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Major inequities tear apart the fabric that holds a community together and are thus a topic of concern for Christians.


From 1940 to 1979, the per- centage of the total income in the U.S. that went to the top 1 percent declined, while the percentage received by the other 99 percent rose. But since 1979 this trend has reversed. The percentage going to the top 1 percent has steadily and dramatically increased, and inequity has grown.


If fostering justice is the goal to which we are called, growing ineq- uity has to be a concern for Chris- tians. The church may not have a plan to solve the problem, but it can draw attention to the issue and in this way make space for political leaders to seek ways to address the chasm between the super-rich and the rest of our citizens.


One aspect of economic equity occurs on the national level, another on the international level. A huge gap separates the per capita income in wealthy nations from that in the poorer nations. Because the whole world is God’s, Christians need to care about international equity. Any new arrangement that increases justice for 6.8 billion people will require changes in our consumer habits. Americans likely will find these changes difficult, so the community of faith needs to lead the way. This requires maximizing our relationship with Christians in other parts of the world so we can listen to them and speak with insight about what will actually help their poorer societies.


One of the most repeated exhor-


tations in the Old Testament is for people to welcome strangers and aliens, remembering that the people of God were once sojourners in the land of Egypt and that God showed mercy on them.


A current issue that calls for Christian involvement is immigra- tion policy. No one should speak out on this issue until they have listened carefully enough to the experience of asylum-seekers and of undocu- mented and documented immigrants to be able to represent them accu- rately. Nor should anyone speak without understanding the rules and the difficulties these rules impose on individuals and families.


Many problems could be fixed if those who disagree would focus on the experiences of real people and encourage public officials to find practical solutions. On this topic as well as others, resisting those who traffic in fear is an important contri- bution Lutherans can make. Luther had a very lively sense of ongoing creation. From the Scrip- tures it’s clear that God cares about the whole world, not just humans. Image after image used to illustrate shalom (including lions lying down with lambs, a child putting its hand into an adder’s den and not getting bit, the entire creation groaning to be set free from bondage, and the like) indicates that wholeness and peace include nature. In our day, the Christian com-


munity is called not only to practice stewardship but also to advocate for policies that encourage it. The long- term costs of inaction are greater than the cost of steps taken now. It’s easy to become discouraged. The problems seem so large. But this is not a God-forsaken world. God’s activity and promises support hope. And, as Luther’s life illustrates, when things look gloomy, hope can undergird action.


Amid all this, the Lutheran tradi- tion reminds us that we cannot fully understand God and that we cannot always discern exactly what God is doing in the world. Our sight is too obscured by our limitations.


Yes, God has revealed God’s attitude toward us and purpose for the world. Yes, God has revealed some- thing of God’s character and provided insights into what it means to be a community of faith. But, as Luther discovered in the Psalms


It ’s easy to become discouraged. The problems seem so large. But this is not a God-forsaken world. God’s activity and promises support hope. And, as Luther’s life illustrates, when things look gloomy, hope can undergird action.


and the Gospel accounts of Jesus, all sorts of other questions that we would like to have answered are not. So the Christian community needs to be bold and courageous in its affirmation that God aims to mend the world and restore whole, healthy relationships, while at the same time being cautious in its claims to understand exactly how to get this done. The Christian community needs to study what Scriptures tell it about God and God’s goal. It needs to listen to others and learn. It needs to value learning without ever think- ing it has all the answers. It needs to focus its attention on those in need— what benefits them is likely to move us all toward the goal. And it needs to put people ahead of ideologies. Ideas are meant to serve people rather than people serving ideas. Unlike some other traditions, Lutheranism has no divinely autho- rized plan to offer. It has no model for how to construct a society. It does not specify “godly laws” or expect legislation alone to solve problems. It has no list of actions to mandate and to avoid. Nonetheless, as we have seen, it offers a good deal of guidance. We are all invited to consider this


guidance as we serve the neighbor and the community and, more spe- cifically, as we get ready to vote. 


October 2012 25


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