Below you will find The Salvation Army's public "position statement" on the subject of poverty and economic justice. I sensed it important to post this as some of my previous posts have been focusing upon childhood poverty in the U.S.A.
This quest to understand poverty in America emerged after I was deeply disturbed with a report from UNICEF that was shared with me a by a friend, Dr. Lynell Johnson earlier this year (An Overview of Child Well-Being in Rich Countries). In the report, America was voted the second worst country in an assessment of the lives and well-being of children and adolescents in economically advanced nations.
This reality has been haunting me for months. This is one of the major reasons why I am so glad that I do not only have the opportunity to respond as an individual, but that I am part of an organization that has chosen to make at the center of its' mission to be motivated by the love of God to care for the poor and the marginalized.
"What is a position statement?", you ask...
"Position Statements briefly set out the views of The Salvation Army on moral or social issues of current relevance. The statements articulate the gospel values and principles on which the Army takes its stand." (The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory's website)
Here is the statement:
Poverty & Economic Justice
The measure of any society is how well it cares for its weakest citizens. The persistence both of widespread poverty and indifference to that poverty is morally unacceptable. Jesus Christ motivates us to love our neighbor in practical ways. Our response to the poor is a measure of our obedience to and love for God.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ should free us from the enticements of consumerism and desire for individualistic gain. As Salvationists, we remain committed to The Salvation Army's historic mission to care for the poor and marginalized. Therefore, individually and corporately, we will work to eliminate poverty by:- Providing empowering practical assistance to poor people in our personal, family, and vocational lives, and in our congregational and organizational practices-through prayer, listening and dedication of our time and resources.- Making relational and financial choices that promote economic opportunity and justice for those in poverty.-
Evaluating public policies by how they respond to people who are poor.- Challenging racism and other attitudes that promote inequality and seeking reconciliation and harmony among all groups in our society.- Building community capacity, nurturing the bonds of family and community, and protecting the dignity of each person.- Partnering with other agencies in common commitment and action to overcome poverty in our own communities, our nation, and our world.
2 comments:
I agree dear brother that the Gospel behooves us to care for the poor individually and corporately but we can't forget the word GOSPEL! Having been an Officer since the mid seventies; I've seen much abuse in the Corporate approach and very little results in the individual approach. Why? Only my opinion: "sadly",I say,"we've become more focused on our resources than on our RESOURCE!" Major Eric Deveaux (R)southern territory
Hi Major,
Thank you so much for your comments. I couldn't agree more! I think that if we get the cart before the horse - all that we are doing is rearranging chairs on a sinking ship...
Everything that we do MUST be driven by GOSPEL motivation - and a sense of personal commitment. A response to the big issues such as poverty requires people who have been profoundly moved the the Spirit of God - as changing such a systemic injustice requires the miraculous! Anything less is simply an exercise in vain...
With all that being said, I believe that a response requires the double strategy of personal commitment and a larger collective response. I can appreciate your concern for abuse from what you call the "corporate approach," but, the sum total of a collection of voices speaking together in unison on an issue of injustice lends a significantly louder response than if this were simply done by individuals.
I think the danger that you are wisely conscious of is when there is a disconnect between the collective and the personal response to such an injustice. If this occurs, then we are in grave danger.
I would also agree that when our exploration of social injustice is disconnected from kingdom theology - that it is not motivated from sound missiological rationale, then we are also in dangerous waters.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and to share your concerns.
Best,
Steve
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