity and ownership of environmental resources are pivotal to
any discussion of water policy. Peoples need for sustenance and sustainable
water collide with global markets and corporate interests. This global tug of war
for water is intimately connected to modernity, social justice, democratization,
private ownership versus public resources, and the fight for self-determination.
Savage thinks creating a national and ultimately a global water budget and
finding the balance between need, want, fairness and survival is a role tailor-
made for the community of believers.

The General Convention in 2003 resolved to advocate public policy that ensures
accessible clean water for all. Environmental ministry leaders in Province IV have
been tracking the implementation of the two water resolutions and have
,,--a. e a.--a-, ....- -a,-.

D-65
expanded the focus for scientific and ethical principles that govern a solid water
ethic.
1






What Can We Do?

That the planets fresh water is consumed profligately is beyond doubt,
particularly in the area of agriculture, which accounts for 70 percent of all water
use. And half or more of that water is lost to evaporation or runoff. Getting more
out of each drop of water is imperative, for as the worlds population increases
and the demand for food soars, unchecked irrigation poses a serious threat to
rivers, wetlands and lakes.

Drip irrigation, which uses perforated tubing to deliver water to crops, uses 30 to
70 percent less than traditional methods and increases crop yields to boot. The
first drip systems were developed in the 1960s, but even now theyre used on
less than one percent of irrigated land. Most governments subsidize irrigation
water so heavily that farmers have little incentive to invest in drip systems or
other water saving methods.

Lester Brown, in his eco-economics research, estimates the services provided by
freshwater in todays markets are worth two trillion dollars! The economic value
of freshwater services enables us to save wetlands, watersheds and other
natural resources. Years ago, Robert Kennedy Jr. facilitated an excellent
economic concession that enabled New York City to save millions on water
purification equipment by increasing watershed protection around the water
reservoirs. Keeping the watersheds cleaner cost much less than new man-made
water purification systems. This work illustrates dynamic ecology and economy
relationships. More attention should be given to economic concessions that
include economic value of services provided by natural resources. This expands
environmental sustainability and justice issues.

"Saving Energy by Saving Water" is new focus for several conservation groups
including the Diocese of Alabama Stewardship of Creation Task Force and the
Diocese of Tennessee Environmental Ministry Team. Web links to these
diocesan programs are posted at http://www.provinceiv.org/Resources.html.
Connecting energy and water issues helps saves money, natural resources, eco-
systems and communities. In many places around the world, much has been
written about green alternative energy, especially about energy-efficient light
bulbs. Too few people know that most hot water heaters use more electricity
(electricity primarily produced from coal fired power plants) than the light bulbs in
our churches and homes. More people should know that a typical American

1
Some of this work can be found on the www.sewanee.edu/ENTREAT website. You may read
the water resolutions at http://eenonline.org/about/resolve.htm
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

D-66
home today, running a hot water faucet for five minutes uses as much energy as
leaving a 60-watt light bulb on for fourteen hours.

Considering the 46 billion spent per year globally on bottled water, it is most
difficult to accept that we have not funded the estimated $1.7 billion needed per
year, beyond current spending, to provide clean drinking water to everyone on
earth. The amount of money spent on bottled water is just one issue of many.
Each gallon of water that is bottled requires an additional two gallons of water for
its processing. Bottles require more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually,
enough to fuel some 100,000 cars for a year. Bottled water is even more
expensive than $5 a gallon gas. Why pour oil and money down the drain when
you can get your own reusable bottle and fill it up at home?



Actions

Expand and support advocacy work of Episcopal Network for Economic
Justice (ENEJ) and Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN)
Avoid using bottled water unless absolutely necessary. Use reusable
stainless steel containers and carry tap water with you when traveling. At
public events and at home, offer pitchers of water. Find out where the
bottled water sold in your stores comes from and its environmental and
economic impacts.
Support the water and MDG programs of Episcopal Relief and Development
(ERD) and Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation. Inspire your parish to
study ERDs March 22 World Water Day promotions that address serious
water problems around the world. More than 1.6 million children die each
year from illnesses caused by drinking contaminated water. Every day,
25,000 people die from preventable diseases such as cholera and typhoid
after drinking unsafe water.
Purchase ERD gifts that provide clean drinking water to children and their
families in rural communities plagued with poor sanitation, unhealthy
hygiene and polluted water sources.
Promote programs that help women play a central part in provision,
management, and the safeguarding of water and challenge privatization as
well as corruption, which marginalize the voices of women and whole
communities in many parts of the world.
Learn the connections between energy and water conservation, especially
watershed and warming (climate change issues). Promote sustainable
building and landscape practices.
Promote gardens and agriculture practices that reduce water consumption
and tolerate droughts.
Many water projects are connected to Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) especially MDG #7 - Ensure environmental sustainability.
Environmental issues surrounding clean, adequate water resources and
sanitation are integral pieces of the MDGs. See www.er-d.org/mdg to learn
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how to promote these goals and make poverty history with 0.7% giving.
Working on MDGs enables us to SEE Justice and be dynamic justice
workers.

Resources

The three papers below were presented in Water for Life: Conserving Water for
Nature and People the ENTREAT Sewanee conference in 2007. These can be
downloaded at www.sewanee.edu/ENTREAT.

Water Rights and Dynamic Water Policies - Roberta Savage

Water and Sustainable Development The Rev. Canon Jeffrey Golliher, Ph.D.,
is the program associate for Environment and Sustainable Development for the
office of the Anglican Communion Observer at the United Nations.

Protecting and Healing Rivers One Watershed at a Time: Secular & Religious
Collaborative Programs Joyce Wilding. (This presentation was prepared for
International Conference and Civilization at University of WI, La Crosse June
2006 and was used in Sewanee and Province IV programs).

United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP Freshwater Site




Joyce Wilding, TSSF
Province IV Environmental Ministry Leader
Kingston Springs, Tennessee
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Paper # 18
Childrens Health

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the
health of the daughter of my people not been restored? Jeremiah 8:22.

The health of our children and the pre-natal care of their mothers is so important
an issue that it is the subject of much legislation, study, publication, and
organizational involvement. This paper will focus on these topics in the United
States, and will consider these areas: nutrition as prevention, health coverage,
availability of health care, and the Episcopal Churchs response.

The Importance of Good Nutrition

Childrens nutrition in conjunction with the Food Stamp Program has been
studied by C-SNAP (Childrens Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program) at the
Boston Medical Center. The study has taken a hard look at children in what they
call food insecure homes. Food insecurity is defined as limited or uncertain
access to enough nutritious food for all household members to lead an active life
in other words, hunger. According to C-SNAPs statistics, 12.6 million children
in the United States live in food insecure homes.

Nutrition is so important a factor in the lives of infants and young children that a
lack of access to adequate healthy food is responsible for an increased risk of
illness and compromised immune systems. Insufficient healthy food leads to iron
deficiency, anemia, deficits in cognitive development and behavioral and
emotional problems. Children from food insecure homes are twice as likely to
suffer from poor health and one third more likely to be hospitalized.

However, even with food stamps, access to healthy food can be a problem. Many
low- income urban areas are described as food deserts owing to a lack of
supermarkets and therefore, dependency on corner marts and fast foods. While
cheap and filling, it is at a cost to health and nutrition. Added to this is inflation in
food costs. The Labor Department reported that from May 2007 to May 2008,
food prices increased 5.1%. However, the cost of healthy and staple items
increased at a much higher rate. For example: fruit, 7%, vegetables, 10%,
bread, 12%, milk, 26% and eggs a whopping 40%.

What can be done? Communities need to invest in the Food Stamp Program
(which in October, 2008 was renamed the Supplemental Assistance Program
[SNAP]). This will benefit people over the short as well as long term. USDA
studies show that every $5.00 of food stamp benefits generates $9.20 in local
economic activity. Other effective actions include citywide coalitions, such as the
Boston Collaborative for Food and Fitness and the Philadelphia Food and
Fitness Alliance. Also helpful can be equipping farmers markets with wireless
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EBT (electronic benefit transfer) card readers, which can improve access to local
fruits and vegetables in communities with limited fresh food options.

The Importance of Health Care and Coverage

Central to the ongoing health of children and families is health insurance. For
those who cannot afford it on their own or do not have employers who provide
coverage, this becomes an insurmountable problem. An answer to this need is S-
CHIP (State Childrens Health Insurance Program). This is Title XXI of the Social
Security Act and is jointly financed by the federal and state governments and
administered by the states.

Families that do not currently have health insurance are likely to be eligible and
families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid may also be eligible. Each
state has different eligibility rules but in most states children under 19 whose
families earn less than $36,200 per year are eligible.

For little or no cost, this covers:
1. doctor visits
2. immunizations
3. hospitalizations
4. emergency room visits

Information on eligibility is available to families through the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services.

Discrepancies in Availability of Health Care

That there are discrepancies in the quality of health care for children on a state-
to-state basis probably goes without saying. Just what do these inequities look
like?

In a July 2008 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a chart
shows a break down of variations in performance, divided into five categories:
1. Access
2. Quality
3. Costs
4. Equity
5. Potential to lead healthy lives

While no state ranked in the top quartile all the way across the board, fortunately
none ranked completely in the fourth either. The top five states (in ranking order)
include: Iowa, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts and Ohio. The researchers
concluded that If all states reached benchmarks achieved in the top-performing
states, an additional 4.6 million children would have health insurance; 11.8
million more children would get their recommended annual medical and dental
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checkups; and 1.6 million fewer children would be at risk for developmental
delays.

Episcopal Church Response

And what is the Episcopal Churchs response? In October 2007 the State
Childrens Insurance Plan (S-CHIP) expired, and when it came up for renewal
President Bush vetoed it. Congress then organized an override of the veto. The
Episcopal Church Center joined a long list of religious organizations which wrote
an impassioned letter in support of the override.

Our Presiding Bishop, Katherine Jefferts Schori, wrote, Whoever cares for the
least cares for the divine image in our midst. The health and well being of
children, especially those living in the richest nation in the world, should never be
reduced to political ideology, and I urge Congress and the Bush administration to
renew S-CHIP legislation promptly. Bulletin inserts were available to individual
parishes, and parishioners were urged to contact their local legislators. S-CHIP
continues today.

The General Convention of this church has a history of concern for child health
such as Resolution B018, entitled Comprehensive Childrens Policy. This
resolution was passed at the 75
th
General Convention held in 2006. Proposed by
The Rt. Rev. William D. Persell of Chicago, this resolution urges Episcopalians
and the Episcopal Church at every level to work to ensure that government
provide adequate funding for programs that combat social and economic
conditions that place children at risk or diminish childrens ability to achieve their
full potential in the world. It further resolves that the General Convention receive
and endorse the National Council of Churchs comprehensive policy statement
entitled The Church and Children: Vision and goals for the 21
st
Century Policy.
The Episcopal Church is a member of the NCC whose governing body, the
General Assembly, passed this statement on November 11, 2004 to ensure that
all children have the opportunity to develop and flourish.

In the body of this resolution, under the heading of HEALTH, the resolution states
that Every child and family has a right to guaranteed quality, comprehensive
health care. All children deserve to live in a healthy environment that allows
them to thrive. Therefore, we commit to:
Ensure quality pre-natal care is available for all
Focus on prevention as a key to preserving the health and well-being
of children
Ensure that no child go hungry
Implement an effective health and nutrition education curriculum
Work for publicly funded, integrated, accessible and high quality
mental health care
Develop partnerships for clean air, water, land and a healthy
ecosystem.

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Both houses concurred.

The Executive Council of the church, also committed to childrens needs, in
February 2005 passed a resolution reaffirming the Churchs commitment to
children.

The United Nations in 2000 dedicated themselves to eight goals, which when
once identified became the Millennium Development Goals, to be accomplished
by the year 2015. The Episcopal Church has taken these on. Goal four is to
reduce child mortality. Its aim is to: reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among
children under five. A quote from the UN web site states that at this time eleven
million children below age 5 still die every year from preventable causes about
30,000 a day. Goal five is to improve maternal health. Target areas are to
reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio and achieve, by 2015,
universal access to reproductive health.

These are big goals. The problems, in this country alone, are huge. What are we
to do? The solution appears to be education, legislation and the unceasing
vigilance on the part of people of prayer.




Barbara Larsen
Diocese of Chicago
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Paper # 19
The Millennium Development Goals

What is the Issue?

As of this writing, 26,500 to 30,000 children throughout the world die each day
due to poverty. This number is equivalent to:

1 child dying every 3 seconds
18 children dying every minute
A 2004 Asian Tsunami occurring every week
Almost 10 million children dying every year
60 million children dying between the year 2000 and 2006

They die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the
scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes
these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.
1


Nearly half of the more than 6 billion people on earth are poor. Poverty can be
defined as extreme (or absolute) poverty, moderate poverty and relative poverty.
Extreme poverty is defined by the World Bank as living on less than $1 a day.
Those living in extreme poverty are unable to meet the basic needs of survival,
are chronically malnourished, lack safe drinking water and basic sanitation,
healthcare, education, perhaps lack even a rudimentary shelter and do not
possess the basics such as shoes or adequate clothing. Extreme poverty is
defined as the poverty that kills. Unlike moderate or relative poverty, extreme
poverty now exists only in developing countries. Moderate poverty is defined as
living on $1 to $2 a day, a condition in which basic needs are met but just barely.
Relative poverty is defined as a household income level below the national
average and means lacking things that the middle class of a society take for
granted.

The World Bank estimates that approximately 1.4 billion people live in extreme
poverty. This estimate does not reflect the recent and ongoing global food
shortages and rising costs of energy, which could bring another 100 million
people into poverty.

Our Faith

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the
thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it
not to share your bread with the hungry, and to bring the homeless poor into your

1
A spotty scorecard, UNICEF, Progress of Nations 2000
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house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not hide yourself from your
own kin? (Isaiah 58: 6-7)

Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you
something to drink?The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
(Matthew 25: 37-40)

These passages are a clarion call to care for those in need and a reminder of
what our call should be as followers of Jesus, to give priority to caring for the
hungry, thirsty, and needy of the world. Massive poverty and obscene inequality
are such terrible scourges of our times times in which the world boasts of
breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and wealth accumulation-
that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evilsLike
slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be
overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Overcoming poverty
is not a gesture of charity. It is an action of justice. It is the protection of a
fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life (Nelson
Mandela, 2005)

What can be done

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) goals were agreed to in 2000 by
189 heads of state and government, including the United States, to address the
deepest material brokenness of the world. These measurable interwoven goals
which are to be met by 2015 include: (1) Cut in half extreme poverty and hunger;
(2) Achieve universal primary education; (3) Promote gender equality and
empower women; (4) Reduce child mortality; (5) Improve maternal health; (6)
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; (7) Ensure environmental
stability; and (8) Develop a global partnership for development with targets for
aid, trade and debt relief.

In 2003 the Episcopal General Convention passed Resolution D-006 which
endorsed and embraced the achievement of the MDGs, challenged all dioceses
and congregations to give 0.7% of their annual budget to support the MDGs, and
directed the Episcopal Office of Government Relations to advocate for the US
government to keep its promise to give 0.7% of its gross national income to
international development programs. By the General Convention of 2006, 41
dioceses had pledged a minimum of 0.7% of their budgets to MDG ministries,
with work toward that commitment happening in 24 other dioceses.

The church has said that our larger vision will be framed and shaped in the
coming years by the vision of shalom embedded in the MDGs a world where
the hungry are fed, the ill are healed, the young educated, women and men
treated equally, and where all have access to clean water and adequate
sanitation, basic health care, and the promise of development that does not
endanger the rest of creation. That vision of abundance is achievable in our own
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day, but only with the passionate commitment of each and every one of us. It is
Gods vision of homecoming for all humanity. (Katherine Jefferts Schori, 2006)

When the Millennium Development Goals were adopted, the nations of the world
pledged to spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from the
abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty. We are now more than
half way toward 2015 and while some progress has been made, we still have a
long way to go.

What can one person do?

Pray for the organizations we support, or issues we care about
Pray that the church and our nation have the will to address global poverty
Preach and teach on the MDGs on a regular basis
Study about global poverty, invite speakers to come to our churches and
community meetings who have been actively involved living and working with
those living in extreme poverty.
Write about the MDGs in your parish and diocesan newsletters, share the
stories of what others are doing in your community to address poverty
Give 0.7% of your family budget to projects or organizations that are
addressing global poverty
Encourage your church, your diocese and community organizations to commit
0.7% annually to the MDGS
Organize a trip to a developing country and connect with a local church. Go
as pilgrim, listen to the stories of joy and despair, share your lives. Find out
from the people living there what they need, not what we think they need.
Write your Congressmen and the President to remind them of the United
States commitment to meet the millennium development goals
Ask candidates for political office what their plans are to meet the challenge of
global poverty
Keep informed on government action regarding debt relief and other
measures that address global poverty, lobby your representatives to do the
right thing

Resources

Study

Alkire, Sbina; Newell, Edmund, What Can One Person Do?, Faith to Heal a
Broken World. 2005, Church Publishing Inc

Sachs, Jeffrey; The End of Poverty, Economic Possibilities for Our Time. 2005,
Penguin Press.

United Nations Development Programme
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One United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017 USA
Tel: +1 (212) 906-5000
Fax: +1 (212) 906-5364
www.undp.org/mdg
www.un.org/millenniumgoals

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Pray

Micah Challenge USA is a Christian campaign that is part of a global Micah
Challenge campaign.
www.micahchallenge.org

Act
Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD)
815 Second Ave.
New York, NY 10117
1-800-334-7686 ext. 5129
www.er-d.org/mdg

Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation,
6209 Pershing Ave
St Louis, MO 63130
Phone: 314-348-6453
www.e4gr.org

The ONE campaign is a new effort to rally Americans -- ONE by ONE -- to fight
global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE will be promoted with the help of a
diverse coalition of faith-based and antipoverty groups, celebrity spokespeople
such as U2 lead singer Bono as well as corporate partnerships and local ONE
Campaign organizers. The ONE campaign is a new effort to rally Americans --
ONE by ONE -- to fight global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE will be promoted
with the help of a diverse coalition of faith-based and antipoverty groups,
celebrity spokespeople such as U2 lead singer Bono as well as corporate
partnerships and local ONE Campaign organizers.
www.onecampaign.org

ONE Episcopalian is a grassroots partnership between The Episcopal Church
and the ONE Campaign to rally Episcopalians ONE by ONE to the cause of
ending extreme poverty in our world and achieving the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs).
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/ONE/




Myra Kingsley
Phoenix, Arizona

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Paper # 20
Prisons and Incarceration

What is the Issue?

My small-for-his-age 16 year old parishioner, after sitting in adult jail for three
months, will be tried as an adult on felony charges. (He'd found a gun, which was
stuffed in his waistband when he took a "friend's" empty wallet; when the police
nabbed him at the Arby's store, he gave his brother's name at first.) No kid wants
more to be good than Denzel, but -- with Bipolar, ADHD, IED, learning
disabilities, borderline IQ, and the "school to prison pipeline" history of a
disadvantaged child whose mom couldnt get him the help she knew he needed
from age 5 -- he'll go to prison most likely, for 2 to 8 years. This time.

He has the most engaged public defender I've encountered in a long time. She
paid attention to Denzel's history, was able to get a continuance and order a
second psychiatric evaluation before the bench trial is scheduled. But, she said,
"There's no place the judge can send him for the treatment you're talking about.
What you need to work on is prison reform!"

Even with the best outcome we could hope (not guilty by reason of insanity),
Denzel would still be facing a world of few choices and many pitfalls, with his
incomprehension of reality, inability to understand consequences, and lack of
impulse control. Denzel could not cope with learning that he was going back to
jail for a month; he was escorted out shouting, crying, and struggling, by four
officers. His mother wept, "My greatest fear has been that he won't be able to
control himself, and he'll end up dead or in prison."

