socially That responsible
Some Lutherans find love of neighbor influences buying, investing behavior
By Ann Hafften S
ocially responsible shopping or investing—it’s an awkward term for an idea as old as Earth Day. Many Lutherans practice it consciously while oth-
ers ask, “Is that a thing?” In your personal or congregational life do you:
• Buy fairly traded coffee, chocolate or olive oil? • Bring reusable bags to the grocery store? • Request that your pension be invested in “social purpose” funds?
• Avoid buying clothing made in sweatshops? If yes, then you are doing it—that socially responsible
thing.
Young believes people want to know how to
be responsible consumers.
thing
‘A dollar spent is a vote cast.’
“I try to really think about
whether or not I need that new article of clothing or that new piece of technol- ogy,” said Elly McHan, a campus pastor at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. “Tere’s privilege involved in that I have the financial abil- ity and time to think about where I shop; to pay atten- tion to packaging and how far the food has traveled; and whether a less-packaged,
more local option might suffice.” To Lura Groen, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church,
Houston, “it’s about how we can ‘love our neighbors as ourselves’ with the things we buy. Is my neighbor helped or harmed by what I buy? And then I take into account the neighbors who make the product, the neighbors around where the product is made, all my neighbors on the earth, and the way I’ll be a better or worse person to my neighbors when I use this product.” Vanessa Young is director of youth and family min-
istry at St. Paul Lutheran, Wheaton, Ill., where the earth ministry team encourages members to “bring a bowl” for soup suppers and use the church’s cloth napkins to avoid buying disposable products. Te youth also use reusable bowls and cups for their weekly activities. Young also suggests shopping options for her sisters
and friends. “Tey know I have a list in my head of stores and companies that treat their employees well, that recycle, use resources wisely and exhibit ethical
“I have a list in my head of stores and companies that treat their employees well, that recycle, use resources wisely and exhibit ethical practices,” says Vanessa Young of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wheaton, Ill. She checks labels using
www.responsibleshopper.org, www.
buypartisan.org and
www.hrc.org/apps/buyersguide.
16
www.thelutheran.org
KATHRYN BREWER
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