So… where did these verses come from? …these proverbs about the poor and the rich? Why don’t we hear such verses cited more often—in churches and in all the media coverage of the "culture wars"? They’re not unique. There are many similar passages in the Proverbs… in the Psalms… indeed throughout scripture.

I went looking for verses about poverty and justice to lead off the "Mission Column" in our worship bulletin, and I found more than enough to go from now until Pentecost on May 27. I mainly chose those that specifically referred to "the poor" and offered positive direction—like Proverbs 29:7, "The righteous know the rights of the poor; the wicked have no such understanding." Many more passages use "widows, orphans, and aliens" as emblematic of the poor, and others render harsh judgments on rulers and the wealthy for neglecting the rights of the poor. Amos called the wives of the wealthy leaders and landowners "cows of Bashan" for extravagantly flaunting their vast wealth (Amos 4:1). Micah likened leaders who take advantage of the poor to cannibals "who flay the skin off [my people]… and chop them up like meat in a kettle…" (Micah 3:3). Such strong words!

To those of you who read Jim Wallis’ book God’s Politics last year or heard him speak at St. John’s arena, it comes as no surprise that there are several thousand Bible verses on the poor and God’s response to injustice. You may recall Wallis’ story about how he and several other first-year students at an evangelical seminary scoured the Bible for every reference to poverty and wealth, to injustice and oppression, and to God’s response to these. Then they literally took a pair of scissors and cut out all these references to the poor. When they were done their Bible could hardly hold together, it was so full of holes. Yet when they talked about it, none of them could remember even one sermon in their conservative, evangelical, home churches on justice for the poor.

Why don’t we hear more about Biblical, faith-based approaches to economic justice? So much of the church seems able to zero in like laser-guided missiles on a relative handful of proof-texts to score points on such "hot button" political issues as homosexuality, gay marriage, abortion, stem cell research, and evolution. But their Bible seems to offer little about economics—except, that is, for those who seem to believe (falsely!) that "God helps those who help themselves" is part of scripture. Still, do we in the "Main Line" churches do all that much better?

The problem, I suppose, is that the Bible’s "economics" (from the Greek oiko nomos, literally household rules) are so incredibly radical. By "radical" I mean all three principal, dictionary definitions of the word: (1) different from usual and customary, (2) favoring revolutionary change, and (3) going to the root of the situation. The root—in the Bible, economic justice is rooted in the equality of creation. God made everything and everybody, including (as Prov. 22:2 emphasizes) both the rich and the poor. Creation is to be shared by all for the benefit of all—hence the great leveling of the Jubilee Year in Leviticus when slaves were to be set free, all debts cancelled, and all lands redistributed.

Vast inequalities are unjust, especially when the wealthy (almost inevitably) wield their power at the expense of the poor. Prov. 22:16—"Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself, and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss." You are not to take advantage of the poor by illegal or legal means, "for the Lord pleads their case and despoils the life of those who despoil them" (Prov. 22:23). Sharing with the poor is part and parcel of justice—"Those who are generous are blessed," says Prov. 22:9. But true justice involves a revolutionary leveling, as Mary sings in Luke 1:52-53: "[The Lord] has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty." Radically revolutionary, yes; although "spin meisters" at the top of the heap might accuse the mother of Jesus of engaging in "class warfare."

What’s radically different in Biblical economics is that the welfare of and respect shown to those living at the bottom matter the most. This is not the usual utilitarian notion of "the greatest good for the greatest number." And it’s not a meritocracy the rewards the best, the brightest, or the most industrious. A nation is judged by the wellbeing of its poor. Are they treated fairly with dignity and respect? Or do wealth and power hold sway in a system favoring the rich? "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." James is quoting Jesus and Leviticus 19:18. Jesus was not alone in radically expanding the understanding of "neighbor." Just 16 verses later, Leviticus directs that "You shall love the alien as yourself."