There is little unique about Denzel's story; to many families, it is predictable at
every turn. It takes grand patterns to become the nation with the most
incarcerated persons, proportionate to our population, in the whole world. Not
only that: the USA, with five percent of the world's population and 25 percent of
the worlds inmates, has more people incarcerated than any other nation in the
world. More than the "authoritarian regimes" and "terrorist states". More than
China with all its people. According to the most recent counts, a one in a hundred
person in the US is an inmate. *

Break it out by demographics and the story is more disturbing. Incarceration is
not an equal opportunity employer in this country. Currently, one out of 106 white
men, one out of 36 Hispanic men, and one out of 15 African American men in the
US is incarcerated. The imprisonment of Black males in South Africa under
apartheid in 1993 was at the rate of 851 per 100,000. In the US in 2006 it was
4,789 per 100,000.

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D-78
A striking majority of inmates had school problems indicating learning disabilities,
and/or did not finish high school. According to US Bureau of Justice, 56 percent
of US inmates have psychiatric disabilities needing treatment. Socio-economic
level and stability in the family of origin is a reliable predictor of who will go to
prison, on the broad scale.

In the Gospel according to Matthew, in the famous judgment scene of chapter
25, when the King says to the just, "I was in prison...,"some translations go on,"...
and you visited me." It is important to visit the prisoners, to remember their
names, to pray for them and bring the message of redemption. But the Greek
verb in the text is from the same root from which we get "episcope" -- and it
means to see to, to be concerned for and to act in the interests of, to make the
well-being, inclusion, and reconciliation of the prisoners our business. The just
who inherit the Kingdom are those who become the pastors of the inmates; and
as the rest of that scene makes clear, it is not in a disembodied spiritual sense
that we are shepherds. In order to visit in the sense required by the Gospel, we
will have to understand the unjust patterns and dismantle them.

What is the pattern of social and political decisions which makes Denzel's
story so normal and familiar? There are several important actions going on in
recent decades which impact the story, and these are the places where
Episcopalians can join with other people of faith, using our rightful voice as
citizens, to demand a more sane, reasonable, and healing approach.

1. The Children's Defense Fund has documented the "cradle to prison pipeline"
and is not alone in recognizing the glaring need for this change: pre-judicial
intervention through early childhood and family support programs that will help
children to be ready for school when they start, and identify families who
need assistance to deal with mental health and other challenges so that these do
not become barriers to their children's participation. Every child who is kept out
of juvenile court and detention through this process represents a major payback
on the public investment in real dollars as well as social strength.

2. Lack of diversionary and alternative programs for at-risk and troubled youth.
Add to this the trend of charging, trying, and sentencing children as adults.
Children like Denzel are not going to be helped by two or eight years in prison.
By the time they reach his level of emotional and behavioral disturbance (having
lacked the needed early interventions), they need comprehensive long-term
treatment. This is expensive of course: it may even approach what taxpayers pay
to keep inmates incarcerated.

3. An overloaded and overworked public defender roster dealing with a constant
surge of indigent defendants. The typical plan is to work out a plea bargain with
the State even before consulting with the defendant; there is no time to
investigate a plea of "not guilty" on its merits, to build a case, to examine
evidence and subpoena witnesses. Poor defendants learn that they have no
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D-79
choice but to plead guilty to the least disastrous of a frightening range of
possibilities, or they can surely expect the worst outcome.

4. Incarceration for offenders who have not injured others; prison rather than
treatment for those whose illegal behavior is related to addiction or mental
illness. In some cases this is due to mandatory sentencing laws, in others to the
absence of alternatives to jail or prison within the judge's jurisdiction.

5. Mandatory sentencing laws which have persistently increased prison time per
sentence, although this has been demonstrated to have no deterrent effect on
crime or recidivism.

6."Persistent offender" laws (such as "three strikes and you're out") in many
states, which turn minor infractions and parole violations into decades or life in
prison.

7. Criminalization and prison time for an ever-growing list of former
misdemeanors, with no evidence that these reclassifications deter the incidence
of those actions or more serious crimes.

8. The "cost-saving" measures of removing educational, mental health, and
human services from prisons, reflecting punitive attitudes in the political arena as
"corrections" philosophy has shifted from reform to punishment. Not only are the
health, retraining, and safety of inmates compromised. The chances of an ex-
inmate who has served his time re-entering society successfully are further
reduced.

9. The revolving door of recidivism due to lack of re-entry assistance, the stigma
of a "record," and the extreme difficulty of finding employment with a felony in
one's past.

10. Recent policy decisions to criminalize and incarcerate undocumented
immigrants simply for being found working, or driving, or in their homes --in some
cases housing them in prison camps with their families while awaiting deportation
processing.

To handle the upsurge in the prison population, counties and states either reap
benefits by leasing available inmate beds to neighboring jurisdictions, or contract
out their inmates at a per diem rate if they can't afford to build more facilities.

In addition, the once-flagging private prison-for-profit industry, now consolidated
mostly in two large corporations, has gained new contracts to build and operate
prisons in many states, some of them being filled with inmates from other states.
Though the evidence on the whole indicates they are no more efficient or
effective than state-run prisons, they do make profits through non-union policies,
understaffing, non-provision of services, and contracting out prison labor to
private employers.
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D-80

In some places, for example, undocumented workers now held in prison are
contracted out to work the same farms seeing earnings as low as $.45 an hour--
from which they would have been arrested had they been working before at
minimum wage. In some states, prisoners are the workforce who produce office
furniture and other items which state agencies are required to buy in order to
"support local industry". Contracting for prison labor is even touted in some
corrections websites as the "local employment" alternative to outsourcing. It
bypasses both union standards and prevailing wage laws, and not surprisingly
has been likened by human rights groups to a new form of slave labor.

Like the cost of war in the national economy, the "war on crime" can be seen as
a war on the poor at the state level. The resources most needed for the common
good are diverted to the cost of the prison system; the services defunded by this
transfer are those most needed by disadvantaged citizens; and these are the
people most likely to end up in the prisons.

If US citizens were actually so much more violent and incorrigible than all the
other people of the world, if minority people were actually worse people than
those of western European descent, if the huge upsurge in incarceration were
actually effective in preventing recidivism or making a safer society, these
patterns might be understandable. But while a basis in reality is lacking for these
political and social decisions, there is a clear link between the economic interests
and the ideology guiding the policy decisions.

The two largest for-profit prison corporations, The GEO Group (formerly
Wackenhut) and Corrections Corporation of America, are among an impressive
list of major funder-participants (along with Exxon, Bell South, R.J. Reynolds, and
WalMart, for example) in the American Legislative Exchange Council, founded in
1973 by Paul Weyrich, also co-founder of the conservative Heritage Foundation.
ALEC works to recruit and "arm" state legislators; its corporate sponsors actually
co-write legislation which is then introduced in every state to promote their
agenda with the following among other hallmarks: Rolling back civil rights
legislation; preventing or undoing environmental protection measures; diverting
funds away from social and human services; defunding public schools through
diversion of their funds to vouchers, charter schools, and home schoolers; tort
reform to limit the ability of plaintiffs to sue corporations; privatization for profit of
public services wherever possible; "tough on crime" legislation that guarantees
criminalization of more people and a growing stream of new and longer-term
inmates.

What Can We Do?

In 2001 ALEC boasted more than a third of state legislators as members, and
was responsible for hundreds of acts passed in state legislatures. Their influence
has continued to grow. While ALEC is recognized and rewarded at the national
level for its coordinated implementation of the grand plan (gaining
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D-81
commendations from President George W. Bush and members of his
administration), its action at the state level gives Episcopalians in their dioceses
the opportunity to respond as we are called, caring for those who are
incarcerated. If we are to affect the future of our burgeoning inmate population,
we must respond with grassroots organizing, helping our legislators to get "smart
on crime," instead of letting corporations write the laws that make us the most
imprisoned nation in the world.

Examples of actions include:
1. Donate to and volunteer with organizations that serve former offenders and
advocate for criminal justice reform in your state.

2. Write to your state representative about the need for smart-on-crime,
evidence-based criminal justice reform that reduces crime, lowers rates of
incarceration, and saves tax dollars. For example, let them know that spending
on education is more effective at preventing crime than building more prisons.
Advocate for policies that strengthen public education and human services.

3. Encourage business leaders in your community to hire ex-offenders, helping
them overcome barriers that inhibit their successful re-entry into the community.

4. Educate yourself and your community on pressing issues and opportunities for
reform in criminal justice. Some resources are:

National Hire Network http://www.hirenetwork.org/

Public Welfare Foundation
http://www.publicwelfare.org/Programs/Default.aspx?progid=1

Soros Foundations Network, Open Society Institute
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/issues/law

Unlocking America: Why and How to Reduce America's Prison Population, 2007
JFA Associates
http://www.jfa-associates.com/publications/srs/UnlockingAmerica.pdf
* Other countries in TEC, prison populations per 100,000, most recent figures
available according to International Centre for Prison Studies: Colombia, 144;
Ecuador 94; Honduras 161; Puerto Rico 356; Dominican Republic 147;
Venezuela 79; Haiti 72; Micronesia 79; Taiwan 263, Virgin Islands 549; British
Virgin Islands 488; Convocation: Austria 95; Germany 91; France 91; Belgium
93; Italy 83.

Sources

America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline, A Children's Defense Fund Report
http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/PageServer?pagename=c2pp_report2007

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Kings College London, International Centre for Prison Studies
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/law/research/icps

One in One Hundred: Behind Bars in America 2008, The Pew Center on the
States
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/One%20in%20100.pdf

Sentencing Project http://www.sentencingproject.org/

Ohio Policy and Justice Center, http://www.ohiojpc.org/

Prison Policy Initiative, http://www.prisonpolicy.org/

Robert G. Lawson, "PFO Law Reform, A Crucial First Step toward Sentencing
Sanity in Kentucky," Kentucky Law Journal, 2008-9, Vol. 97 No. 1

Federal Prison Industries, Inc. http://www.unicor.gov/

This Alien Life: Privatized Prisons for Immigrants by Deepa Fernandes, Special
to CorpWatch,
February 5, 2007 http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14333

Eric Schlosser, "The Prison Industrial Complex," The Atlantic, December 1998
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199812/prisons/3

Oxford Analytica Brief "US Prison Policy Needs Reform," Forbes Magazine, May
6, 2008 http://www.forbes.com/business/2008/05/05/prison-drugs-crime-
cx_0506oxford.html

US Farms Using Prison Labor" Christian Science Monitor, August 22, 2007
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0822/p14s02-wmgn.html Employers must pay
$2 an hour in Arizona for the projects studied, of which most goes to the
contracting prison and some goes to the court.

Meredith Kolodner, "US Immigration Enforcement Benefits Prison Firms," New
York Times, July 19, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/19/business/19detain.html?_r=2&pagewanted=
2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog
http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2008/03/new_mexico_immi.html

California Prison Industry Authority http://www.pia.ca.gov/

"Mental Health Problems of Jail and Prison Inmates," Bureau of Justice Statistics
July 2006.
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http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Press_September_2006&Template=
/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=38175

SourceWatch, "American Legislative Exchange Council"
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Legislative_Exchange_Co
uncil

Common Cause, "American Legislative Exchange Council"
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?b=1497709&c=dkLNK1MQIwG

American Legislative Exchange Council
http://www.alec.org/am/template.cfm?section=home


Rev. Paula M. Jackson, PhD.,
Rector of The Church of Our Saviour/ La
Iglesia de Nuestro Salvador, Cincinnati, and a
member of the Church in Metro Areas
Conference
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Paper # 21
The Economic Impact of the Prison Industrial Complex

What is the Issue?

The prison system is similar to the giants of big business in terms of its budget.
States spend nearly $50 billion a year on prisons, while the cost to the federal
government exceeds $5 billion. Unlike big business, however, the prison system
is mainly a non-profit, tax dollar funded enterprise at both the state and federal
level. In the state of Georgia alone, the Department of Corrections reported fiscal
year 2006 expenditures of just over $1 billion. Moreover, the costs far outweigh
the benefits, if recidivist and crime level rates are considered. In fact, some argue
that removing an inveterate criminal from the streets simply opens a new, albeit
illicit, job position for someone else. Thus, there is no decrease in criminal
activity, only an increase in tax dollars needed to house, supervise and reform
the incarcerated individual. Plus, more than one out of every 100 adult
Americans is in jail or prison, according to a Washington Post article in February
of 2008.

Another factor in a cost-benefit analysis relates to the loss of human capital.
There are many studies that evidence the loss of family and community vitality
when (1) a member of the labor force is incarcerated and (2) social service
dollars are needed to support dependent family members (children and single
parents). Additionally, mixed conclusions have been drawn from studies of
programs and specialized facilities which target changing criminal thinking
and/or curing drug and alcohol addiction linked to criminal behavior. The
increased costs attributed to these programs and/or facilities can not be justified
incontrovertibly by lower recidivist rates, or the recovery of human capital.

At the local level, however, prisons do bring tax dollars into a community, if only
from an increase in the median income of its residents. Likewise, small
businesses benefit: the corner gas station, the local grocery store, entertainment
arenas and the like. In fact, many small, rural towns view prisons as a viable local
industry and part of their economic development strategy. The question is,
though, do the benefits equate to the billions of tax dollars spent?

The concept of privatization was adopted as a means of stemming the
tremendous outflow of state and federal tax dollars. This strategy fit with not only
a very vocal public call for privatization of many governmental services, but also
the need to balance popular Get tough on crime policies with overcrowding in
penal institutions and the bleeding of tax dollars away from other services
managed by states. In other words, it was a win-win for politicians.

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After almost 30 years of tracking the effects of privatization, studies by the
General Accounting Office (GAO) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
show that projected fiscal savings of twenty percent were overstated. In fact,
privatization accounts for only a one percent savings per year on the average. In
addition, there are hidden costs associated with privatization, such as local
subsidization of capital construction and infrastructure development. Plus, state
corrections departments find they have little control over administrative policies
and day-to-day operations in the private facilities. For these reasons, privatization
at the state level has slowed.

At the federal level, on the other hand, the use of privately operated prisons and
detention centers has expanded. This phenomenon is explained, in part, by the
hefty fines mandated by new legislation aimed at controlling prison overcrowding.
Overcrowding has been linked to other legislation which increased the crime
level (misdemeanors to felonies) of certain illegal activities committed by
documented or undocumented immigrants flowing into the country.

The Politics of Criminalization and Morality of Justice

Since criminalization of any activity tends to follow the ideology of those in power,
the laws enacted and their administration are politically driven, often with little
attention to their deleterious effects. We want our neighborhoods and towns to be
safe, so we elect Get tough on crime politicians and extend the powers of law
enforcement. The cost in tax dollars increases yearly; our courts are
overburdened; more and more Americans are going to prison; and crime levels
dont appear to be decreasing.

Politics aside, what is just about incarceration, the staple of the prison industrial
system? How do we determine when justice has taken place? Is it just for a
police officer to risk his or her life intervening in a domestic dispute when charges
are not pressed by the victim nor picked up by the State? What sentence would a
parent consider just for the impaired driver who killed his or her son? Is it just
for a system to promise equality before the law when the reality could not be
further from that ideal? Criminal justice, for sure, is an enigmatic term, and an
oxymoron to some.

Church and Scriptural Guidance

If we are to discern our position within the interplay of the politics of
criminalization and the morality of justice with any modicum of grace, it is
reasonable that we would look to the Church and Scripture for guidance.

The Church passed several resolutions in 2000 pertaining to this issue: a
moratorium on maximum control unit prison construction; observance of human
rights and needs of prisoners; and exploration and study of restorative justice for
the nations criminal justice system. In addition, we were urged to be active in
public policy decisions affecting the growing prison industrial complex on local,
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state and nation levels, and asked to encourage parish visitation programs to
inmates, as well as support and training to newly discharged inmates.

The Scriptures call us to visit and pray for the imprisoned. We are to be just and
to pray for just treatment of prisoners. Above all, we are called to love God first
and foremost, and to love others as we love ourselves.

What Can We Do?

Keeping in mind the resolutions of our Church and the words of the Scriptures,
positioning ourselves as angels of solutions rather than demagogues of
problems, is important, particularly where the politics of criminalization and the
morality of justice blur the straight edges of cost-benefit analysis. It is essential
that we avoid the pitfalls of obscuring our work with only economic considerations
and/or our political biases.

Our first step might be to establish a committee of interested and committed
church representatives who would facilitate the gathering of information and its
synthesis into critical issues for discussion. Ways to do this might be: (1) getting
to know our governmental representatives; (2) having thoughtful conversations
with those in positions of power in the prison industrial complex; and (3) visiting
prisons, detention centers and the like with open minds and prayerful hearts.

If we are to give wise counsel in terms of our position and an action plan, we
must remember that there are many faces of justice, and there is an authenticity
to simply being present and sensitive to the suffering of individuals; the
sometimes odious tasks delegated to those who work in the system; and the
justice of consequences.

Some possibilities we might discover in the process include: (1) we are already
positioned and taking just steps; (2) we are transformed by the process of
discernment, rather than by any specific rhetoric we speak or action we think
prudent to take; and (3) we are being called by God to be sensitive to a complex
issue and to relay this sensitivity to our parishes and parishioners.

Resources

Books and Articles

1. Cole, David (1999). No Equal Justice: Race & Class in the American
Criminal Justice System. New Press, ISBN 1565845668 (Paperback).
2. Felson, Marcus (2002). Crime and Everyday Life (3
rd
Ed.). Sage
Publications, ISBN 0-7619-8761-4 (Paperback).
3. Lanier, Mark M., and Henry, Stuart (2004). Essential Criminology (2
nd

Ed.). Perseus Books, ISBN 0-8133-4090-X (Paperback).
4. Messner, Steven F., and Rosenfeld, R. (2001). Crime and the American
Dream (3
rd
Ed.). Wadsworth Publishing, ISBN 0534562779 (Paperback).
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5. Natoli, Marie D., Ed. (2006). Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Public
Policy, Justice, and the Law. McGraw-Hill Contemporary Learning Series,
ISBN 0-07-310834-0 (Paperback).
6. Watts, Harold (1996). Adding It Up: the Economic Impact of Incarceration
on Individuals, Families and Communities. Criminal Justice Research
Consortium Journal.
7. Williams, Franklin P., and McShane, M. (2004). Criminological Theory (4
th

Ed.). Prentice Hall, ISBN 0131113879 (Paperback).

Web Sites: Statistics and Reports

1. Department of Justice: Bureau of Justice Assistance
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA
2. Federal Bureau of Prisons
http://www.bop.gov
3. Georgia Department of Corrections
http://www.dcor.state.ga.us
4. The Sentencing Project
http://www.sentencingproject.org
5. U. S. Government Accountability Office
http://www.gao.gov




E. Frances Rees, PhD
Braselton, GA
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Paper # 22
Health Care Policy and Economic Injustice

Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and
inhumane.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.

Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every
human being?
--The Baptismal Covenant, BCP, p.305

The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental
rights of every human being. It is not a privilege reserved for those with power, money,
or social standing.
--from the International Declaration of Health Rights

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of
himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and
necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment,
sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances
beyond his control.
--Article 24, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted and
proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948
___________________

What is the Issue?

The current health care system in the United States of America is characterized by the
creation of barriers set up by privilege based on wealth. It is marked by major disparities
in access to care, in availability of treatment modalities, and in health care outcomes,
with significant differences in morbidity and mortality depending upon ones
socioeconomic status. Consider the following statistics:

In 2007, 45 million nonelderly people in the United States lacked health coverage
More than eight in ten uninsured people (81%) come from working families
About two-thirds of the nonelderly uninsured are from low-income families
(income below 200% of poverty, about $42,400 for a family of 4 in 2007)
More than one in three people (35% ) living in poverty are uninsured, compared
with one in twenty people (5%) with family incomes at or above four times the
poverty level
Adults age 19-54 make up the majority (71%) of the nonelderly uninsured, but
nearly 9 million children lacked health coverage in 2007
Since 2000 the number of nonelderly uninsured has grown by 8 millionwith the
only decline in the number of uninsured occurring in 2007, largely driven by an
increase in public coverage
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Uninsured adults are five times as likely as the privately insured to lack a usual
source of care (54% vs. 10%) and four times as likely to postpone care due to
cost (26% vs. 6%)
Fully half of the uninsured report paying for health care and health insurance is a
serious problem
1


Scriptural and Church Responses

Michael Moore in his documentary Sicko asks of Americans, Who are we as a
society to sacrifice sound health in favor of corporate profits? This question might be
rephrased, Who are we, The Episcopal Church, the body of Christ, to sacrifice
sound health in favor of corporate profits? Is a corporate-driven health care system
compatible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is a corporate-driven health care
system compatible with our baptismal covenant?

