CIRCLE OF PROTECTION (A CALL FOR A MORAL BUDGET) 21APR11

SIGNATORIES of the Circle of Protection Statement to Congress and President Obama. I can't help but wonder why nobody from focus on the family, the family research council, concerned women of america, the heritage foundation, liberty university, bob jones university, just to name a few of the conservative Christian organizations that have not signed this statement since family values is supposed to be the focus of their organizations. What could be more pro family than the goals as outlined in this statement?
A Circle of Protection:
A Statement on Why We Need to
Protect Programs for the Poor
In the face of historic deficits, the nation faces unavoidable choices about how to balance needs and resources
and allocate burdens and sacrifices. These choices are economic, political—and moral.
As Christians, we believe the moral measure of the debate is how the most poor and vulnerable people fare. We
look at every budget proposal from the bottom up—how it treats those Jesus called “the least of these” (Matthew
25:45). They do not have powerful lobbies, but they have the most compelling claim on our consciences and
common resources. The Christian community has an obligation to help them be heard, to join with others to insist that programs that serve the most vulnerable in our nation and around the world are protected. We know from our experience serving hungry and homeless people that these programs meet basic human needs and protect the lives and dignity of the most vulnerable. We believe that God is calling us to pray, fast, give alms and to speak out for justice.
As Christian leaders, we are committed to fiscal responsibility and shared sacrifice. We are also committed to resist budget cuts that undermine the lives, dignity, and rights of poor and vulnerable people. Therefore, we join
with others to form a Circle of Protection around programs that meet the essential needs of hungry and poor people
at home and abroad.
1. The nation needs to substantially reduce future deficits, but not at the expense of hungry and poor people.
2. Funding focused on reducing poverty should not be cut. It should be made as effective as possible, but not cut.
3. We urge our leaders to protect and improve poverty-focused development and humanitarian assistance to promote a better, safer world.
4. National leaders must review and consider tax revenues, military spending, and entitlements in the search for
ways to share sacrifice and cut deficits.
5. A fundamental task is to create jobs and spur economic growth. Decent jobs at decent wages are the best path out
of poverty, and restoring growth is a powerful way to reduce deficits.
6. The budget debate has a central moral dimension. Christians are asking how we protect “the least of these.”
“What would Jesus cut?” “How do we share sacrifice?”
7. As believers, we turn to God with prayer and fasting, to ask for guidance as our nation makes decisions about our
priorities as a people.
8. God continues to shower our nation and the world with blessings. As Christians, we are rooted in the love of God
in Jesus Christ. Our task is to share these blessings with love and justice and with a special priority for those who
are poor.
Budgets are moral documents, and how we reduce future deficits are historic and defining moral choices. As
Christian leaders, we urge Congress and the administration to give moral priority to programs that protect the life
and dignity of poor and vulnerable people in these difficult times, our broken economy, and our wounded world.
It is the vocation and obligation of the church to speak and act on behalf of those Jesus called “the least of these.”
This is our calling, and we will strive to be faithful in carrying out this mission.
Circle of Protection Signers
April 21, 2011
Leith Anderson President National Association of Evangelicals
Dr. Carroll A. Baltimore, Sr. President Progressive National Baptist Church
David Beckmann President Bread for the World
Geoffrey Black General Minister and President United Church of Christ
Bishop Stephen E. Blaire Bishop of Stockton and
Chairman, Committee on
Domestic Justice and Human
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Bishop Charles E. Blake Presiding Bishop Church of God in Christ
Bishop Claire S. Burkat Bishop of Southeastern Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
J. Ron Byler Executive Director Mennonite Central Committee
Bishop Minerva Carcaño Bishop of the Southwest United Methodist Church
Very Rev. Thomas P. Cassidy, SCJ President Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Dale Evans US President Food for the Hungry
Daniel Garcia International Coordinator Kairos Prison Ministry International
Wes Granberg-Michaelson General Secretary Reformed Church in America
Ken Hackett President Catholic Relief Services
Ambassador Tony Hall Executive Director Alliance to End Hunger
Dick Hamm Executive Director Christian Churches Together in the USA
Bishop Mark S. Hanson Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Herman Harmelink III Ecumenical Officer International Council of Community Churches
Mitch Hescox President Evangelical Environmental Network
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard Bishop of Albany and Chairman, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Sister Mary Hughes, OP President Leadership Council of Women Religious
Joel Hunter Senior Pastor Northland: A Church Distributed
Michael Kinnamon General Secretary National Council of Churches of Christ
The Very Reverend Leonid Kiskovsky Director of External Affairs and Orthodox Church in America
Kate Kooyman Christian Reformed Church
Michael Livingston Director, Poverty Initiative National Council of Churches of Christ
Carlos Malave Associate for Ecumenical
Relationships
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
John McCullough Executive Director and CEO Church World Service
Wendy McFadden Executive Director and Church of the Brethren
A. Roy Medley General Secretary American Baptist Churches USA
Rich Nathan Senior Pastor Vineyard Columbus
Noffsinger General Secretary Church of the Brethren
Gradye Parsons Stated Clerk of the General Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader Ecumenical Officer, Council of United Methodist Church
Commissioner William A Roberts National Commander The Salvation Army
Samuel Rodriguez President National Hispanic Christian Leadership
Bishop Monroe Saunders Presiding Bishop United Church of Jesus Christ (Apostolic)
Ron Sider President Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. Dr. Stephen Sidorak General Secretary, General United Methodist Church
Rev. Larry Snyder President Catholic Charities USA
Ervin R. Stutzman Executive Director Mennonite Church USA
Stephen J Thurston President National Baptist Convention of America
R. Lamar Vest President and CEO American Bible Society
Daniel Vestal Executive Coordinator Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Berten A. Waggoner National Director Vineyard USA
Jim Wallis President and CEO Sojourners
Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins General Minister and President Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rt. Rev. Elijah Williams General President The United Holy Church of America
Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner
Co-facilitator National African American Clergy Network
Jim Winkler General Secretary, General Board
of Church and Society
United Methodist Church