So, does this radical, faith-based economics have something to say to us in our world today? I’d say so! Some items from recent newspaper articles (plus a bit of internet research). Poverty rates are up in Ohio. Cleveland has the highest poverty level of any U.S. big city; Cincinnati is 8th; Columbus is moving up. Inflation-adjusted income for working households has fallen 5.4% over the last six years, while incomes for the wealthiest 5% have risen dramatically. Worker productivity rose 16.6 percent from 2000 to 2005, but the gains mostly went to business owners and executives. The Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy report that average pay for CEOs in 2004 was 431 times average worker pay—up from 301 times in 2003 and just 107 in 1990 and 42 in 1982. Total CEO pay in Fortune 500 companies rose 54% in 2004. If the minimum wage had gone up as fast as CEO pay since 1990, it would now be over $23 an hour, not $5.15. CEOs in companies with large short-falls in their pension plans average 72% higher pay than CEOs in companies with fully-funded pensions. Previous reports cite much higher average CEO pay (50% higher or more) in those companies that have laid off the most workers, those that have moved the most jobs offshore, and those with the largest federal tax breaks. Are these extravagantly paid executives worth it? Well, no. If you’d invested in companies with the highest-paid executives each year for the last 20 years you’d have lost money and ended up with about one-fifth the amount you’d have had investing in an S&P 500 index fund. A couple of marks of economic inequality: for income, the top 10% earns more than one-third of all income in the U.S. while the bottom one-third makes less than 8%; in terms of ownership, the richest 1% own between 40% and 50% of the nation’s wealth. With all this, U.S. Tax law encourages excessive CEO pay; business leaders are mounting a campaign against a minimum-wage increase while also lobbying against any restrictions on CEO pay; the Federal Reserve worries about inflation pay increases for workers but not CEOs; and tax "reform" has increased income inequality. In all the papers I read for this information, I found only one comment from the religious community. In an article on the minimum-wage, Rev. Colleen Ogle from Trinity Methodist in Marble Cliff said, "It [increasing the minimum wage] is a sanctity of life issue. People talk about Jesus’ views on sexuality… but more central to the matter of piety is how we treat the least among us."

Psalm 72 is a prayer for the nation and its leader. I’m going to read it with the word "king" changed to "president" and with occasional paraphrasing (underlines) and commentary [in brackets]. Think about what it means to pray such a prayer.

Give our president your justice, O God… your righteousness to a president’s son. [That’s a bit spooky.] May he judge your people with righteousness and your poor with justice. May the mountains yield prosperity for the people [not just the select few], and the hills in righteousness. May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor. [The oppressor is not from outside but is what afflicts the poor and needy.] May the president live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon throughout all generations. [We truly pray for his well-being.] May he be like the rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth. [He is to be a blessing for all.] In his days may righteousness flourish and peace abound, until the moon is no more. [Justice and peace forever.] May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. [A prayer for law and order.] May his foes acknowledge his leadership and his enemies also. May the leaders of the nations do him honor. […honor for the following reasons.] For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight. Long may he live! May gold of Sheba be given to him. May prayer be made for him continually, and blessings invoked for him all day long. May there be abundance of grain in the land; may it wave on the tops of the mountains; may its fruit be lush; [No hunger!] and may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field. [No poor inner cities!] May his name endure forever, may his fame as long as the sun. May all the nations be blessed by him; may they pronounce him happy. [Now remember who’s really in charge.] Blessed be the Lord God, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be God’s glorious name forever; may God’s glory fill the whole earth. Amen and amen.

In this democracy "of the people, by the people, and for the people," it won’t do simply to pray for the president to "defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor." As James would say, if we say the words but do nothing, "what is the good of that?" Whatever we ask of God, God asks also of us. In an old Jewish story, a worshipper prays with all his heart and soul to God: "O God, how can you allow the cruel plight of the poor. They suffer so, and their children most of all. Lord God, if you are truly Master of the Universe, how can you stand for it? I beg of you to do something!" And the Lord God answers, "I did do something. I sent you!" Amen and amen.

 

Some of the articles and internet sites for the information I present: The Columbus Dispatch: Aug.. 30, 2006 article–"Poverty figures grimmer for Ohio"; Sept. 4, 2006 articles–"Long-simmering minimum-wage debate heats up," "Voices of minimum-wage debate," "Economists debate effect of wage bump," and "Gap between worker, executive pay criticized in report"; editorial–"The real issue is the transfer of wealth, which has diminished our middle class". Sept. 5, 2006 editorials–"Can America’s middle class survive as the Information Age expands," and "Census underscores economic decline"; for CEO pay increases see Executive Excess 2005: 12th Annual CEO Compensation Study by the Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy at www.faireconomy.org also see http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/26/news/economy/ceo_pay/CEO_pay/ and see www.forbes.com/2005/04/05ceoland.html ; and for income and ownership inequalities see www.lcurve.org/ which cites After Capitalism: New Critical Theory by David Schweikert (Rowman & Littlefield, 2002) and see www.lcurve.org/WeaalthDistribution-1998.html