Jesus clearly is concerned with healing and health in scripture. In truth, a large
portion of the gospels is reflective of his concern for health and healing, particularly
with a preferential option for the poor and marginalized:

The healing of Peters mother-in-law (Mk 1:29-31)
The sick healed at evening (Mk 1:32-34)
The healing of a leper (Mk 1:40-45)
The centurions servant (Matt 8:5-13)
The Healing of the paralytic (Mk 2:1-12)
Healing of a woman with hemorrhaging (Matt 9:20-22)
Jairus daughter (Matt 9:18-26)
Two blind men healed (Matt 27-31)
The healing of a demoniac who was mute (Matt 9:32-34)
The healing of the man with the withered hand (Mk 3:1-6)
Jesus heals the multitudes (Mk 3:7-12)
The Gerasene demoniac (Mk 5:1-20)
Healings at Gennesaret (Mk 6:53-56)
The healing of many sick people (Matt 15:29-31)
The healing of the deaf person with a speech impediment (Mk 7:31-37)
The healing of the boy with a spirit (Mk 8:14-29)
The healing of the crippled woman (Lk 12:10-17)
The healing of a man with dropsy (Lk 14:1-6)
The healing of ten lepers (Lk 17:11-19)
The healing of Bartimaeus (Mk 18:46-52)

The Episcopal Church has in the past addressed health care as a Christian concern:


1
Figures from Kaiser Family Foundation(www.kff.org/uninsured/h08_7813.cfm
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D-90
Resolution 1988-D108, titled, Advocate for Appropriate Health Care for All Who
Are Ill: Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That this 69
th
General
Convention direct the Presiding Bishop and the Executive Council, in light of the
strains upon the health care system exerted by the AIDS Epidemic, to direct the
Washington, D.C. office of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
to adopt a strategy to advocate for all persons suffering from illness by creating
appropriate levels of cost-effective health care, for example, hospices and
alternative health facilities.
Resolutions A010, Advocate Legislation for Comprehensive Health Care, and
A099, Call for a System of Universal Access to Health Care. Both resolutions
passed by the 70
th
General Convention in 1991, called for universal health care
as a basic right, the former calling for advocacy from agencies of The Episcopal
Church, and the latter for action in the federal government.
Resolution A057, Adopt Church Principles on Access to Health Care, passed
by the 71
st
General Convention in 1994: Resolved, the House of Bishops
concurring, That this 71sr General Convention of the Episcopal Church adopt the
following four principles as the position of the Episcopal Church regarding health
care:

1. That universal access to quality, cost effective, health care services be
considered necessary for everyone in the population.
2. That quality health care be defined so as to include programs in
preventive medicine, where wellness is the first priority.
3. That quality health care include interdisciplinary and interprofessional
components to insure the care of the whole personphysiological,
spiritual, psychological, social.
4. That quality health care include the balanced distribution of resources so
that no region of the country is underserved.
2


In addition to the above actions of The Episcopal Church, Executive Council affirmed
the right of individuals to care by the adoption of Resolution NAC 024 at its meeting on
February 11-14, 2005 in Austin, Texas:

Resolved, The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, USA meeting in
Austin, Texas February 11-14, 2005, reaffirms the commitment of the 705h
General Convention asserting the right of all individuals to medically necessary
health care, including long-term services; and be it further

Resolved, that the Executive Cou8ncil calls on the President of the United States and
the United States Congress to preserve and protect the Medicaid and Medicare
programs as an essential national commitment to serve the needs of the least among
us; and be it further Resolved,that the Council calls on Episcopalians and the Episcopal
Church to advocate for Medicaid and Medicare coverage that ensures access to

2
Scott, Marshall. Health care Redox, posted by Jim Naughton on Episcopal Caf website on April 19,
2007. Resolution number 1994-Ao57 may also be viewed at http://episcopalarchives.org/cgi-
bin/acts/acts_resolution-complete.pl?resolution=1994-A057
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affordable, comprehensive health care as well as long-term care for children, the
working poor and elderly of this country.
3


What Can We Do?
What further can The Episcopal Church, individuals, and congregations do to break
down the health care barriers set up by privilege based on wealth existing in the United
States?

The Episcopal Church, its dioceses, and all parishes must create task forces on health
care policy for study, advocacy, and nonviolent action to bring about significant reform
based on Christian morality. Barriers set up by privilege based on wealth may be
broken down by love of God and love of neighbor. Christian values that inform our
spiritual covenant are compassion, the common good, equitable distribution of our
resources, and a preferential option for those who are vulnerable-the poor, the sick, the
broken-hearted, and all who are marginalized in our society. It will be necessary to take
the vows of our baptismal covenant seriously, placing these vows above the ways of a
corporate profit system of health care. It is time for a single payer national health
program.

The following findings are now well documented:
4


Administrative costs consume 31 percent of US health spending, most of it
unnecessary.
Half of all bankruptcies are caused by medical bills. Three-fourths of those
bankrupted had health insurance at the time they got sick or injured.
Taxes already pay for more than 60 percent of US health spending. Americans
pay the highest health care taxes in the world. We pay for national health
insurance, but dont get it.
Despite spending far less per capita for health care, Canadians are healthier and
have better measures of access to health care than Americans.
Business pays less than 20 percent of our nations health bill. It is a misnomer
that our health system is privately financed (60 percent is paid by taxes and the
remaining 20 percent is out-of-pocket payments.).
For-profit, investor-owned hospitals, HMOS, and nursing homes have higher
costs and score lower on most measures of quality than their non-profit
counterparts.
Immigrants and emergency department visits by the uninsured are not the cause
of high and rising health care costs.

3
Accessed on 10/9/2008 at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/1866_70828_ENG_Print.html
4
Accessed on 8/14/2008 at http://pnhp.org/single_payer_resources/pnhp_research_the _case
for_a_national_health_program.php . Physicians for a National Health Program, 29 E Madison Suite 602,
Chicago, IL 60602 (research articles supporting the findings are included at this website.
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The uninsured do not receive all the medical care they needone-third of
uninsured adults have chronic illness and dont receive needed health care.
Those most in need of preventive services are least likely to receive them.
The US could save enough on administrative costs (more than $350 billion
annually) with a single-payer system to cover all of the uninsured.
Competition among investor-owned, for-profit entities has raised costs and
reduced quality in the US
The Canadian single payer healthcare system produces better health outcomes
with substantially lower administrative costs than the United States
Computerized medical records and chronic disease management do not save
money. The only way to slash administrative overhead and improve quality is
with a single payer system
Alternative proposals for universal coverage do not work. State health reforms
over the past two decades have failed to reduce the number of uninsured.

Resources for study, advocacy, and action include:
5


VISION & VOICE: Faithful Citizens & Health Care, an adult education resource to
engage people of faith in dialogue about reform, available FREE on the web at
www.visionandvoice.org . It also includes video of religious leaders speaking
about health care through the lens of faith values.

COPING WITH THE COST OF HEALTH CARE: How We Pay for What We
Need?, an adult discussion guide published by National Issues Forums that
presents three approaches for deliberation. It is also available as a FREE
download at
http://www.nifi.org/discussion_guides/detail.aspx?catID=12&itemID=11480
(information also available about how to purchase).

The National Council of Churches Health Task Force and the Committee on
Children and Families have joined together to publish the 1
st
edition of the NCC
Health Care Alert Bulletin Insert. This first edition is designed to help members
of the faith community understand the magnitude of the health care problem in
our country. Four different formats available to download on the NCC Health
Task Force website at www.health-minitries.org . To subscribe to receive the link
to the Health Care Alert Bulletin Insert with description, go to www.health-
ministries.org and click on New Articles under the word Syndication on the
right side of the homepage. Or, these documents may be downloaded from the
Health Care Alert Bulletin Insert box on the top right of the homepage. These
NCC Health Care Alert Bulletin Inserts will be published at least monthly and
more often as needed.

Other resources include:


5
From the PA Council of Churches
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D-93
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality http://www.ahcpr.gov./
Alliance for Health Reform http://www.allhealth.org/
American Public Health Association
http://www.apha.org/NR/rdonlyres/40E68094-E47F-465B-9F27-
0ADFF161120F/0/UninsuredFactSheetFinal.pdf
Center for Health Care Strategies http://www.chcs.org/
The Commonwealth Fund http://www.commonwealthfund.org/index.htm
Galen Institute http://www.galen.org/
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation http://www.kff.org/uninsured/index.cfm
National Coalition on Health Care http://www.nchc.org/
Institute of Medicine http://www.iom.edu/?id=19175
Physicians for a National Health Program http://www.pnhp.org/
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org/departments/dept_notice.cfm?recno=11&bulletin=4472
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation http://www.rwjf.org/


The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but
rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and
never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an
irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.


Tupper Morehead, MD, MDiv, TSSF
Norris, Tennessee
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Paper # 23
Healthy People, Healthy Planet:
Issues in Access to Fresh Local Food

What is the Issue?

Susan Klein, nutrition specialist with Iowa State Extension, addressing the Lutheran
Sunday Scientist Symposium on Food and Faith in Des Moines on October 31, 2008,
drew a marked contrast between the price of calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods and
lower calorie nutrient rich foods. A diet of low calorie nutrient rich foods may cost up to
$36.32 per day for 2000 calories while a comparable diet of calorie dense nutrient poor
foods may be had for as little as $3.52. Prices are increasing faster for the nutrient rich
diet than the nutrient poor one, widening the gap.

While our economy was beginning its down hill tumble this fall, MacDonalds was one of
the few corporations whose sales went up. CBS television news reported an eight
percent increase in October for the fast food giant. All one need do is pay attention to
advertisements from chain restaurants to see that the pitch has shifted from quality, or
even quantity, to price. What you can get at the drive up window for $1, or with table
service for $6.95?

Inexpensive food is inexpensive usually because it is made from the handful of food
crops that are subsidized: corn, soybeans, wheat and rice. If it isnt made from one of
these crops, it probably eats one of them. We produce more calories than we need in
the United States - 3800 per person per day. In order to entice people to buy those
excess calories, value is added to food by processing. Corn becomes corn syrup, soy
becomes partially hydrogenated fats, wheat is milled, and they are combined in
thousands of artful ways. This may increase convenience, important to those who work
multiple low wage jobs to stay afloat and have little time to cook, but does nothing for
nutritive value.

The picture which these facts point to is one of a people who are overfed and
undernourished, and a land where soils and aquifers are depleted, waste streams swell
with over packaging, and fossil fuels are consumed in fertilizing, herbiciding, processing
and transporting food.

Current popular non-fiction (see resource list below) has brought these problems to the
attention of many of us, but not always emphasized the disproportionate impact on the
poor. Many of our urban areas and old suburbs are food deserts, where convenience
stores sell sweet and salty snacks, soft drinks, alcohol and tobacco, but no fresh local
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fruits and vegetables and few healthful whole grains. Obesity and type 2 diabetes
continue to rise among adults, teens and children.

The 2002 United Nations definition of adequate food is instructive here.
Right to adequate food is a human right, inherent in all people, to have regular,
permanent and unrestricted access, either directly or by means of financial purchases,
to quantitatively and qualitatively adequate and sufficient food corresponding to the
cultural traditions of people to which the consumer belongs, and which ensures a
physical and mental, individual and collective fulfilling and dignified life free of fear.

The implications are that food security means not just enough calories, but good
nutrition, culturally appropriate foods, and social, economic and ecological sustainability.

What are our sources for addressing this through scripture and church

Scriptures agricultural world is so different from modern industrial agriculture, or even
modern sustainable agriculture, that it is impossible to find texts which provide instant
solutions to the breakdown in our food system. Some broad scriptural themes we might
look to are the value of diversity in creation, Gods preferential concern for the poor,
food as a communal experience, and freedom from anxiety.

The resolution on food systems and spirituality passed at the 2003 General Convention
provides some clues as to how we might respond. It authorized our Office of
Government Relations... to advise elected and appointed government officials and other
secular and religious bodies of its concerns about food sources, biodiversity, genetic
engineering, ownership and distribution of our food sources, and related issues
concerning the health and well-being of ourselves and future generations. It also lifted
up the need of people to know whats in their food, where it came from, how it was
processed, and how it affects planetary health.

Some progress was made in fulfilling this resolve during the recent wave of legislative
action around the renewal of the Farm Bill.

What can we do?

At the same Sunday Scientists conference, Jerry DeWitt, Director of the Leopold Center
for Sustainable Agriculture, opined that congregations must begin to address food
issues. Collecting and distributing canned goods to the poor is simply not enough: we
must speak up and speak out in our communities.

DeWitt and Klein agree that the point of concern through which congregations may
enter this matrix of issues is food and health. The challenge is not to get stuck in our
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D-96
individual or household food and health issues - a comfortable rut for middle class
consumers - but to look at things systemically.

Klein pointed out that we must change the landscape of our food system. Too often
major food processors and middle class folks conspire to put the blame on individuals
for making poor choices about diet and exercise. Instead we need to think about making
it easier for people to make positive choices. We can learn much from the anti-tobacco
movement. Cigarette companies still want to portray smoking as a personal choice, but
changing attitudes and access has done much more than changing individual minds to
curb health impacts of smoking.

Church folk must advocate for a changed food landscape. We must not wait five years
for the next renewal of the Farm Bill to turn up the heat under policy makers, to let them
know we were not happy with the role food issues didnt play in our long presidential
campaign, and demand continuing conversation.

Locally we can work for farm to school, farm to campus, and farm to senior center
programs so that at least some of the food prepared and eaten in those places comes
from local farms, strengthening sustainability and the local economy, and putting the
emphasis in menus on fruits and vegetables, not commodities. We can also find out if
farmers markets in our area take SNAP cards (new name and delivery system for food
stamps) and are certified for WIC. If not, we can work to make it happen.

At our churches we can join a burgeoning movement and organize community gardens.
If the parish doesnt have a side yard or back acre, there may be a vacant lot nearby
which the owner would be happy to lend for the purpose. Some congregations
cooperate with nearby schools to have a garden. More and more congregations are
recognizing that community gardens meet a need for fresh local produce and for
reconnecting people in the community across generational and cultural lines.

We can start a backyard gleaning effort. Many neighborhoods have fruit trees whose
fruit goes unused. What would happen if we connected older folks who have fruit trees
they can no longer manage with students doing service learning by pruning and
picking?

Urban and suburban churches can also partner with a nearby CSA. Often community-
supported farms are willing to make a drop at a church if they have multiple
shareholders there. Church members who can afford it might pay a little extra to
subsidize the cost of a CSA share or half share for a low income household or individual
in the churchs neighborhood.

Churches are a great place to re-skill the neighborhood. Even when fresh produce is
available from a nearby farmers market, community garden, or CSA, people often dont
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know how to cook with fresh vegetables, let alone how to extend the season through
drying or canning. We can put our church kitchens to use as places for generation-to-
generation transmission of kitchen skills that stretch our food dollars and decrease our
food miles.

Resources

*There are many current books, such as those by Michael Pollan, Barbara Kingsolver,
and Paul Roberts which describe our current food system. Even the President-elect
read the Michael Pollan article in the fall food issue of the New York Times Magazine.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html

*The Oakland Institute is critical of food system dysfunction and injustice globally and
nationally. Of special interest to this issue paper is their piece on food deserts and
national grocery chains.
http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/pdfs/facing_goliath.pdf

*Holy Nativity Church in Westchester, California, (Diocese of Los Angeles) has a
community garden and is involved in relocalization efforts, among other things. Check
out their Environmental Change-Makers handbook.
http://www.envirochangemakers.org/

*The Mennonite Central Committee cookbook Simply in Season has useful information
as well as recipes. A comprehensive study guide to ethical issues around food systems
may be downloaded from their web site. http://www.worldcommunitycookbook.org/

*Visit my blog, where I aggregate many more resources and articles, and offer opinions
on food news and issues. http://www.justgleanings.blogspot.com



Josephine Borgeson
Sonoma, California


E-1
Appendix E
Economic Justice Resolutions of the General Convention
1976-2006

[Note: updated May 2007 to include 2006 General Convention resolutions]

The following represents a first attempt at compiling a comprehensive list of Episcopal Church
positions on issues of economic justice, as expressed through General Convention.

The list is divided into four sections, based on the broad category into which the resolution falls:
church programs and policy, domestic issues, global issues, and courtesy resolutions with an
economic justice focus. These distinctions are of course not always clear-cut or absolute, but a
resolutions main intent generally falls somewhere inside these boundaries (for example,
declaring a new church program or internal policy vs. urging public government officials to take
some action).

Resolutions were chosen for inclusion based on a fairly narrow reading of economic justice, so
as not to have a document that included everything and wouldnt then serve as a useful map.
That means I excluded actions whose primary focus was on, say, racial justice or criminal
justice--while such matters are obviously bound up with economic justice, their primary focus
falls in another broad area (and, more significantly, people looking for church positions in these
areas can often find them by consulting with relevant networks in the church, or by going to the
appropriate index section in the church Archives--see http://www.episcopalarchives.org/cgi-
bin/acts/acts_search.pl). Again, these can sometimes be fairly artificial distinctions, so a measure
of subjectivity and judgment necessarily came into play. The section on global issues excludes
resolutions that focus on a single country (e.g. South Africa, Haiti), and reports only on actions
that have a broad regional or multinational/global focus (Millennium Development Goals, for
example). People interested in church resolutions regarding a country can easily search by that
countrys name in the Archives--see http://www.episcopalarchives.org/e-archives/acts/

The document below lists the resolutions in each section (in chronological order), summarizes
their content briefly, and (in the electronic version) links to the full text of the resolution on the
Archives or Episcopal Church website.

This will continue to be a work in progress, so advice, suggestions, corrections, comments, or
questions are always welcome.

John Mark Summers
jmsummers@verizon.net
February 2006, updated May 2007
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Church Programs and Policies

1976-C044: Support and Fund the Mission to the City Through Urban Churches
Committed Church resources and money to Mission to the City and urban ministry, with
particular emphasis on the poor, dispossessed, and minority populations.

1979-B052: Implement an Institutional Program of Racial Justice in the Church
Directed Executive Council to design programs to assist dioceses and congregations in
combating racial and economic injustice.

1979-C031: Encourage Church Involvement in Community Economic Redevelopment
Encouraged the Church at diocesan and local levels to become involved and to invest
property and resources in community economic development.

1982-A080: Implement "The Jubilee Ministry" to Meet Basic Human Needs
Established Jubilee Ministry to raise awareness of the facts of poverty and injustice; to
designate centers directly engaged in mission and ministry among and with poor people;
to train leaders, develop resources, and share models regarding this kind of ministries;
and to establish a Public Policy Network to respond to public issues of peace and justice.

1985-A139: Develop Plans and Resources to Assist Congregations in Social and Community
Outreach
Called on Church ministries working on issues of social and economic needs to share
plans and resources with congregations.

1985-D059: Recommend That Church Institutions Deposit Funds in Minority Owned Banks
Requested that the Episcopal Church Pension Fund continue the practice of depositing
funds in minority banks, and that the Executive Council's Committee on Social
Responsibility in Investments share information pertaining to socially responsible
investing.

1988-C030: Establish and Fund a Ministry of Community Investment and Economic Justice
Established and funded a ministry for community-controlled economic development
programs of the disadvantaged, and urged the Church at every level to support this
ministry. (Note: reauthorized in Resolution 1991-A080.)

1988-D023: Encourage the Church to Work With the National Hunger Committee
Commended the work of the National Hunger Committee and urged the Church and
dioceses to work with it in developing programs to combat hunger.

1988-D143: Request Dioceses to Educate the Church on the Plight of the Poor
Urged dioceses to incorporate materials on understanding and combating poverty into
educational programs.

