conXian: Bishop's call for new US Budget priorities

Friday, February 16, 2007

I came across this great article on the United Methodist News Service. Well, I guess it's not the article that's great, it's the story.

John said...: I suppose that it could be done. But it would require significant Constitutional changes. For starters, the 10th Amendment would have to be repealed.

But in general, clergy and the church should not speak ex cathedra about political matters unless the moral consequences are huge, as the US abolitionist movement did in the 19th Century. Making casual statements about minor political disputes only divides the church.; 1:34 PM
david said...: John, I don't see how increasing funding to already existant federal programs is in any way in violation of Amendment X. Are you saying that providing funding for education, poverty relief, and children's programs somehow outside the scope of Congress's Constitutional authority?

Furthermore, this is neither a casual statement nor a minor political dispute. The way society treats the most vulnerable in our population is at the heart of the Gospel. This statement is also perfectly in line with the already existing and well publicized Bishops' Initiative on Children and Poverty. One of the main roles of the episcopate is to provide a prophetic voice for the church, and in this particular case they are speaking right to the heart of the Christian message.; 2:58 PM

Friday, February 16, 2007