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1991-B007: Authorize the Establishment of a National Episcopal Housing Corporation
Authorized the establishment of a National Episcopal Housing Corporation to provide
affordable housing to low and moderate income persons.

1991-D066: Support a Policy of Pay Equity in the Church and Society
Declared support for the policy of Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value, and urged the
Church and its dioceses to incorporate this policy into their employee guidelines.
KEYWORDS: gender, equity

1994-D029: Prepare for Jubilee 2000
Declared the year 2000 a Jubilee Year, and committed to preparing for this year by
implementing the biblical imperatives of debt forgiveness, faithful stewardship of Gods
creation, and human liberation.

1994-D124: Commend and Encourage Church Efforts for Economic Justice
Declared that economic justice remains a priority of the Church, and encouraged the
Church at all levels to continue the work of empowering poor and disadvantaged persons
begun by the Economic Justice Implementation Committee. (See also Resolutions 1988-
C030; 1991-A080.)

1997-A036: Authorize the Committee on Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation
1997-A042: Reinstitute Grants Program for Social Ministries
Authorized Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Committee of the Executive
Council to coordinate Church ministries addressing issues of peace, social and economic
justice and the environment. Instituted and funded a grants program to adequately support
the ministries of JPIC.

1997-D082: Urge Church-wide Promotion of the Living Wage
Urged the Church at all levels to advocate for a living wage (defined as $7.50/hr. or
$16,000/yr., the federal poverty line for a family of four) in their communities, and to
uphold this standard in the compensation of church employees.

2000-A001: Support and Fund International Education, Advocacy and Development Programs
Encouraged all dioceses to cooperate with other people of faith in programs of education
and advocacy related to issues of poverty, and to fund international development
programs at a level of at least 0.7% of net disposable budgeted diocesan income.

2000-B037: Consider Expansion of Funds Administered by the Economic Justice Loan
Committee
Asked the Executive Council to consider expanding the $7 million loan fund
administered by its Economic Justice Loan Committee to at least $24 million dollars and
making other changes.

2000-B050: Recommend Congregational Based Public Policy Groups
Encouraged congregations to engage in conversations and theological reflection on public
policy issues.
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2000-C006: Address Urbanization and Urban Mission in the U.S. and in the Anglican
Communion
Directed Church representatives to the Anglican Consultative Council to support the
development of an Anglican Urban Network to share information and experience on
urbanization and urban mission, and to produce a report to the Council on these issues.

2000-C039: Commend CPF on Union Dispute and Urge Involvement in Socially Responsible
Investments
Commended the Church Pension Fund for its constructive participation in a labor dispute
and encouraged the Fund to continue and increase its involvement in stockholder actions
and socially responsible investing.

2000-D052: Reaffirm Commitment to Urban Mission and Ministry
Reaffirmed the commitment of the Church to urban mission, and took specific
institutional steps to equip the Church to act on this mission. (See also Resolution 1979-
C032.)

2000-D102: Urge CPF to Develop Investment Policies Based on Principles of the Jubilee Year of
Justice
Urged the Church Pension Fund to develop policies consistent with the celebration of the
Jubilee Year of Justice (see Resolution 1994-D029), including investing in socially
responsible businesses and in community economic development.

2003-A006: Authorize Executive Council to Appoint an Employment Policies Task Group
Authorized the Executive Council to appoint a group to study employment policies and
practices in the dioceses and parishes of the church and consider policy recommendations
that address issues of equity and justice for church employees.

2003-A038: Include Peace and Justice Studies and Training in Episcopal College and School
Curricula
Commended to Episcopal colleges and schools the inclusion of peace and justice training
and career information in their curricula.


Positions on Domestic Economic Justice

1979-B103: Reaffirm Commitment and Urge Diocesan Response to Hunger
Reaffirmed the Churchs commitment to use its resources for the alleviation of hunger
and malnutrition.

1979-C032: Recognize the Call to Urban Mission and Evangelism
Recognized the Churchs responsibility to respond to the plight of cities and the urban
poor, and encouraged the people of the Church to understanding and overcoming the
problems of urban society.

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1982-A058: Recommend Criteria for Re-industrialization Plans
Recommended to government, private corporations, and unions criteria for economic
decisions and laws involving re-industrialization plans, to ensure that such plans serve the
public good.
KEYWORDS: labor/collective bargaining, employment, industrialization

1982-D059: Urge Church to Deepen Its Commitment to Alleviating Hunger
Urged the Church at all levels to commit to alleviating hunger, through personal and
collective action and public policy advocacy.

1982-D075: Request Dioceses to Consider Sponsoring Conferences on the Economic Crisis
Called upon dioceses to consider conferences on the economic crisis in small
communities and rural areas.
KEYWORDS: rural

1982-D109: Advocate Creation of Employment Opportunities on Indian Reservations
Advocated creation of employment opportunities on Indian Reservations (which have an
estimated unemployment rate of 89.9%) and alleviation of the pain and suffering
resulting from these economic conditions.
KEYWORDS: Native American

1985-B039: Express Mind of the House on Legislation for Early Childhood Programs
(NOTE: Mind of the House Resolution from the House of Bishops) Urged the U.S.
Congress to reauthorize the Economic Opportunity Act or a similar policy to ensure
economic opportunities and basic services to low-income Americans.

1985-D033: Work for Increases in Federal Aid to Poor Women and Children
Directed appropriate units of the Church to advocate for seek increases in various federal
programs which aid women and children in poverty and need.

1988-A110: Adopt Statement on the Leadership of the Nation
Expressed to public officials the conviction that the relief of human suffering cannot be
left to the private and voluntary sector or to existing social policies, and called for leaders
to make a new commitment to the common good.

1988-A116: Support Improvement of Public School Education
Recommitted the Church to supporting and improving public school education,
particularly in urban and rural areas.

1988-A118: Encourage Regional Approaches to Urban Problems
Encouraged applying resources and approaches from the wider region to the problems of
poverty in urban areas.

1991-A146: Endorse the Conversion of Economic Resources From Military to Civilian Use
Endorsed the development of federal policies to shift economic resources from military to
civilian uses.
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1991-D023: Call on the Government to Apply FDIC Policies to Community-based Banks
Called on the federal government to designate community-based banks as "critical" to the
health of communities throughout the nation.

1991-D051: Urge Protection of Families Receiving Welfare
Urged the U.S. government to discontinue the practice of removing households welfare
benefits as soon as they begin to earn money or receive financial gifts.

1991-D067: Recognize and Report on the Pauperization of Women and Children
Recognize the national crisis of increasing pauperization of women and children, and
urged the Church and public officials to take action to respond to this crisis.

1991-D078: Affirm Commitment to Housing for Low and Moderate Income Residents
Affirmed the commitment of the Church to providing decent and affordable housing to
those of low and moderate income and to combating homelessness.

1994-A042: Encourage Church Investment Strategy on Hazardous Chemicals
Called on the Church and its members to influence corporations to find alternatives to the
manufacture, use, and disposal of hazardous chemicals.
KEYWORDS: environment, environmental justice

1997-A129: Charge Dioceses and Provinces with Ministry to Migrant Farm Workers
Called on the Church to develop ministries of advocacy and outreach among migrant and
seasonal farm workers.
KEYWORDS: immigration, immigrants, labor

2000-B036: Commend and Support the Public School System
Commended those involved in public school education and went on record opposing
private school vouchers.

2000-C034: Increase Awareness of Social and Economic Problems of Farmers and Rural Areas
Expressed Church support for public policies ensuring farmers a just income, promoting
sustainable agricultural practices, and supporting healthcare access, education, jobs,
housing, and other services in rural communities.

2000-D005: Oppose Environmental Racism
Expressed Church support for legislation eliminating the practice of locating polluting
industries disproportionately near neighborhoods inhabited by people of color or the
poor, and the practices of mountain top removal and valley fill mining and other
operations that threaten the ecology and low income communities.

2003-A124: Reestablish a Standing Commission on Health
Reestablished a Church Standing Commission on Health to advocate for a national health
care system in which all may be guaranteed decent and appropriate primary health care
during their lives and as they approach death.
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2003-A130: Support the Establishment of a Living Wage
Called upon the government to establish a living wage including health benefits as the
standard of compensation for all workers in the United States, and reaffirmed the policy
for the Church and its employees. (See also Resolution 1997-D082.) Also affirmed the
right of workers to organize, and insisted that companies in which the Church invests or
with which it contracts provide their employees with a living wage and serve as a model
for ethical labor practices.
KEYWORDS: labor, organizing

2003-C028: Support the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride
Declared the Churchs commitment to actively work in support of the Immigrant
Workers Freedom Ride.
KEYWORDS: immigration, labor

2003-C030: Urge Legislation to Raise the Federal Minimum Wage
Urged the Congress to pass legislation raising the federal minimum wage to at least $8.70
an hour, the hourly equivalent of an annual wage at the current federal poverty line
($18,100 for a family of four persons).
KEYWORDS: labor

2003-C033: Urge Legislation to Expand Temporary Workers' Programs
Urged the Congress of the United States to enact legislation to expand temporary
workers' programs to include all persons residing in the United States engaged in
meaningful labor, to ensure that temporary workers receive compensation and benefits
parallel to those available to other legal residents, and to give such workers the option of
adjusting to permanent resident status and naturalization.
KEYWORDS: immigration, labor

2003-D033: Promote Understanding of Basic Financial Matters
Direct congregations to provide educational and other resources that promote
understanding the role of money in Christians lives, Biblical teachings about financial
and material matters, and good stewardship.

2003-D040: Reaffirm Commitment to Provide Affordable Housing for the Poor
Reaffirmed the Churchs commitment to providing housing that is safe, accessible, and
affordable for low-income and moderate-income persons, and urged all levels of
government to ensure that housing assistance programs are adequately funded. (See also
Resolution 1991-D078.)

2003-D071: Oppose Government Discrimination Against Single-parent Households
Expressed opposition to any effort by the Congress or the legislatures of any of the states
that discriminate against single-parent households.

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2006-A010: Affirm Call to Partnership
Received and affirmed Call to Partnership, the communiqu presented to the United
Nations Summit on Sept. 13, 2005, by the ecumenical Consultation of Religious Leaders
on Global Poverty.

2006-A017: Fundamental Immigration Principles
Adopted fundamental principles of the basic rights of undocumented immigrants,
including their reasonable opportunity to pursue permanent residency, family unification,
and right to due process, and called on the church to commit to welcoming strangers as a
matter of Christian responsibility.

2006-B018: Call on Government to Fund Programs for Children
Urged Episcopalians and the Episcopal Church at every level to work to ensure that
governments provide adequate funding for programs that combat social and economic
conditions that place children at risk or diminish their ability to achieve their full
potential.

2006-C008: Reaffirm Right of Workers to Organize
Reaffirmed the right of workers in the United States to organize and form unions,
especially for seasonal and migrant workers who historically have been deprived of those
rights.

2006-C011: Call for National Study of Reparations
Called on Congress and the American people to support legislation initiating study and
dialogue about the history and legacy of slavery in the United States and of proposals for
monetary and non-monetary reparations to the descendants of the victims of slavery.

2006-D047: Endorse a Living Wage, and Commit to Support of Unions
Affirmed support for the right of workers to form a union and for passage of living
wage legislation, and committed the Church at all levels to contract solely with union
hotels in its meetings, or obtain confirmation that local prevailing living wages are paid
by all hotels the Church uses.


Positions on Global Economic Justice

1979-B098: Promote the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child
Affirmed and adopted the United Nations' Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
KEYWORDS: children

1985-A082: Affirm the Church's Response to Global Hunger
Called on the Church and its networks to continue to provide opportunities and
educational resources to assist Episcopalians to work towards eradicating hunger, through
aid, local relief programs, public policy advocacy, and prayer and reflection.

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E-9
1997-D015: Reaffirm the Goals of Jubilee Year 2000
Reaffirmed the Church declaration that the year 2000 would be a Jubilee Year, to focus
on the Jubilee imperatives of debt forgiveness, environmental stewardship, and human
liberation. (See also Resolution 1994-D029.)

2000-A002: Adopt Ethical Guidelines for International Economic Development
Established a list of ethical principles for the Church at every level to adopt with respect
to international economic development: partnership, respect, empowerment, oneness with
creation, distributive justice, and people-centered development.

2000-A109: Commend and Endorse the Presiding Bishop's Capital Fund Campaign
Commend to the Church the proposed capital campaign of the Presiding Bishop's Fund
for World Relief to develop an endowment to increase the Fund's ability to address the
root causes of poverty, ill health, illiteracy, and economic injustice.

2000-D033: Urge Dioceses and Congregations to Contribute to International Development
Programs and Support Micro-Credit Initiatives
Challenged all dioceses and congregations to set aside 0.7% of their annual budgets to
contribute to international development programs that address poverty, ill health,
illiteracy, and economic injustice, and commended micro-credit initiatives as one way to
serve the neediest nations.

2003-A035: Call on the Church to Implement U.N. Millennium Development Goals in Africa
Called on the Church at all levels to partner with Anglican Churches in Africa and other
agencies to implement the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in Africa, and
funded implementation.

2003-D006: Endorse UN Millennium Development Goals
Endorsed the achievement of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals,
reaffirmed the challenge to all dioceses and congregations to contribute 0.7% of their
annual budgets to fund international development programs (see Resolution 2000-D033),
and called on the U.S. government to fulfill its commitment to funding international
development aid at 0.7% of the U.S. GNP.

2006-B012: Response to Global Warming
Affirmed that global warming threatens the future of creation and disproportionately
hurts the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in the United States and around the
world; and that Episcopalians and the Episcopal Church at every level support efforts to
reduce Global Warming

2006-D020: MDGs and the ONE Episcopalian Campaign
Established work toward the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals as a
mission priority, and endorsed The ONE Campaign, the U.S. movement for the MDGs,
through the Episcopal Churchs ONE Episcopalian campaign.


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Courtesy Resolutions for People/Groups Working for Economic Justice

1982-B013: Give Tribute to Dr. Woodrow W. Carter
Honored Dr. Woodrow W. Carter, Sr., for assisting the Church in its response to basic
human needs and its quest for social and economic justice in all of society.

1994-B016: Commemorate St. Francis Academy and Commit to Work for Troubled Families
Commemorated Saint Francis Academy Day and called on the Church to continue to
work for the needs of troubled children and families.

1997-D103: Give Thanks for the Life and Ministry of Gloria Brown
Gave thanks for the life and ministry of Dr. Gloria Brown for her work in bettering the
plight of the economically disadvantaged and oppressed.

2000-B018: Commend Episcopal Appalachian Ministries
Recognized the 35th anniversary of Episcopal Appalachian Ministries (formerly
Appalachian People's Service Organization), and commended its work for social justice
for the people of Appalachia.
KEYWORDS: rural

2003-A015: Reaffirm and Commend Jubilee Ministry to the Whole Church
Reaffirmed and commended Jubilee Ministry and declared its mission to be at the heart
of the mission of the Church (see also Resolution 1982-A080).

2006-C012: Support Episcopal Network for Economic Justice
Expressed support for the Episcopal Network for Economic Justice in its facilitation of
the training of congregations in economic justice.

Appendix F
Examples of Community Development Models










The Episcopal Network for Economic Justice

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F-1
Examples of
Community Development Models

Community Organizing
8ULD (8aItImoreans UnIted In LeadershIp DeveIop 8ULD (8aItImoreans UnIted In LeadershIp DeveIop 8ULD (8aItImoreans UnIted In LeadershIp DeveIop 8ULD (8aItImoreans UnIted In LeadershIp DeveIopment ment ment ment) )) )
2114-1 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21212
(410) 528-0305 / (410) 528-0316
http://www.buildiaf.org
BUILDs purpose is to organize poor, working poor and middle-income families for
change. BUILD finds and trains leaders who identify pressing issues facing their
communities, and addresses those issues through disciplined organized action that is non-
violent and non-partisan.
Through its influence, BUILD has helped channel millions into college scholarships,
affordable housing, after school programs, and transitional housing for ex-offenders and
people in recovery. Through its organizing it has helped outlaw payday lenders, increase
voter turnout, and secure passage of Baltimores living wage ordinance.
BUILD is a premiere example of church-based organizing. Forty local churches are
members.
Comm Comm Comm Comm- -- -Org: The On Org: The On Org: The On Org: The On- -- -LIne ConIerence on CommunIty OrganIzIng and LIne ConIerence on CommunIty OrganIzIng and LIne ConIerence on CommunIty OrganIzIng and LIne ConIerence on CommunIty OrganIzIng and
DeveIopment DeveIopment DeveIopment DeveIopment
http://comm-org.utoledo.edu
With origins in a 1994 online seminar on the history of community organizing led at the
University of Illinois at Chicago, COMM-ORG has grown into a fine resource for anyone
interested in the current field (and history) of community organizing, both in the United
States and with an international perspective.
KentuckIans Ior the CommonweaIth KentuckIans Ior the CommonweaIth KentuckIans Ior the CommonweaIth KentuckIans Ior the CommonweaIth
P.O. Box 1450
London, Kentucky 40743
606-878-2161
www.kftc.org
Promotes fair taxation, living wage, environmental preservation, and other issues through
local chapters and statewide lobbying. Helped curtail strip mining and pass a tax on coal
reserves which helps support local governments. A model program both for grassroots
organizing and statewide advocacy. Especially strong in developing an annual legislative
strategy with specific goals in areas such as tax policy, human services, and human
rights.
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F-2
Southern Empowerment Project Southern Empowerment Project Southern Empowerment Project Southern Empowerment Project
343 Ellis Avenue
Maryville, TN 37804
865-984-6500
souempw@bellsouth.net
Conducts training on community organizing and grassroots fundraising in the South and
Appalachia.
VIrgInIa OrganIzIng Proje VIrgInIa OrganIzIng Proje VIrgInIa OrganIzIng Proje VIrgInIa OrganIzIng Project ct ct ct
703 Concord Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903-5208
434-984-4655
http://www.virginia-organizing.org
This statewide project focuses on fair tax policy, living wage, combating racism,
environmental protection and other justice issues. It is organized into local chapters for
action. Virginia Organizing Project also publishes an excellent newsletter which includes
how-to information for organizers.

Community Development Corporations (CDCs)
These organizations were established to oversee the redevelopment of inner city
neighborhoods or to promote job development in rural areas. Some are comprehensive.
Some focus exclusively on housing or job creation. Some CDCs are spinoffs of
community organizing efforts. CDCs are often able to focus more on projects and leave
the advocacy to the neighborhood organization. Some include advocacy along with the
hard side of development.
AppaIachIan Center Ior EconomIc Networks (ACE AppaIachIan Center Ior EconomIc Networks (ACE AppaIachIan Center Ior EconomIc Networks (ACE AppaIachIan Center Ior EconomIc Networks (ACEnet net net net) )) )
94 North Columbus Road
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-592-3854
www.acenetworks.org
Diocese of Southern Ohio
Email: info@acenetworks.org
The Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet) is a community economic
development organization located in rural southeastern Ohio. The mission of ACEnet is
to build the capacity of local communities to network, innovate, and work together to
create a strong, sustainable regional economy that has opportunities for all. ACEnet uses
a sectoral strategy, currently focusing on the food and technology sectors of the economy.
In each sector, ACEnet staff provides basic service that businesses need to start, expand,
and create quality jobs. At the same time, staff members encourage entrepreneurs to
network with each other, sharing information and generating joint ventures that enable
them to enjoy economies of scale typical of much larger businesses.
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F-3
ACEnet staff also identifies key services or resources that, if available, could increase the
success of the businesses, and either directly develops the capacity (as in the case of
incubator facilities) or work with other local or regional organizations to develop the new
service (as in the case of the many public access sites in the area that provide free
computer usage).
AppaIachIan CommunIty DeveIopment AppaIachIan CommunIty DeveIopment AppaIachIan CommunIty DeveIopment AppaIachIan CommunIty DeveIopment
Marie Cirillo
P.O. Box 71
Eagan, TN 37730
423-784-6832
Email: marie@jellico.com
Diocese of East Tennessee
Hidden from the rest of the world between two mountain ranges exists a place where the
KY and TN state line further cuts people from the Clearfork Valley out of mainstream.
Since 1968 the Commission on Religion in Appalachia has worked with a Community
Development Ministry, started in 1967 by the Catholic Diocese of Knoxville. The local
resident minister identifies local leadership and assists them in organizing appropriately
to achieve their goals. CORA provides financial resources to local groups and introduces
them to various individuals and institutions that are part of this network.
The real blood, sweat and tears come from the local people who hold on to their small
nonprofit operations Today the network of unincorporated communities from Fonde, KY
to Morley, TN that make up the Clearfork Valley find strength in the cluster of nonprofit
groups as they provide services in health, parenting food, clothing and fire protection,
engage in developments like housing and small businesses, and provide an infrastructure
as fundamental as access to secure land tenure and safe water. A most recent enterprise
is a community development learning center and a community newsletter oriented to
popular education.
Though progress is slow, the movement toward citizen participation in building
community plays out in many practical and spiritual ways. The non-profits collaborate in
bringing wholeness out of their diversity and strength out of their perseverance. Most
community groups have a sustained partnership with one or another Christian Church.
Together we are making the connection between building personal and community assets,
between production of coal in this community and the burning of coal in the more
mainstream urban centers, between a cash economy and a non-cash economy, and
between the primary resources of creation and those secondary resources that humans are
empowered to produce.
8eaver Street EnterprIse Center 8eaver Street EnterprIse Center 8eaver Street EnterprIse Center 8eaver Street EnterprIse Center
1225 W. Beaver Street
Jacksonville, FL 32209
904-265-4700
www.freshministries.com
Beaver Street Enterprise Center is a business incubator, providing facilities and amenities
to more than 20 small businesses. The Center was established by FRESHMINISTRIES,
a comprehensive community development corporation (See p. F-8). Its full time staff
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F-4
provides ongoing assistance to these businesses to help them with budgeting, technical
issues, marketing, and networking with business leaders. After 24-36 months, businesses
are well-positioned to relocate within the community and continue expanding. Funding
comes from Wachovia Bank, the City of Jacksonville and the U.S. Economic
Development Administration.
8etheI New LIIe, nc. 8etheI New LIIe, nc. 8etheI New LIIe, nc. 8etheI New LIIe, nc.
4950 W. Thomas
Chicago, IL 60651
773-473-7870
www.bethelnewlife.org
Bethel New Life is one of the best-known and successful community development
corporations. Others in this category include Abyssinian Development Corporation in
New York City and Glide Church in San Francisco. Bethel New Life focuses on
sustainable comprehensive community development. This project operates in an
Empowerment Zone and is involved in housing development, a small business
development center, child development center, and a cultural and performing arts center
among other projects.
Chattahoochee VaIIey EpIscopaI MInIstry, nc. (CVEM) Chattahoochee VaIIey EpIscopaI MInIstry, nc. (CVEM) Chattahoochee VaIIey EpIscopaI MInIstry, nc. (CVEM) Chattahoochee VaIIey EpIscopaI MInIstry, nc. (CVEM)
P.O. Box 5811
Columbus, GA 31906-0811
706-327-0400
Vicky Partin, Lay Missioner, Diocese of Atlanta
CVEM is an agency serving the Beallwood and adjacent areas of Columbus, Georgia. Its
approach includes direct service, job and life skills training, linkage to a credit union, and
arts programming, especially with youth. Teaching tolerance and multiculturalism is an
important feature of CVEMs work. Housing development is done through partnerships
with Habitat for Humanity and other organizations.
EpIscopaI HousIng CorporatIon EpIscopaI HousIng CorporatIon EpIscopaI HousIng CorporatIon EpIscopaI HousIng CorporatIon
4 East University Parkway
Baltimore, MD 21218
410-366-6200
(Daniel McCarthy, Executive Director)
This organization, supported by the Diocese of Maryland, is active in a variety of housing
ministries in Baltimores inner city and other parts of the diocese.
Naugatuck VaI Naugatuck VaI Naugatuck VaI Naugatuck VaIIey Project Iey Project Iey Project Iey Project
26 Ludlow St.
Waterbury, CT 06710
203-574-2410 Fax: 203-574-3545
Email: nvp@highstream.net
Founded 13 years ago as a joint undertaking of the Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford, the
Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, the Connecticut Conference of the United Church of
Christ, the United Auto Workers and the Connecticut Citizens Actions Group, NVPs
accomplishments include creation of Valley Care Cooperative, which provides home
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F-5
health-care to shut-ins; the development of over 100 units of affordable housing in
Waterbury; the formation of tenant organizations in run-down private and public housing
complexes in Naugatuck, Ansonia and Waterbury; and the organization of three
successful employee buy-outs of factories threatened with closings.
St. Edmu St. Edmu St. Edmu St. Edmund's RedeveIopment CorporatIon nd's RedeveIopment CorporatIon nd's RedeveIopment CorporatIon nd's RedeveIopment CorporatIon (SERC) (SERC) (SERC) (SERC)
6105 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637
(The Rev. Dr. Richard L. Tolliver)
773-288-0038
www.sercchicago.org
SERCs mission is to renew its community by developing quality housing and fostering
community revitalization opportunities for all people. SERC has completed eight projects
totaling 455 units of housing, taking over a troubled 230-unit high-rise at 63rd and
Michigan, building a 61-unit senior building, and rehabilitating several apartment
buildings. The agencys current project is the gut-rehab of a seven-building, low-rise
development that SERC bought from the Chicago Housing Authority last June for $9
million. Of the 56 units SERC plans to develop, 14 will be leased back to the CHA, 11
will be market rate, and 31 will be for people who make 60 percent or less of the areas
median income. SERC intends to continue to redevelop former CHA sites and vacant lots
into successful mixed-income housing, to create attractive gateways from the Dan Ryan
Expressway, to revitalize commercial strips with a variety of amenities, to add parks and
green space while reducing gang and drug activity, and to improve employment
opportunities.

St. St. St. St. PauI's EpIscopaI Church and CommunIty DeveIop PauI's EpIscopaI Church and CommunIty DeveIop PauI's EpIscopaI Church and CommunIty DeveIop PauI's EpIscopaI Church and CommunIty DeveIopment CorporatIon ment CorporatIon ment CorporatIon ment CorporatIon
451 Van Heusen Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
(The Rev. David Wolf, Rector)
973-278-7900
St. Pauls is a multi-cultural, multi-lingual congregation in one of the poorest small cities
in America. A designated Jubilee Center, the church has adapted to its changing
demographics by reaching out to the Hispanic/Latino and other groups including African
Americans and West Indians. The center has established an organized ministry which
includes a strong growth component. They have also set up a community development
corporation which seeks to revitalize the entire neighborhood.

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F-6
Credit Unions
The 8radIey nItIatIve Ior Church and CommunIty, nc. The 8radIey nItIatIve Ior Church and CommunIty, nc. The 8radIey nItIatIve Ior Church and CommunIty, nc. The 8radIey nItIatIve Ior Church and CommunIty, nc.
1030 Sixth Street, N.E. P.O. Box 5404
Cleveland, TN 37320-5404
423-559-1112
Fax: 423-559-1244
Email: 4bicc@bellsouth.net
www.bicc-inc.org
www.festivalofcultures.com
The Bradley Initiative exists to unite churches (across denominational, racial, and socio-
economic lines) with community organizations to build relationships, and address the
root/systemic causes of the social, economic and cultural issues in the Cleveland/Bradley
County area of Appalachian Tennessee. The initiative engages community members in a
Listening Process to identify prevalent issues that affect their lives, then holds
community forums to address the issues. Examples of Bradley Initiative projects include:
The Bradley Initiatives education projects include the Black Fox Community Preschool,
a partnership with Head Start and Black Fox Elementary School to create a blended
classroom that integrates Head Start children with students who do not qualify for Head
Start assistance; and a special purpose high school that works with the Cleveland City
and Bradley County School systems to provide a non-traditional learning environment for
students 16 years and older to earn a traditional high school diploma. BICC has also
partnered with three local colleges--Cleveland State Community College, Lee University,
and the Church of God Theological Seminary--to make available scholarships from each
institution for minority students or students enrolled in intercultural studies.
BICC also sponsors the Festival of Cultures, an annual multicultural effort to unite the
community in celebration of the beautiful cultural diversity in this area and is designed to
break down barriers of racism, denominationalism, and socio/economic classism.
A community development credit union with a low-income designation, the Bradley
Initiative Credit Union (BICU) received a charter from Tennessee Department of
Financial Institutions and opened January 2003. It offers financial literacy classes through
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. (Denis Collins, Manager; (423) 559-1181;
BICU@volfirst.net)
The Bradley Savings Initiative is a 1:1 match savings program for low-income
individuals and families, provides opportunities to build assets and develop the discipline
of saving. Criteria for participation in the program include setting a value-added goal
(homeownership, post secondary education, etc.), committing to a 1-3 year savings plan,
and successfully completing a 12-week financial literacy training course. BICC is
extending the opportunity for area churches to incorporate this ministry into the life of
their congregations; for more information call (423) 559-1112.
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F-7
Chattahoochee Chattahoochee Chattahoochee Chattahoochee VaIIey EpIscopaI MInIstrIes VaIIey EpIscopaI MInIstrIes VaIIey EpIscopaI MInIstrIes VaIIey EpIscopaI MInIstrIes
Vicky Partin, Lay Missioner
P.O. Box 5811
Columbus, GA 31906
706-327-0400 or evemga@bellsouth.net
After officially opening in August 2001, the Chattahoochee Federal Credit Union
(CFCU) became the first community development credit union serving low-wealth
people in the Columbus, Georgia area. This institution became only the second such
operation sponsored by an Episcopal organization. The first was the Diocese of Los
Angeles Community Credit Union, which supported the new credit union with technical
assistance and a non-member deposit under the guidance of Executive Director Urla
Gomez-Abrigo. Early on the Chattahoochee Valley Episcopal Ministry (CVEM) was
given start-up funds by Jubilee Ministries and the Presiding Bishops Fund for World
Relief (now ERD). The Diocese of Atlanta also contributed a substantial non-member
deposit and technical support.
CFCU made a difference in the financial lives of many people who cannot obtain small
loans due to their low income and poor credit ratings. The CUs marketing strategy
targets the working poor, families in the expanded area of Beallwood, small business, and
students in a nearby technical college. In 2007, CVEM turned over operation of the
credit union to a larger credit union in the area.
CVEM is available to share its story and encourage others to work in such community
investment ventures. Recommendations will include working more closely with the
National Federation of Community Development Credit Union in the early stages, raising
enough money up front to cover 3 to 5 year operations, and collaborating closely with the
National Credit Union Association.

EpIscopaI CommunIty FederaI CredIt Un EpIscopaI CommunIty FederaI CredIt Un EpIscopaI CommunIty FederaI CredIt Un EpIscopaI CommunIty FederaI CredIt UnIon Ion Ion Ion
840 Echo Park Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-482-2040, Ext. 254
800-366-1536, Ext. 254
Fax: 213-977-9762
creditunion@ladiocese.org
www.ladiocese.org/creditunion
The Episcopal Community Federal Credit Union is a low-income Economic Justice
Ministry within the Diocese of Los Angeles. The Credit Union currently has 2,662
members and assets of $5.5 million. Its mission is to provide members of the community
with a strong financial and economic base. It provides loans at reasonable interest rates to
assist members with small business and household expenses. Some members would be
unable to get such a loan anywhere else.
The Credit Unions membership includes both individuals and families who are well to
do, and at the other end, individuals and families who are barely making a living. Those
who have, help those who have not.
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F-8
The Credit Union provides a variety of financial services, including deposit accounts,
personal and auto loans, financial education classes (in both English and Spanish), and
income tax preparation assistance.

Smart Money CommunIty ServIces Smart Money CommunIty ServIces Smart Money CommunIty ServIces Smart Money CommunIty ServIces
1731 Vine Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45210
(Darrick Dansby ddansby@smart-money.org)
513-241-7266
Smart Money, a non-profit agency located in Over-the-Rhine, a low income African
American section of Cincinnati, provides financial services for the poor and works
closely with a credit union it recruited into an inner city neighborhood with no banking
services. Smart Moneys experience, like that of Chattahoochee Federal Credit Union
(above), illustrates the benefit of partnering with a larger existing credit union as an
alternative to a go-it-alone strategy in low-income area.

Community Development Loan Funds
The PeIham Fund Ior EconomIc ]ustIce The PeIham Fund Ior EconomIc ]ustIce The PeIham Fund Ior EconomIc ]ustIce The PeIham Fund Ior EconomIc ]ustIce
Charles Wibiralske
Associate Director for Community and Economic Development Programs
Episcopal City Mission
138 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02111-1318
617-482-4826 x207
www.diomass.org/ecm
The original mission of the Pelham Fund was to respond to the call of the Michigan Plan,
adopted by the 1988 General Convention with the goal of establishing community
development intermediaries. The Pelham Fund now makes loans through a network of
intermediary organizations throughout New England. Four of these institutions are New
England wide. Others, like the Boston Community Loan Fund, serve specific
neighborhoods, cities, or state areas.
Each of the other New England dioceses also has diocesan or parish sponsored efforts.
Connecticut runs a fund similar to the Pelham Fund. In Vermont, the cathedral, All
Saints, South Burlington and the National Church have deposits with Opportunities
Credit Union. Western Massachusetts has set aside 2% of its endowment for community
reinvestment. This allows the diocese to lend money (about $1 million) to two
community loan funds. The Diocese of Maine and two congregations have lent to
Coastal Enterprises. In New Hampshire, the National Church and approximately half of
the 49 congregations invest in the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund.

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F-9
Other Wealth Building Initiatives
Wealth-building projects focus on building family and community assets. All of the
models listed above contribute to building assets but the following are featured to draw
attention to this type of community development ministry.
FRESHMNSTRES FRESHMNSTRES FRESHMNSTRES FRESHMNSTRES
Ms. Edye McCown
1131 North Laura Street
Jacksonville, FL 32206
904-355-0000
edye@freshministries.org
FRESHMINISTRIES is one of the largest and most comprehensive of the community
economic development projects in the Episcopal Church network. Its partnerships and
spinoffs include Habitat for Humanity, an affordable housing partnership, First Coast
MicroLoan Fund, and a small business incubator (see Beaver Street Enterprise Center).
Programs include Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) and helping clients make use
of earned income tax credits.
CongregatIons 8uIIdIng CommunIty CongregatIons 8uIIdIng CommunIty CongregatIons 8uIIdIng CommunIty CongregatIons 8uIIdIng CommunIty
www.piconetwork.org
A member of the PICO (Pacific Institute for Community Organization) network, this
organization is concerned with the treatment of the residents of manufactured home
communities. An effort is currently underway to organize a group of these residents to
buy the park in which they live. For more information about the manufactured home
community, its residents and their plans, see www.peoples-homes.com.
EI Centro, nc. EI Centro, nc. EI Centro, nc. EI Centro, nc.
Kansas, City, KS
Ian Bautista
913-281-1700
ibautista@elcentro.com
The purpose of El Centro, Inc. is to create and sustain educational, social and economic
opportunities for families. El Centro operates more than 20 different programs including
homeownership initiatives, a 100 slot early child development center and an
entrepreneurial development center for small and new businesses. El Centro also has a
successful individual development account program.
Lawrence CommunIty Works Lawrence CommunIty Works Lawrence CommunIty Works Lawrence CommunIty Works
Lawrence, MA
Kristin Harol
kharol@lawrencecommunityworks.org
LCW is a non-profit CDC building a growing network of residents and other stakeholders
engaged in building family and community assets. LCW has built or renovated over 200
units of affordable housing, has an active afterschool program with a major emphasis on
the arts, provides financial training for residents enrolled in the individual development
account programs and assists with immigration issues for the growing Latin American
population of Lawrence.
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F-10
HacIenda CDC HacIenda CDC HacIenda CDC HacIenda CDC
Portland, OR
Pietro Ferrari
pferrari@haciedaacdc.org
Formed in 1992, Hacienda focuses on affordable housing and educational and economic
opportunities for Latinos in the state of Oregon. Their projects have included restoration
of 178 unit housing complex.
AccI AccI AccI AccIo oo on Texas, nc. n Texas, nc. n Texas, nc. n Texas, nc.
Janie Barrera; jbarrea@acciontexas.org
A statewide micro-lending program, their mission is to provide credit to small businesses
that do not have access to loans from commercial sources. Through its loans and
services, Accion helps microentrepreneurs strengthen their businesses, stabilize and
increase their incomes, create additional employment and contribute to the economic
revitalization of their communities.

Advocacy
Stand Ior ChIIdren]Roots oI PromIse Stand Ior ChIIdren]Roots oI PromIse Stand Ior ChIIdren]Roots oI PromIse Stand Ior ChIIdren]Roots oI PromIse] ]] ]CItIzen's 8udget CampaIgn oI CItIzen's 8udget CampaIgn oI CItIzen's 8udget CampaIgn oI CItIzen's 8udget CampaIgn oI
Western PennsyIvanIa Western PennsyIvanIa Western PennsyIvanIa Western PennsyIvanIa
The Thomas Morton Center
5125 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Molly Rush, (412) 361-0540
http://trfn.clpgh.org/stand
stand4pgh@adelphia.net
This organization monitors and influences legislation and public policy that impacts
children and families and provides a network for information exchange on childrens
issues, maintaining local, state and national links for economic and social justice.
Initiatives and campaigns promoted include the Campaign and Act to Leave No Child
Behind, a comprehensive legislation for children sponsored by the Childrens Defense
Fund, the local Citizens Budget Campaign, the National Celebration of Childrens
Sabbaths, and Parenting for Peace. For more information about advocacy work in
Pennsylvania, contact ENEJ member Wanda Guthrie, at jwguth45@adelphia.net.
CIerg CIerg CIerg CIergy and LaIty UnIted Ior EconomIc ]ustIce (CLUE) y and LaIty UnIted Ior EconomIc ]ustIce (CLUE) y and LaIty UnIted Ior EconomIc ]ustIce (CLUE) y and LaIty UnIted Ior EconomIc ]ustIce (CLUE)
545 South Spring Street, Suite 616
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(The Rev. Alexia Salvatierra)
CLUEs program activities include promoting living wages as public policy, supporting
workers organizing for better wages and working conditions, and advocating for a strong
safety net for the unemployed and underemployed.
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F-11
Southern AppaIachIan Labor SchooI Southern AppaIachIan Labor SchooI Southern AppaIachIan Labor SchooI Southern AppaIachIan Labor SchooI
P.O. Box 127
Kincaid, WV 25119
www.sals.info
Advocates for worker justice, including welfare rights, black lung and other social
economic, and health issues. Also publishes a journal.
CentraI OhIo nterIaIth CommIttee Ior Worker ]ustIce CentraI OhIo nterIaIth CommIttee Ior Worker ]ustIce CentraI OhIo nterIaIth CommIttee Ior Worker ]ustIce CentraI OhIo nterIaIth CommIttee Ior Worker ]ustIce
Jeffrey_price@episcopal-dso.org
One of many ecumenical collaborative efforts between religious and labor groups to
promote dignity and economic justice for workers. For a listing in your area, contact
Interfaith Worker Justice 773-728-8400 or IWJs website at www.iwj.org

Multi-Service/Jubilee Centers
These programs offer a variety of social services to communities or special populations.
At least one service component relates to economic justice. To request a more
comprehensive list contact the Office of Jubilee Ministries at the Episcopal Church
Center 800-334-7726. The Office can also be located via www.episcopalchurch.org.
Church oI the HoIy Cross Church oI the HoIy Cross Church oI the HoIy Cross Church oI the HoIy Cross
875 Cotton Street
Shreveport, LA 71101
318-222-3325
The Rev. Kenneth Paul, Director/Rector
The Church of the Holy Crosss outreach ministries include a transitional Crisis Center, a
homeless shelter, a government subsidized housing project for the elderly and disabled,
and an adoption placement agency. Their advocacy involvement includes Project Justice,
a program of law-related education activities in the public schools; Shreveport Landmark
Rehabilitation Project, working on preserving Ledbetter Heights, Shreveports oldest and
most degraded area. Holy Cross also works with groups such as Bread for the World,
Covenant Church (special emphasis on the role of public policy and citizen advocacy in
combating hunger), Interfaith Coalition on Energy (assisting the poor with their gas bills),
and AMAN African-American Male Achievement Network.

The Church oI the NatIvIty and St. Stephen ]ubIIee Center The Church oI the NatIvIty and St. Stephen ]ubIIee Center The Church oI the NatIvIty and St. Stephen ]ubIIee Center The Church oI the NatIvIty and St. Stephen ]ubIIee Center
59 South Second Street
Newport, PA 17074
717-567-6514
Email: chnatss@pa.net
The Rev. Canon William T. Warne II, Rector
This center works to promote the general social welfare of the community by acquiring,
constructing, providing and operating rental housing and related facilities suited to the
special needs and living requirements of the underserved community. Outreach ministries
include:
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F-12
Episcopal Gardens/Thompsontown, PA Housing facility provides 50
apartments, allowing tenants to maintain independent living that otherwise would
not be available in the general community.
Episcopal Commons, Inc./Perry County Housing facility provides 30 one-
bedroom federally subsidized apartments for low-income elderly and certified
disabled persons.
Perry Human Services a county-wide drug and alcohol prevention/education
program in Perry County
Monthly Saturday Lunch/dinner free meal at the local Salvation Army outreach
center provided as part of an on-going Meals Ministry
CrossIIght OrganIzatIon, nc. ]ubIIee Center CrossIIght OrganIzatIon, nc. ]ubIIee Center CrossIIght OrganIzatIon, nc. ]ubIIee Center CrossIIght OrganIzatIon, nc. ]ubIIee Center
121 North Main Street
Attleboro, Massachusetts 02803
508-222-2641
Judith A. Conovan McCurdy, RN, Director
Crosslight Organization is a grassroots, multi-cultural, ecumenical agency serving the
needs of Hispanic, Asian, Afro-American, Arabic and other people in the community.
Crosslight provides domestic violence intervention, teenage and adult counseling,
assistance with immigration issues, and interventions with gang members. Its human
rights and advocacy work includes political asylum and deportation cases, death penalty
cases, international human rights issues, and immigrant rights and political participation.
Empowerment offerings include job counseling and educational programs for youth and
adults, classes on how to access City, State, National government officials, home and
business ownership education, ESL/Citizenship classes, interpreting and translation
services, assist with immigration issues and regulations, cultural awareness
training/workshops and anti-racism training.
St. DavId's ]ubIIee Center St. DavId's ]ubIIee Center St. DavId's ]ubIIee Center St. DavId's ]ubIIee Center
P.O. Box 125
Page, Arizona 86040
928-645-4965
Email: stdavids@canyoncountry.net
Jean Keplinger, Director
The center promotes Social Justice, Self Sufficiency and Abundant Life by providing
help to the hungry, emergency relief, stewardship of entrusted funds, and compassion for
all. Its outreach ministries include a food pantry, soup kitchen and clothes closet, holiday
food and gift distribution, emergency services, assistance with utility and medical bills,
Salvation Army screening, a community childrens ministry, multicultural training, and
AA and PFLAG meetings. St. Davids also participates in Native American ministry and
advocacy work on behalf of Navajo people and culture.
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F-13
Crace EpIscopaI Church ]ubIIee Center Crace EpIscopaI Church ]ubIIee Center Crace EpIscopaI Church ]ubIIee Center Crace EpIscopaI Church ]ubIIee Center
33 Church Street
White Plains, New York 10601
Phone: 914-949-2874
Email: jvincent@gracechurchwhiteplains.org
The Rev. Janet Vincent, Rector
Grace Jubilee Centers many outreach ministries include a summer Camp and year round
follow-up and tutoring, day care, emergency shelter for men and women, Neighbors
Home Health Care Service for the elderly, refugee/immigration counseling, a soup
kitchen and clothing distribution centers, transitional housing for persons with
HIV/AIDS, health services for developmentally challenged adults, and emergency
services.
St. Lawrence PIace St. Lawrence PIace St. Lawrence PIace St. Lawrence PIace
2400 Waites Rd.
Columbia, South Carolina 29204 (check)
803-779-9067
slpthe@luno.com
Margaret S. McFadden, Esq., Executive Director
St. Lawrence Place provides a housing program for homeless people/families who are
willing to enter into a covenant for change in their lives: educationally, socially, and
economically. It offers a comprehensive housing program for homeless families,
including providing direct services (housing, clothes, food, health care) and an education
and empowerment program. The program for adults includes GED classes, parenting
skills classes, job preparation and referrals, and courses on communication and money
management skills. The childrens program includes an after-school reading and
homework assistance program.
St. Matthews ] St. Mateo ]ubIIee Center St. Matthews ] St. Mateo ]ubIIee Center St. Matthews ] St. Mateo ]ubIIee Center St. Matthews ] St. Mateo ]ubIIee Center
123 L Street NE
Auburn, WA 98002
Phone: 253-833-0890
This multi-cultural congregation offers a program of service and advocacy to a largely
immigrant population. ENEJ President, Dianne Aid, is part of this ministry and a leading
figure in immigrant rights work in western Washington.
St. PauI's and St. Luke's ]ubIIee Center St. PauI's and St. Luke's ]ubIIee Center St. PauI's and St. Luke's ]ubIIee Center St. PauI's and St. Luke's ]ubIIee Center
594 Kossuth Street
Bridgeport, CT 06608
203-367-7009
Email: jdmmsr@sbcglobal.net
The Rev. Jose Diaz-Martinez, Rector
The Centers outreach ministries include after-school day care and summer programs for
youth, drug and alcohol counseling, a clothes closet, participation in affordable housing
programs, advocacy on refugee/immigrant rights and other issues, and empowerment
ministries.
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F-14
St. St. St. St. PauI's EpIscopa PauI's EpIscopa PauI's EpIscopa PauI's EpIscopaI Church and CommunIty DeveIopment CorporatIon I Church and CommunIty DeveIopment CorporatIon I Church and CommunIty DeveIopment CorporatIon I Church and CommunIty DeveIopment CorporatIon
451 Van Heusen Street
Paterson, NJ 07501
(The Rev. David Wolf, Rector)
973-278-7900
St. Pauls is a multi-cultural, multi-lingual congregation in one of the poorest small cities
in America. A designated Jubilee Center, the church has adapted to its changing
demographics by reaching out to the Hispanic/Latino and other groups including African
Americans and West Indians. The center has established an organized ministry which
includes a strong growth component. They have also set up a community development
corporation which seeks to revitalize the entire neighborhood.
U UU UbI CarItas CIInIc bI CarItas CIInIc bI CarItas CIInIc bI CarItas CIInIc - -- - A HeaIIng MInIstry A HeaIIng MInIstry A HeaIIng MInIstry A HeaIIng MInIstry
4400 Highland Avenue
Beaumont, Texas 77705
409-832-1924
Clark Moore, Executive Director
clarkmoore@ubicaritas.org
www.ubicaritas.org
The primary ministry of this program is Direct Health Services, including a clinic serving
over 4,500 patients annually and providing primary health care for low-income families.
It is staffed by an advanced nurse practitioner, RN, and six support staff who provide
critical services to this medically under-served community. Working in conjunction with
the Community Health Information System (CHIS), Ubi Caritas offers a community
health data repository--a geographically oriented database to use in evaluating
community health status within the 57-county Diocese of Texas, developing action plans,
and monitoring results.

Recovery and Job Creation
This group of projects provides shelter, rehabilitation, and employment to stigmatized
populations.
Both of these projects are located in Nashville, TN (Diocese of Tennessee)
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F-15
MagdaIene MagdaIene MagdaIene MagdaIene
c/o St. Augustines Chapel
P.O. Box 6330-B
Nashville, TN 37235
Stacye Wilson
615-592-4728
Email: magdalenelist@aol.com
ThIstIe Farms ThIstIe Farms ThIstIe Farms ThIstIe Farms
P.O. Box 6330-B
Nashville, TN 37235
615-298-114 (check)
Email: contact_us@thislefarms.org
http://www.thistlefarms.org
Magdalene is a two-year residential recovery community for women with a criminal
history of addiction and prostitution, founded in 1996 by the Reverend Becca Stevens of
St. Augustines chapel in conjunction with a citywide task force on prostitution.
Magdalene was created to provide sanctuary in Nashville for women in need of a safe,
disciplined and compassionate community. Magdalene provides opportunities for
addiction recovery, education and employment.
Magdalene has expanded to include Thistle Farms, a cottage industry which
manufactures bath and body care products made by Magdalene women. The cottage
industry provides wages, job skills, and a safe workplace for recovery. All proceeds from
Thistle farms go to support Magdalene houses and residents as well as provide outreach
to women who are in jail or still on the streets.

See also ACEnet, page F-2.
See also Beaver Street Enterprise Center, page F-3.

Rural Community Economic Development

See ACEnet, page F-2

See also Appalachian Community Development, page F-3.



Appendix G
Episcopal Church Resources

A variety of economic justice related resources can be found at
www.anthology.com/episcopalresourcecenter/. These include free or low-cost publications from
the Episcopal Book Resource Center.
Peace and Justice Ministries
At the Peace and Justice Ministries site (www.episcopalchurch.org/peace-justice.htm) you will
be able to access programs the Episcopal Church has established in response to legislation
adopted by General convention or Executive Council. Links to ENEJ, Jubilee Ministries, Social
Justice, Environmental, and other programs are provided at this link.
The Office of Jubilee Ministries site (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/jubilee.htm) includes
information on Jubilee Grants, a directory of jubilee centers, an events calendar and other
resources. Many Jubilee Centers offer economic justice ministries.
Office of Government Relations/The Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN) was established
to help Episcopalians work together to help implement the public policies positions of the
Episcopal Church through advocacy with elected leaders. Individuals who join EPPN receive
policy alerts on their selected areas of interest. The EPPN web site offers resources including:
Policy for Action Online
Faith and Citizenship: An Episcopal Guide to Public Policy
Election Year Resources
Prayers and Litanies
On the Issues Background Papers
Theological Reflections
Bulletin Inserts and General Resources
Links to other Organizations
Since resources available change constantly, if you do not find what you are looking for, just ask
eppn@episcopalchurch.org. EPPN also offers links to state public policy networks in several
states.
Economic Justice Community Development Loan Fund (funds from
endowment) and other Economic Justice Investments
The Economic Justice Investments represent DFMS assets which were set aside by Executive
Council in November 1989 for socially-responsible fixed-income investments. At year-end
2004, the investments consisted of $2.7 million in Programmatic Investment deposits at credit
unions and similar financial intermediaries; and $4.0 million in loans to community development
intermediaries made through the Economic Justice Community Development Loan Fund. Loans
are evaluated and made by the Economic Justice Loan Committee in partnership with National
Community Capital Association (NCCA). Tom Bernadin, Staff Consultant, can be reached
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

through Peace and Justice Ministries at the Episcopal Church Center. Committee members are
listed in the Trust Fund Reports section of the Treasurers Report.
H-1
Appendix H
Resources for Church-Based Community Organizing and
Community Economic Development

This section contains information from the Gamaliel Foundation, the Industrial Areas Foundation
and the National Committee for Community Economic Development. Similar materials are
available on the web sites of the Pacific Institute for Community Organizing (PICO) and the
Direct Action and Research Training Network (DART). Contact information for these
organizations is located on page 4-3. Each of these organizations offers training, technical
assistance and networking to congregations on a nationwide basis.
This material is copyrighted by the Industrial Areas Foundation and reprinted here with
permission.
Who are we?
The leaders and organizers of the Industrial Areas Foundation build organizations whose primary
purpose is power the ability to act and whose chief product is social change. They continue
to practice what the Founding Fathers preached: the ongoing attempt to make life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness everyday realities for more and more Americans.
The IAF is non-ideological and strictly non-partisan, but proudly, publicly, and persistently
political. The IAF builds a political base within societys rich and complex third sector the
sector of voluntary institutions that includes religious congregations, labor locals, homeowner
groups, recovery groups, parents associations, settlement houses, immigrant societies, schools,
seminaries, orders of men and women religious, and others. And then the leaders use that base to
compete at times, to confront at times, and to cooperate at times with leaders in the public and
private sectors.
The IAF develops organizations that use power organized people and organized money in
effective ways. The secret to the IAFs success lies in its commitment to identify, recruit, train,
and develop leaders in every corner of every community where IAF works. The IAF is indeed a
radical organization in this specific sense: it has a radical belief in the potential of the vast
majority of people to grow and develop its leaders, to be full members of the body politic, to
speak and act with others on their own behalf. And IAF does indeed use a radical tactic: the
face-to-face, one-to-one individual meeting whose purpose is to initiate a public relationship and
to re-knit the frayed social fabric.
The living reality of the IAF is overwhelmingly present in the 56 IAF affiliates functioning in 21
states, Canada, the United Kingdom, and German.
Regional gatherings of these local groups IAF East in the northeast corridor and Southwest
IAF in the American southwest also meet, plan, and take action.
National IAF conducts 10-day intensive training sessions and sets standards for the
approximately 150 professional organizers working in the organizing efforts.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

H-2
What do we do?
IAF leaders and organizers first create independent organizations, made up of people from all
races and all classes, focused on productive improvements in the public arena. IAF members
then use those new political realities to invent and establish new social realities.
One new reality is the living wage movement in the United States. The first living wage bill was
conceived, designed, and implemented by the IAF affiliate in Baltimore in 1994. The second bill
was the work of the IAF affiliates in New York City in 1996. Since then, IAF affiliates in Texas,
Arizona, and elsewhere have passed living wage legislation.
A second new reality is the presence of thousands of new, affordable, owner-occupied homes
called Nehemiah housing in parts of Brooklyn, the South Bronx, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and
Washington, D.C.
A third social reality is the Alliance School concept that is engaging scores of thousands of
parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders in communities all across the southwest
and west.
A fourth new reality, still in development, is the large-scale blight removal and revitalization of
the cities, well advanced in parts of New York City, now being attempted in Baltimore and
Philadelphia.
IAF leaders and organizers offer training opportunities for those with the patience and vision to
create new political realities and the passion and discipline needed to generate sustained social
change.
The IAF 10-day training is a national event, scheduled two or three times each year, for leaders
who bring experience and interest to the training.
Specialized training for specific audiences professional religious leaders, people interested in
public education, those interested in housing revitalization, labor organizers and leaders are
offered on an as-needed basis.
In every region and virtually in every local organization, a variety of local training opportunities
are offered: 3-day sessions for advanced leaders, periodic evening training series for new leaders,
training focused on congregational or institutional development for congregations that are
committed to rebuilding and growing.
Why do we do it?
We do it because we are thankful. IAF leaders and organizers deeply appreciate the
democratic tradition that our fathers and mothers worked and fought and sometimes died for.
We value the tradition of labor organizing and worker rights that protected so many millions of
Americans and helped make humane and shared prosperity possible. We honor the many
religious traditions (Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and others) that inform our public action and
deepen our understanding. We know we are fortunate to live in a country shaped by these and
other extraordinary forces.
We do it because we are angry. We experience daily the obstacles to life, liberty, and
happinesss pursuit. Our children attend schools that are sometimes incapable, sometimes
unwilling, to provide decent basic education. Our neighbors live in public housing that is poorly
maintained, dirty, and unhealthy. Our families walk streets still plagued by criminals and often
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H-3
ignored by police. Our members work for minimum wage, or poverty wages, or temporary
wages, often without adequate benefits. Our cities suffer from flirtations with sports and
entertainment boondoggles, while neighborhoods decline and people flee. These and other
realities propel us into organized action.
We do it because we are hopeful. We believe that we can overcome the obstacles that are placed
in our way. We know that we can build homes, reduce crime, improve and start new schools,
reconstruct entire communities, raise wages, and maintain momentum over months and years and
decades.
Where do we do it?
The current generation of IAF organizations began in the mid-1970s and was the product of the
insight and effort of the person who succeeded Saul Alinsky as executive director of the IAF,
Edward T. Chambers. The first three modern IAF groups were the Citizens Organized for Public
Service (COPS), in San Antonio, Texas; Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development
(BUILD), in Maryland; and the Queens Citizens Organization (QCO), in New York.
Since then,
56 local organizations have emerged in regional clusters
12 organizations in the northeastern cities and counties between Boston and
Washington
6 organizations in the south and near south
7 organizations in the Midwest in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Nebraska
20 organizations in the southwestern states of Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, and New
Mexico
4 organizations in California
4 organizations in the northwest, in Oregon and Washington
3 international affiliates in Canada, England, and Germany
Those are the geographical locations of IAF organizations.
The social center of gravity is located among the poor, working poor, and working class
congregations, communities, and associations in these areas. The racial make up of IAF groups
varies dramatically from city to city and region to region, reflecting the mix of people in each
locale. Middle and upper-middle class institutions participate as full and equal partners in many
IAF groups, bringing their own talents, energies, and concerns.
How do we do it?
We do it with discipline. In IAF organizing, accountability starts from within. A leaders ability
to participate in training, relate to followers and fellow leaders, pay dues, and remain focused on
clear priorities prepares him or her for an effective role in the public arena.
We do it with chutzpah. We dont let others set boundaries, barriers, and distractions that
prevent us from identifying the source of a problem and the shape of a solution. We dont see
ourselves as squatters in the public square, but as full owners of what happens there.
We do it with joy. We experience the joy of relating to people unlike ourselves, both within and
outside of our organizations. We learn about the richness of other racial and ethnic and religious
in an environment of mutual respect and regard. We watch new homeowners turn the key on the
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

H-4
home of their dreams, children graduate with honors after four fulfilling years, grandmothers
walk with confidence through lobbies once ruled by gangs, working people take home a wage
that supports family life, whole communities rebuilt and renewed. We know what it is to win.
Living Wage
IAF-East affiliates designed and passed the nations first living wage bill in Baltimore in 1994
and in New York in 1996. IAF affiliates in Texas, Arizona and elsewhere have successfully
pushed for living wage legislation in their communities. Today, living wage bills, sponsored by
many organizing groups, exist in nearly 100 communities.
Job Training
The affiliates of IAF Southwest pioneered the training and preparation of workers for high-tech
and higher-paying jobs through the Quest job training effort. Like the living wage initiative, the
original Quest success has led many other organizations and communities to replicate it.
Affordable Housing: Nehemiah Homes
IAF-East created and implemented the nations first Nehemiah housing effort in 1982 in
Brooklyn. Since then IAF affiliate East Brooklyn Congregations has built 2,900 new
townhouses in formerly blighted areas there, with another 840 homes now in the predevelopment
stage. Another 1,000 Nehemiah homes have been built in the South Bronx by South Bronx
Churches. Nearly 900 new homes have been constructed in Baltimore by Baltimoreans United
in Leadership Development, 135 homes in Philadelphia by Philadelphia Interfaith Action, and
147 homes are under construction in the District of Columbia by Washington Interfaith Network.
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H-5
The Gamaliel Foundation
Church-Based Community Organizing
The Gamaliel Foundation exists to support grassroots church leaders in their efforts to build and
maintain empowerment organizations in low-income communities.
Background
Fifty years ago, in a slum of Chicago, Saul Alinsky experimented with community organizing.
By inviting local leaders from several local grassroots organizations, he hoped to empower the
people of the community to participate in the decisions which affected them. The most
important participation came from the churches; and although the area seemed a most unlikely
place for a healthy church, the community was incredibly fertile for church participation, as
people were united in the midst of extreme poverty, union battles, and ethnic discrimination.
Why were these neighborhoods so fruitful for creating healthy churches? According to the
Gamaliel Foundation, the church was able to flourish because it was built inside an existing
community. Schools were within walking distance for mothers and children. Families went to
restaurants owned by people in the community. Local sports teams drew children and parents
together.
Today, in an age where in an average American neighborhood, 50% of the people there today
will have moved within five years; where most people do not work and shop near where they
live; and have moved within five years; where most people do not work and shop near where
they live; and where the divisions between races, classes, and genders have ballooned to cause
outright fear and hatred, the ability of a church to form easily within a given community is more
difficult. Therefore, the task of the church has changed: it is not only to celebrate community
but to create it.
According to the Gamaliel Foundation, there are three essential components to ministry:
1. A church must have a strategy for intentional and intensive relationship building in order
to restore the human relationships that have been replaced by televisions, computers, or
telephones.
2. A church must have a strategy for the development and involvement of lay leadership so
that people can take a meaningful role in the church.
3. A church must have a strategy for effectively impacting the public arena in areas such as
health care, crime, or the changing role of women so that the church becomes a relevant
part of peoples everyday lives.
Community organizing trains individuals to act together to impact political, social and economic
conditions. In addition, this organizing must be done in a way which builds up the church. The
outcome is church-based community organizing which contributes the following to the building
church:
A set of concepts and tools: organizing gives pastors and leaders a framework to think, preach
and act effectively in a troubled community;
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

H-6
Programs and vehicles: on a local level, church-based community organizing provides a
framework for building relationships, training people in the church, and addressing the social
problems which affect the community;
Hope and vision: church-based community organizing is a realistic way to build on the kingdom
of God.
Process
The Gamaliel Foundation has developed the following process from their experience with 600
communities in diverse congregations throughout the Midwest:
Several people come together to talk about whats going on in their communities. Together these
pastors contact the Gamaliel Foundation and decide if they will utilize its methodology. If they
decide to do so, they are encouraged to recruit a minimum of 20 congregations, form a multi-
racial and ecumenical sponsoring committee, and raise $100,000.00.
Next, with the help of the Foundation, they hire professional organizers. The first thing the
organizer will do is to meet with every pastor and ten lay people in each church in order to
understand and appreciate the history and identity of each congregation. Then with the pastor,
they will identify potential leaders for the organizing endeavor.
At a weekend retreat, three to five leaders from each of the twenty churches are introduced to the
following central concepts of church-based organizing:
1. A new paradigm which focuses on creating community instead of just ministering to it,
2. Power,
3. Self-interest as a way of naming individual motivation and understanding that of others,
4. One-on-one meetings as a tool for building relationships and evangelizing,
5. Public vs. private relationships as an antidote for the fallacy of building community through
intimacy and co-dependency,
6. Issues and actionsbreaking through seemingly endemic problems and building them into
concrete and attainable goals,
7. Agitationthe art of exciting peoples passions, creativity and faith commitment,
8. Elements of a power organization: how to create a vehicle that will enable people to live out
their faith in the public arena.
After these leaders spend the weekend learning the concepts and building community among
their own diverse churches, they are challenged to recruit 15-100 leaders from their individual
churches who will enact the outreach/listening/relationship-building program. The new
expanded leaders are then given a four-hour seminar on how to conduct a one-on-one interview,
a tool which is used to learn about the history and passions of another person.
This outreach process takes about six weeks, during which 150 to 1500 families are visited in
each church. It is incorporated into the church calendar and started with a commissioning
service. As a process check, regular meetings are held to ensure that the process is being
conducted properly and to begin to assess the reaction from the church members. At the end of
the process, individual church meetings are held to determine the internal issues surfaced by the
outreach.
Next a large convention is held with all the congregations to decide on the public issues that the
organization will begin to address. Usually four are selected around issues such as housing,
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H-7
crime, transportation, etc. Each member of the convention chooses to become a member of one
of these task forces.
A second four-hour training is then held for as many as 300 of these leaders on the art of
research and conducting interviews with politicians, CEOs, and professors. This is done so that
they can determine who else is doing a similar project, how big is the problem, and who are the
people with whom to create solutions. This training ends with a section on how to turn problems
into winnable issues. For the next eight weeks after the training, the leaders conduct one-on-
ones with public officials.
After these interviews have been conducted and more research has been done, the organization
calls its first public auction. Beginning and ending on time with prayer, this is a well-planned
meeting with the purpose of presenting the issues and solutions as well as gaining recognition for
the organization. During this first organizational meeting, the organization almost always seeks
and receives press exposure. As each individual congregation publicly declares its commitment,
the meeting is a powerful kick-off to a new church.
From the time the pastors meet at the very beginning to the large organizational meeting is a
year-long process during which groups of seven leaders are sent to tri-annual seven-day training
at the Gamaliel Foundation in Illinois. This intensive training allows for feedback on the
process, learning environment, and accountability within the new organization.
Results
People begin to build community between other congregations as well as within their own,
Lay people are being invested in and trained to take up key roles in the church,
The public meetings convey a sense of hope that change will occur within their communities,
and
The process puts new purpose into the lives of each congregation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION contact the Gamaliel Foundation at (312) 357-2639. They are
located at 203 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 808 Chicago, IL 60601.
This material is printed with permission from the Gamaliel Foundation.

Similar material can be found on the web sites of PICO and DART (p. 4-3).
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

H-8
The National Committee for Community Economic
Development (NCCED)
Resources offered by NCCED include its Faith-Based Academy, Faith in Action Newsletter,
national gatherings, and case studies of effective local projects. The NCCED web site includes
links to other resources such as the Compassion Capital Fund and Governmental Grants.
What is Faith-Based Community Economic Development?
Faith-based community economic development (CED) is a unique subset of CED. Many
houses of worship (churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, etc.) create separate entities, which
are most often 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporations, to conduct their community development
activities. In some cases, multiple houses of worship that are in close proximity to one another
will collaborate to create a community development corporation (CDC) to serve their shared
community. Faith-based community organizations distinguish themselves by operating in a
manner that reflects the principles of their faith.
The faith community has a long and rich history of supporting community and social initiatives.
In the 1970s, for example, organized religious institutions and faith-motivated individuals
infused millions of dollars into social services and community improvement projects. With the
growth of the CDC movement in the 1980s, CDCs with congregational or religious linkages
became prevalent across the U.S. The 1990s and 2000s have seen an emergence of diverse
religious institutions working in community development.
Both faith-based and secular CDCs work to revitalize their communities through activities like
creating affordable housing, promoting commercial and business development, providing job
training, and other community services.
The National Committee for Community Economic Development (www.ncced.org)


Appendix I
Educational Resources for Economic Justice

The ENEJ is currently in the process of reviewing, revising and producing educational resources
to accompany the ENEJ Action Manual. The following are the resources currently avaiIabIe
through the ENEJ website and other sources.

Chapter 1 - Theology and History of Economic Justice
Iducalion unil being deveIoed.
Chapter 2, Advocacy for Economic Justice
A Chrislian Resonse lo Iconomic InequaIily, (INI} vebsile), i!cniijics an!
ccnparcs Cnrisiian ta|ucs an! signs cj inc cccncnq arcun! us, |ccks ai kcq jcaiurcs
an! ircn!s in cur cccncnq sucn as prcspcriiq an! incqua|iiq, an! pariicipanis spcn!
iinc rcspcn!ing ic a sci cj Cnrisiian princip|cs jcr cccncnic |ijc.
The ReaI Threal lo IamiIy VaIues, (INI} vebsile), jccuscs cn unai a jani|q-
jricn!|q cccncnq ucu|! |cck |ikc |q i!cniijqing jani|q-cricnic! cccncnic in!icaicrs
an! inc rca| rccis cj jani|q insccuriiq as rc|aic! ic jc| atai|a|i|iiq, carnings, nca|in
insurancc, pcnsicns an! !ua|-ucrkcr jani|ics.
Why lhe Iconomy Isn'l Working for Workers, (INI} vebsile), cxp|crcs ncu
ta|ucs an! princip|cs jrcn jaiin injcrn cur un!crsian!ing cj an! rcspcnsc ic cur
cccncnic |ijc an! ncu inccnc ircn!s ajjcci ucrking pccp|c, cspccia||q |cu inccnc
ucrkcrs.
Chapter 3, Globalization of the Economy
The GIobaI Iconomy, (INI} vebsile) |ccks ai ncu ccrpcraic pcucr ajjccis inc
csia||isnncni cj inc ru|cs an! agrccncnis ajjcciing inicrnaiicna| ira!c, an! ncu
!ccisicns cj inc |M|, inc Wcr|! Bank, an! inc WTO ajjcci cur |itcs an! !iscusscs
unai uc can !c a|cui ii.
Urooled: Refugees of lhe GIobaI Iconomy, NalionaI Nelvork for
Immigranl & Refugee Righls (vvv.nnirr.org), Tnrcc pcucrju| sicrics (jrcn inc
Pni|ippincs, Bc|itia, an! Haiii) cj ncu inc g|c|a| cccncnq nas jcrcc! pccp|c ic |catc
incir ncnc ccunirics.
anking on Life and Debl, MaryknoII WorId Iroduclions, 800-227-8523,
(vvv.maryknoII.org), Tnc Wcr|! Bank, inc |M|, siruciura| a!jusincni, an!
inrcc casc siu!ics (Brazi|, Pni|ippincs, Gnana).
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.
I-2
Chapter 4, Organizing for Economic Justice
IducalionaI unils viII be idenlified
Chapter 5, Investing in a Socially Responsible Way
The Church and ils Money, currcni|q |cing pi|cic! an! atai|a||c cn |N|j
uc|siic, !isiinguisncs |ciuccn Gcspc| an! narkci ta|ucs, rcticus ncu inc |pisccpa|
Cnurcn USA sccks ic nanagc iis rcscurccs acccr!ing ic Gcspc| ta|ucs, an!
cna||cngcs pariicipanis ic app|q incsc ta|ucs ic !icccsan an! ccngrcgaiicna| jinancia|
!ccisicns.
Chapter 6, Getting Organized
No educalionaI unil anlicialed.

J-1
Appendix J
SRI Additional Resources

-- .-..-..-, a.-.a. .. ---,.-a .- c-.-.., .-.-...-,. - ..--a...- .- --..,.-.. c--,-,a..--.
s--.-, a s--.a. a. .-.. a. a -.-a--.a. --..-. t,..--,a. -..- .- t----.- .....--. aa..
Making It Happen in Your Congregation
A congregalion exIoring communily inveslmenl for lhe firsl lime musl galher
informalion and make decisions al severaI sles aIong lhe vay. IoIIoving is a
recommended rocess.
Dcsignatc an apprnpriatc cnmmittcc tn cxp!nrc this issuc, and rccnmmcnd
cnngrcgatinna! pn!icy and a prngram. ecause lhis maller invoIves bolh lhe
mission of lhe congregalion and financiaI mallers, il is essenliaI lhal lhe
commillee incIude ersons invoIved in lhe oulreach minislry as veII as members
of lhe finance commillee. The oIicy of lhe congregalion shouId incIude:
1. The urose of congregalionaI inveslmenls. (A modeI oIicy foIIovs.)
2. The IeveI of congregalionaI inveslmenl as a ercenlage of secified funds.
3. The communily inveslmenl oIicy of banks in vhich ve deosil
congregalionaI funds.
4. The assignmenl of resonsibiIily for imIemenlalion and reorling under lhe
oIicy.
5ccks pntcntia! partncrs in this prnccss. efore slarling lhink aboul vhelher lhere are
olher congregalions in your area lhal mighl vish lo be incIuded in lhe rocess.
Working vilh olhers increases lhe olenliaI ooI of resources and invoIves more
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

J-2

eoIe and energy. Your invilalion may aIso invoIve congregalions lhal mighl
nol have inilialed lhe rocess on lheir ovn.
Undcrstand thc rcsnurccs nI thc cnngrcgatinn. The commillee shouId oblain a delaiIed
reorl of lhe resources of lhe congregalion and lhe inveslmenl oorlunilies and
Iimils (if any) on lhese funds. In lhis resecl lhe foIIoving queslions shouId be
addressed:
1. Whal are lhe lolaI financiaI resources of lhe congregalion incIuding reserve
accounls, seciaI funds (lrusl, endovmenls, buiIding funds, elc.), and
oeraling funds)
2. Hov are lhese funds currenlIy invesled or deosiled checking accounls,
money markel accounls, shorl lerm CDs, Iong lerm CDs, slocks and muluaI
funds, elc.`
3. Whal is lhe currenl rale of relurn on each deosil or inveslmenl of lhe
congregalion`
4. Hov are lhe earnings from each deosil or inveslmenl used`
5. Whal are lhe needs of lhe congregalion for Iiquidily. Which funds musl be
reslricled lo shorl lerm inveslmenls and vhich may be invesled for more lhan
one year`
Dctcrminc ynur cnngrcgatinn's sncia! invcstmcnt prinritics. Is your congregalion
invoIved in a arlicuIar lye of minislry such as lhe rovision of housing or |obs
or services` Are members of your congregalion invoIved in communily
inveslmenl inslilulions or ro|ecls lhal couId be lhe beneficiaries of communily
,,--a. . s-. aa...--a. --.-.--.

J-3
focused inveslmenls` In lhis resecl lhe foIIoving queslions shouId be
considered:
1. Hov can our congregalion make lhe besl use of lhe resources il has`
2. Hov shouId lhe sociaI commilmenls of lhe congregalion conlribule lo lhe
inveslmenl oIicy`
3. Hov shouId financiaI consideralion and sociaI consideralions inleracl vhen
considering lhe use of resources`
Lcarn abnut cnmmunity invcsting nptinns in ynur arca. Iinding oul aboul secific
communily inveslmenl oorlunilies for your congregalion couId be lhe mosl
exciling arl of lhis rocess. If you are nol avare of CDIIs in your area conlacl
lhe nalionaI associaled Iisled al lhe end of each of lhe reviousIy described CDII
lyes. You may aIso vish lo delermine if lhere are secific deveIomenl ro|ecls
in your communily vhich need cailaI vhich your congregalion couId rovide
direclIy or lhrough an inlermediary financiaI inslilulion. If no such
oorlunilies exisl in your neighborhood, exand your search lo a Iarger area in
order lo find inslilulions vhich address your congregalion's sociaI inveslmenl
riorilies and malch your financiaI resources.
List thc nppnrtunitics Inr invcstmcnt. As you exIore inveslmenl oorlunilies, Iisl
lhe ossibIe inveslmenl by lye, cailaI required, relurn, lerm, and risk. Since aII
invesling carries some IeveI of risk, il may be heIfuI lo comare your roosed
inveslmenls vilh lhe convenlionaI deosils and inveslmenls of your
congregalion.
Dcvc!np a pnrtIn!in p!an. Consider lhe deveIomenl of a secific Ian on lhe use of lhe
congregalion's resources vilhin lhe oIicy slalemenl deveIoed in sle 1
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

J-4

(receding) and vilh due consideralion of each of lhe foregoing sles. The Ian
shouId malch your resources lo lhe need vhich mosl cIoseIy meels lhe socielaI
goaIs of your congregalion. If your congregalion manages lrusl funds or
endovmenls in vhich lhe donor has reslricled lhe use of lhe rinciaI, you may
vish lo consuIl an allorney concerning your IegaI resonsibiIilies as lruslee vilh
resecl lo communily inveslmenls.
Prcscnt thc p!an tn thc apprnpriatc nvcrsight cnmmittcc(s). When a Ian has been
deveIoed lhal seaks lo lhe issues Iisled above, resenl lhe inveslmenl Ian lo
lhe finance commillee and lhe oulreach commillee. When arovaI has been
oblained al lhal IeveI, have lhe Ian resenled lo lhe oversighl commillee of lhe
congregalion for finaI arovaI. Thal resenlalion shouId be made by lhe
finance commillee and lhe oulreach commillee (if aroriale). WhiIe il may
generaIIy be inaroriale lo bring inveslmenl decisions lo lhe fuII congregalion,
in some circumslances il may be desirabIe. The reasons for doing so are lo
invoIve lhe membershi in lhe ro|ecl and lo slrenglhen lhe congregalion's Iong
lerm commilmenl lo lhe chosen ro|ecl or inveslmenl.
5harc thc p!an with thc cnngrcgatinn as a whn!c. InvoIve lhe enlire congregalion in
your decision for communily invesling lhrough educalionaI evenls vilh amIe
oorlunily for discussion. This rocess viII rovide individuaIs vilhin your
reIigious communily lhe oorlunily lo Iearn a greal deaI aboul communily
invesling and lo consider lhe issues of slevardshi and roduclive inveslmenl.
e sure lo rovide vrillen informalion on hov many members can individuaIIy
arliciale in communily inveslmenls. You mighl aIso consider hoIding
vorkshos focused on communily invesling for individuaIs.
,,--a. . s-. aa...--a. --.-.--.

J-5
Mnnitnr ynur pnrtIn!in. Once you have made your iniliaI inveslmenl, a commillee
shouId be designaled lo monilor and reorl as aroriale on lhe inveslmenls
bolh in lerms of vhal is being accomIished and vhelher lhe financiaI lerms of
lhe inveslmenls are being mel. The CDII vilh vhich you may have chosen lo
invesl is IikeIy lo rovide eriodic udales of lheir aclivilies, bul more direcl
informalion can aIvays be oblained lhrough queslions lo lhe rinciaIs. As lhe
makeu of lhe finance commillee, oulreach commillee, and oversighl commillee
changes, eriodic udales shouId be rovided so lhal aII members undersland
your congregalion's ongoing communily inveslmenls and slralegies.
5harc ynur cnngrcgatinn's cxpcricncc with nthcrs. Afler your congregalion has
deveIoed an inveslmenl Ian or made a secific inveslmenl, Iel olhers knov
aboul your invoIvemenl and encourage olher congregalions and individuaIs lo
do lhe same. Il is a good idea aIso lo ermil, even encourage, lhe inlermediary
vilh vhom you have invesled lo cile your congregalion's arlicialion in lheir
ovn ubIicily. Share your exerience al meelings vilh olher congregalions by
making resenlalions and by roviding arlicIes for ubIicalion in
denominalionaI nevsaers. If you excile inleresl in olher congregalions,
exIore vays lo coIIaborale on fulure communily inveslmenl-reIaled ro|ecls.
Takc it tn annthcr !cvc!. Share lhe good nevs of your inveslmenls vilh Iarger
denominalionaI inslilulions such as reIigious schooIs, sociaI service inslilulions,
denominalionaI funds, elc. Iach of lhese organizalions has lhe caabiIily of
deosiling funds in credil unions or communily deveIomenl banks and of
making inveslmenls in CDIIs as veII. Members of your congregalionaI boards
and commillees may have conneclions lo board members of Iarger inslilulions
vho can encourage and advocale for lhese aclivilies.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

J-6

Summary oI CommunIty nvestIng AIternatIves
Type of
|nst|tut|on
Type of
|nvestment
Return on
|nvestment
H|n|mum
|nvestment
Remarks
Corrur|ly
0eve|oprerl 8ar|
Cerl|l|cale ol
0epos|l
Corverl|ora| usua||y S1000 lor
90 days lo 5 years
lrsured lo S100,000
Corrur|ly
0eve|oprerl Loar
Furds
Loar 0 lo 1 1 lo 5 years ur|rsured
Cooperal|ve
Assoc|al|ors
Equ|ly var|ao|e, deperd|rg
upor lype
var|ao|e V|r|rur opporlur|ly
lor |rd|v|dua|s ard
corgregal|ors
Cred|l ur|ors 0epos|l var|ao|e 30 days r|r|rur lrsured lo S100,000
V|croerlerpr|se
Furds
Loar/Equ|ly 0 lo 1 1 lo 5 years V|r|rur opporlur|ly
lor |rd|v|dua|s ard
corgregal|ors
verlure Cap|la|
Furds
Equ|ly var|ao|e var|ao|e ur|rsured
How to EvaIuate the FInancIaI HeaIth oI an UnInsured CDF
Wilh currenl financiaI informalion in hand, lhe mosl imorlanl informalion lo Iook for
incIudes:
Whal orlion of lolaI cailaIizalion is ermanenl or equily cailaI as againsl
del cailaI` (The slandard for Ioan funds is aboul 15%.)
Hov much money is kel Iiquid for Ioan reaymenl and inleresl and hov is
lhal amounl delermined` (The slandard is aboul 20% of lolaI assels for
inleresl and Ioan reaymenls.)|
Are any inleresl or Ioan reaymenls lo Ienders in arrears` (None shouId be)
Whal ercenlage of Ioans made in number and in doIIars have nol been
reaid by lhe borrovers` (The slandard is aboul 5% maximum.)
Are lhe currenl Ioans diversified by lye of borrover, size of Ioan, and
geograhy of Ioan Iacemenls` (Diversificalion is desirabIe lo avoid Iosses
from one secific cause.)
Does lhe fund finance oeraling cosls and oblain equily cailaI from diverse
sources` Diversificalion of lhe donor base is aIso desirabIe on lhe income side
of lhe oeralion
K-1
Appendix K
Summary of the Four Stages of Serving the Poor

In an essay enlilIed, The Service of lhe Ioor and SiriluaI Grovlh, Soulh African
lheoIogian AIberl NoIan oulIines four idenlifiabIe slages of siriluaI grovlh observabIe
among lhose vho are slruggIing lo serve in silualions of oression. These slages can
serve as a siriluaI ma of lhe riles of assage IikeIy lo be encounlered by vhoever
vouId come inlo reIalionshi lo lhe oor. Whal foIIovs is a summary and adalalion
of his underslanding.
Stage 1: Searching Compassion
Those of us vho find ourseIves sociaIIy, economicaIIy, and oIilicaIIy among lhe
riviIeged normaIIy begin lo come inlo reIalionshi vilh lhose vho are nol simiIarIy
riviIeged on lhe basis of comassion. We see suffering and vanl lo heI. IersonaI
conlacl Ieads lo an imuIse of kindness: media exosure rovokes beneficence. The
usuaI resonse al lhis oinl invoIves some kind of reIief vork and erhas an alleml
lo simIify our ovn IifeslyIe. SiriluaIIy, our exerience can be underslood as a maller
of sharing in God's comassion.
If ve vere lo calegorize lhis firsl slage in lerms of our ercelion of lhe silualion, ve
vouId say lhal our avareness of suffering Iunges us inlo a crisis of ersonaI resonse.
Our basic exerience of over here is lhal of our ovn ego. We recognize a need and ve
acl lo aIIeviale il. ibIicaIIy, ve mighl gIoss lhe rocess as one of deveIoing an
aocaIylic consciousness, Iearning lo see our vorId from lhe oinl of viev of lhose
vho Iive on lhe vrong side of lhe lracks, lhose vho faII lhrough lhe cracks, lhose for
vhom lhe resenl slruclures are oressive and viclimizing. We do nol reaIIy
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

K-2
accomIish a Iol al lhis oinl excel lhe offering of a fev bandaids, and maybe a IillIe
comanionshi. ul ve begin lo be avare of Iife on lhe olher side.
Slage one avareness couId be summarized as, IoIks are reaIIy hurling!
Stage 2: Vehement Indignation
Sooner or Ialer, hovever, our invoIvemenl Ieads lo a deeer underslanding of lhe
silualion. We begin lo recognize lhal, for lhe mosl arl, eoIe are nol oor lhrough
ersonaI negIigence or Iaziness. Il is ralher lhe case lhal lhey are u againsl a syslemic
reaIily lhal exIoils lhem. They are lraed by environmenlaI conslrainls, encuIluraled
in imoverished circumslances, discriminaled againsl, redIined, slereolyed, isoIaled
from resources and oorlunilies. TheorelicaI anaIysis comIemenls ersonaI inluilion
lo reveaI slrucluraI oression. Our allemls lo heI begin lo meel vilh syslemic
resislance. We begin lo undersland lhal overly has a cause.
When lhis haens, varm comassion frequenlIy shades over inlo hol indignalion. We
become angry al lhe vays eoIe's Iives are syslemicaIIy exIoiled, bureaucralicaIIy
maniuIaled, and inslilulionaIIy negIecled. Aclion moves from lhe remediaI IeveI lo
lhe slrucluraI. We slarl lo slruggIe for oIilicaI soIulions and syslemic change.
SiriluaIIy, lhe uncomforlabIe bibIicaI calegory of God's vralh suddenIy lakes on
reIevance. We reaIize ve vorshi a God for vhom earlhIy suffering is nol a maller of
heavenIy indifference. Anger becomes an index of lhe genuineness of our concern for
lhe eoIe ve are allemling lo serve. The energies of comassionale indignalion
begin lo be embraced as gifl in lhe face of lhe difficuIlies of rolracled inlervenlion.
And olenliaIIy, our communion vilh God lakes on a nev dimension in lhe exerience
of shared oulrage over in|uslice.
,,--a. s --. s.a,-. -. s-..-, .-- ---

K-3
Our ercelion of lhe silualion al lhis slage is rimariIy one of syslemic vioIalion, and
our exerience of crisis resoIves around lhe queslion of inslilulionaI affiIialion. We
begin lo queslion our ovn reIalion lo lhe cororale reaIilies againsl vhich ve are
slruggIing. Our avareness of lhe over dynamics shifls from lhal of our ovn
individuaI egos lo lhal of sociely's coIIeclive slruclures. The forces of enlrenched
resislance seem overvheIming. ibIicaIIy, ve couId be said lo be engaged in a
disciIine of rohelic confronlalion. Il is no Ionger enough |usl lo be avare of lhe
exerience of viclims in our sociely or lo offer momenlary aIIevialion of lheir suffering:
ve nov feeI imeIIed lo aclions allemling lo address and eIiminale causes.
Slage lvo avareness couId be condensed as: This lhing is inlraclabIe!
Stage 3: Humbled Admiration
In a cerlain sense, slage lhree forms lhe crux and crucibIe of lhe enlire rocess. Il is here
lhal reaI conversion oul of one's ovn inheriled oslure and referred assumlions
begins lo lake Iace. A cerlain grace al lhe base of sociely becomes aarenl as ve
vork vilh lhose vho Iive lhere. We move beyond lhe resonses of mere horror al
lhe suffering or anger al lhe (so caIIed) underdeveIomenl lo admiralion of surrising
abiIilies. We have nov eslabIished enough reIalionshi vilh eoIe slruggIing againsl
overly's rivalions lo slarl lo recognize lheir innale genius. We are laken vilh lheir
lenacily, slruck vilh lheir sagacily, rovoked by lheir ersicacily.
Marked and remarked is lhe vilaIily of some of lhe oor in lhe face of vioIenl conslrainl.
Their courage in Iiving vhiIe daiIy Iooking inlo lhe abyss, al limes, aslonishes. They
have hearl. RulhIess slreel smarls and savvy foIk visdom reveaI lhemseIves as lhe
eslimabIe Iegacy of Iife under lhe gun of oression. Ierseclive emerges as if from
beyond. Humor culs lhe confusion and soflens lhe savagery. Since smokey
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

K-4
bureaucralic myslificalions rareIy bIankel aII lhe vay dovn lo sociely's base, incisive
commenlary may eer ordinary conversalion. The remove of indigence oflen
enough confers lhe simIe grace of unofficiaI vision.
And lhe discerning viII discover God's quiel overs al vork in sile of lhe maIevoIenl
fog of discouragemenl and desair. Suffering bul unboved faces reguIarIy reveaI more
lhan mere slruggIe. The lracks of lhe Siril shov u as lears and lenderness righl al lhe
hearl of lhe lerror. Resurreclion quielIy breaks surface in lhe guise of resiIienl dignily.
The shadov of dealh's conslanl grin onIy serves lo highIighl a cerlain undaunled
resence.
Al lhis oinl ve begin lo move oul of lhe heIing mode and inlo somelhing much
more eschaloIogicaI. The Iasl become firsl. We feeI inadequale lo lhe silualion nol |usl
of slrucluraI change bul of basic guidance. Al one IeveI, lhe marginaIized knov
much more lhan ve do, lhey have cerlain caacilies and credibiIilies lhal ve cannol
malch. In many vays, lhey are beller equied lo deaI vilh lheir robIems lhan ve
couId ever hoe lo be. We feeI anciIIary, irreIevanl lo lheir lask. We may even al
some IeveI envy lhem lheir rugged formalion and romanlicize lheir olency. We
mighl lry lo assimiIale lheir slyIe, or mimic lheir music, or imilale lheir Ianguage, or
aroriale lheir slories bul aII vilhoul ever reaIIy facing lhe delhs of lheir
conslrainls. We may even lry lo foIIov lheir Iead.
Al lhis slage, our ercelionaI focus has shifled avay from lhe ersonaI suffering or
slrucluraI oression of lhe viclims lo lheir human and siriluaI veaIlh. We are
Iunged inlo a crisis of ersonaI inadequacy and even humiIialion. We discover lhal
cIass and cuIluraI conslrainls vork bolh vays. We are simuIlaneousIy advanlaged
and disadvanlaged. We are finaIIy in osilion and condilion lo exerience lhe over
of lhe olher. ibIicaIIy, a kind of reverse evangeIizalion lakes Iace. We begin lo
,,--a. s --. s.a,-. -. s-..-, .-- ---

K-5
recognize good nevs in forms and under guises and from quarlers ve never vouId
have imagined. We are conscienlized. Ralher lhan seaking, il is nov ve vho are
soken lo: ralher lhan giving, ve receive. Il is ve vho have become lhe ob|ecls of lhe
vorId of conversion, and ve are aslonished and humbIed.
Slage lhree avareness couId be characlerized as: Such richness!
Stage 4: Realistic Determination
ul unliI lhe Iasl slage, ve are sliII slruggIing vilh some IeveI of ideoIogy and iIIusion.
If ve remain invoIved Iong enough lo enler uon lhis fourlh slage, ve viII find
ourseIves belrayed by lhe very eoIe ve are allemling lo serve. We are disabused of
lhe romanlicism of lhe revious slage. We discover lhe oor as finaIIy aIso sinners
sub|ecl lo lhe same lemlalions lo maniuIale, lhe same desires for comforl al lhe
exense of olhers, lhe same ambilions for over, as any of us. IaiIure svaIIovs u
much of our efforl. We valch as lhe oor lhemseIves seII oul or are cooled. A dark
nighl of lhe souI descends. We may even give u and vaIk avay in desair.
ul if ve hang lighl in our confusion and hurl and conlinue lo idenlify lhe abuse of lhe
oor and lhe suffering as God's cause in sile of lhe unfailhfuIness or veakness of
arlicuIar oor eoIe ve can emerge inlo lhe ossibiIily of genuine cooeralion for
change. Our efforls nov leslify nol onIy lo Iove for cerlain slruggIing ersons, bul even
more lo our lrusl in an ever slruggIing God.
In addilion, ve recognize lhe Iimils of our ersonaI invoIvemenl vilh lhose vho have
suffered lhe syslem's vorsl ravages. Oression does nol onIy deform, il conforms
and informs. The viclims viII have a IeveI of soIidarily and communily vilh one
anolher lhal ve can onIy nole and admire, bul nol inlerfere vilh or relend lo crash
Iike somebody eIse's arly. We give our assenl lo bolh our ovn gifls and lhose of lhe
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

K-6
oressed. Our reseclive abiIilies and consequenlIy, our reseclive roIes in a
common efforl lovards grealer |uslice comIemenl each olher lo difference. We do
vhal ve can and areciale vhal ve can'l.
In lhis Iasl slage, ve have finaIIy cIeared avay enough Iies, decelions, romanlicisms,
and discouragemenls lo slarl erceiving lhe silualion reaIislicaIIy. The crisis
reciilaled by our discovery of lhe inadequacy of lhe oor lhemseIves can be brulaIIy
crushing bul aIso aslonishingIy ferliIe. Iover vhelher our ovn or lhal exercised by
lhe olher has shovn ilseIf uncerlain and ambiguous. In roximale lerms, soIidarily
is olenl: uIlimaleIy, hovever, ve aII sland, vuInerabIe, before lhe greal,
unmaniuIabIe myslery lhal undergirds aII of Iife.
ibIicaIIy, ve have come lo lhe momenl of saving incarnalion. We have reared
human sace for lhe divine. Sligmala indeIibIy lalloo our sociaI conlexl: for lhe eye of
failh, lhe marks of lhe cross shov fresh in lhe fIesh of our cooeralive slruggIe. We are
giving coIIeclive birlh and are dumbfounded lo discover lhal lhe siril is being freed
and aIIoved lo Iive for a momenl in lime in God's ovn. Al Iasl, ve begin lo undersland
somelhing knovn onIy by lhe Ieasl and lhe IillIesl: for aII of hislory, lhe hearl of God
hovers vounded bul unshakabIe over lhose vho hoe and vreslIe for a nev earlh.
UnfIinching sociaI incarnalion is lhe radicaI means of divine Iiberalion.
Slage four avareness emerges as: You're |usl Iike me onIy differenl! And, lhen
finaIIy, as siIenl, lear-and-bIood-slreaked vonder.
These four slages are exerienced in raclice as bolh chronoIogicaIIy cumuIalive and
simuIlaneousIy siraIing. We can never be exaclIy sure vhere ve are and may feeI
ourseIves lo be in more lhan one Iace al once. Il is enough lhal ve are on lhe vay
and oen lo going furlher. The ma is onIy a heIing conslrucl al besl, a kind of
Iilmus lesl of molivalion and gauge of vision for lhose of use vho are non-oor (lhe
,,--a. s --. s.a,-. -. s-..-, .-- ---

K-7
oor and oressed have lheir ovn |ourney lo underlake). As vilh Anlhony of Igyl's
evaIualion of rayer lo God, so here regarding our reIalionshi lo lhe oor: lhose of us
vho are sliII conscious ve are ursuing il robabIy haven'l yel reaIIy begun.
The uIlimale aim is lhe cuIlivalion of a habil and IifeslyIe of radicaI inlerdeendence.
We vho viII aIvays be abIe lo ol for safer, Iess demanding lurf sociaIIy, musl become
siriluaIIy bound lo a Iiving condilion. When ve have become ullerIy converled lo and
inlimaleIy deendenl uon lhe human-God vho comes lo us in lhe eyes and hands and
vords of lhe oressed, lhen ve viII be ready for lhe finaI face-lo-face encounler. To
meel God before lhal momenl is erhas dangerous.
L-1

Appendix L
Economic Justice Bibliography

I. Scriptures and Theology
Brueggemann, Walter, Using Gods Resources Wisely: Isaiah and Urban Possibility,
Westminster/John Knox Press, Louisville, 1993.
Dorrien, Gary J., Reconstructing the Common Good: Theology and the Social Order,
Orbis, Maryknoll, N.Y., 1990
Gnuse, Robert, You Shall Not Steal: Community and Property in the Biblical
Tradition, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, N.Y., 1985.
Gutierrez, Gustavo, A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, and Salvation,
translated and edited by Sr. Caridad Inda and John Eagleson, Orbis, Maryknoll, N.Y.
1973.
Haight, Roger, S.J., An Alternative Vision: An Interpretation of Liberation Theology,
Paulist Press, New York, 1985.
Harris, Maria, Proclaim Jubilee: A Spirituality for the Twenty-First Century,
Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996.
Meehan, Francis X., A Contemporary Social Spirituality, Maryknoll, NY: Orbis
Books, 1982.
Meeks, M. Douglas, God, the Economist: the Doctrine of God and Political
Economy, Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 1989.
Mott, Stephen Charles, Biblical Ethics and Social Change, New York, Oxford
University Press, 1982.
Myers, Ched, The Biblical Vision of Sabbath Economics, Washington, DC: Tell the
World, Church of the Saviour, 2001.
Nolan, Albert, The Service of the Poor and Spiritual Growth, Praying, no. 15, 1987.
Owensby, Walter L., Economics for Prophets: a Primer on Concepts, Realities and
Values in our Economic System, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1988.
Perkins, John, With Justice for All, Regal Books, Ventura, CA, 1982.
Perkinson, James, Taking Action for Economic Justice: A Theological Assessment,
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, Detroit, 1988.
II. Economic Justice
Cobb, John B. Jr., Sustainability: Economic, Ecology and Justice, Maryknoll, NY:
Orbis, 1992
Daly, Herman E., Steady-State Economics, Washington, DC: Island Press, 1991.
t----.- .....-- --.- va-.a.

L-2

Hall, Robert T., Organizing for Economic Justice, Economic Justice Implementation
Committee, New York: Episcopal Church Center, 1990.
Kohn, Alfie, No Contest: The Case Against Competition, Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1986
Meeker-Lowry, Susan, Economics as if the Earth Really Mattered, Philadelphia: New
Society Publishers, 1988.
Resner, Andre, Jr., Editor, Just Preaching, Chalice Press, St. Louis, 2003.
Taking Action for Economic Justice, Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, 1988.
Wilson, William Julius, The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass,
and Public Policy, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.
III. Lifestyle
Burch, Mark A., Stepping Lightly: Simplicity for People and the Planet, New Society
Publishers, Gabriola Island, BC: Canada, 2000.
Palmer, Parker, The Active Life: Wisdom for Work, Creativity and Caring, San
Francisco: Harper, 1990.
Schut, Michael, Simpler Living Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective,
Denver: Living the Good News, 1999.
Wachtel, Paul L., The Poverty of Affluence, a Psychological Portrait of the American
Way of Life, Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1989.
IV. Globalization of the Economy
Barnet, Richard J., and Ronald E. Muller, Global Reach: The Power of the
Multinational Corporations, New York: Touchstone Books, 1974.
Gillett, Richard W., The New Globalization: Reclaiming the Lost Ground of our
Christian Social Tradition, Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2005.
Green, Laurie, The Impact of the Global: An Urban Theology, London: Anglican
Urban Network, 2001.
United for a Fair Economy, The Growing Divide: Inequality and the Roots of
Economic Insecurity, Boston: United for a Fair Economy, 2001.
V. Community Organizing
Alinsky, Saul, Rules for Radicals: A Practical Primer for Realistic Radicals, Vintage
Books, 1972, 196 pages.
Fuller, Millard with Diane Scott, No More Shacks, Waco, TX: Word Books, 1986.
Jacobsen, Dennis A., Doing Justice: Congregations and Community Organizing,
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001.
Kahn, Si, How People Get Power, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1970.
Kahn, Si, Organizing, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1982.
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L-3
Kretzman, Jodi and John McKnight, Building Community from the Inside Out: A
Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Communitys Assets, Northwestern Illinois
Press, 1993.
Maloney, Michael E., The McKnight Revision of Alinsky: A Challenge to Social
Welfare Practice, student paper, University of Cincinnati, 1996. To obtain a copy,
email Mike Maloney at meamon@aol.com.
Mayer, Neil S., Neighborhood Organization and Community Development,
Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press, 1984.
Medoff, Pater and Holly Sklar, Streets of Hope: The Fall and Rise of an Urban
Neighborhood, Boston: South End Press, 1994.
Mico, Paul R., Developing Your Community-Based Organization, Oakland, CA:
Third Party Publishing, 1981.
Putnam, Robert and Lewis M. Feldstein, Building Together: Restoring the American
Community, New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003.
Schorr, Lisbeth B., Common Purpose: Strengthening Families and Neighborhoods to
Rebuild America, New York: Anchor Books, 1997.
Trapp, Shel, various pamphlets on organizing techniques.
Woodson, Robert L., The Triumphs of Joseph, New York: The Free Press, 1998.
For more about community organizing models, see the web sites of DART, the
Gamaliel Foundation, IAF and PICO.
VI. Community Development Models
Morrison, Roy, We Build the Road as We Travel, (on the Mondragon cooperatives),
Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1991.
Shabecoff, Alice, Rebuilding our Communities: How Churches Can Provide ,
Support, and Finance Quality Housing for Low-income Families, Monrovia, CA:
World Vision, 1992.
Seedco, Religious Institutions as Actors in Community-Based Economic
Development, New York: Seedco, 1988.
VII. Socially Responsible Investing
Domini, Amy, Ethical Investing, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1984.
Domini, Amy, Socially Responsible Investing: Making a Difference and Making
Money, Chicago: Dearborn Trade, 2001. (800)621-9621.
Kinder, Peter, Seven D. Lydenbert and Amy L., Domini, Investing for Good:Making
Money While Being Socially Responsible, New York: Harper Business, 1993.
Community Investing, booklet of the Episcopal Network for Economic Justice,
September, 1999.
VIII. Education
Freire, Paulo, Education for Critical Consciousness, New York: Seabury Press, 1973.