Prayer Warriors for Government Debt
You might not think that John Wesley would have had much to say about the protracted fight over raising the federal debt ceiling, but according to his spiritual descendants you would be wrong. Methodists were very active during the stalemate, from getting arrested at protests to coming up with colorful names for the legislation that ultimately resolved it.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, the Missouri Democrat who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, is an ordained United Methodist minister. He received his master of divinity degree from St. Paul School of Theology, one of the denomination's 13 seminaries.
This is perhaps what qualified Cleaver to declare that the bipartisan agreement to increase the debt ceiling was a "sugar-coated Satan sandwich," which he later said he had to wash down with "demon drink." In a show of ecumenicism, Roman Catholic Nancy Pelosi added that the dish came up with a side of "Satan fries."
Many liberal Methodists shared Cleaver's outrage that the debt deal did not allow federal spending and deficits to grow quickly enough, though they were not all interested in an interfaith potluck supper of metaphors. One group held prayer vigils calling for a "faithful budget."
The group, which included Catholic, Jewish and Muslim leaders as well as representatives of most other mainline Protestant denominations, prayed from July 11 to July 22, meeting each weekday at 12:30 p.m. The United Methodist Building, which houses the denomination's Board of Church and Society as well as a number of other church agencies, is right across the street from the U.S. Capitol.
Jim Winkler, the head of the Methodist Church's Board of Church and Society , made clear he wasn't happy with the proposed spending cuts. "The vigils taking place are an interreligious effort to raise the voice of people of faith on behalf of the poorest and most vulnerable among us," Winkler told the United Methodist News Service. "We are sending a visible signal to those in power that we do not believe the negotiations over the debt ceiling and budget can be resolved on the backs of poor people."
"We pray that our elected leaders will have courage to protect critical health programs such as Medicaid from budget cuts and strengthen global efforts to eradicate pandemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria," the participants reportedly petitioned.
"I hope that it's not only effective but a model for how Democrats and Republicans, who differ on many issues, can come together on a common issue to move the country forward," Rabbi David Saperstein, executive director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, approvingly said of the vigils in an interview with Reuters.
Methodists were among the 11 people arrested at the Capitol for protesting the House Republicans' plan to pair budget cuts with an extension of the debt ceiling. The Rev. Bob Edgar, an ordained United Methodist minister who is now president of Common Cause, organized a group to occupy the Rotunda and sign hymns until the GOP stopped cutting.
Edgar was arrested along with fellow United Methodist leader Jim Winkler and a group that included the Rev. Michael Livingston of the National Council of the Churches of Christ (USA), the Rev. Jennifer Butler of the group Faith in Public Life, and the director of public witness for the Presbyterian Church (USA).
"Today, we 'offer our bodies as a living sacrifice' to say to congress 'Raise revenue, protect the vulnerable and those living in poverty,'" Livingston said in a statement, accusing congressional leaders of "protecting corporations and wealthy individuals while shredding the safety net for millions of the most vulnerable people in our nation."
"There may be noble reasons for religious officials getting arrested, but defending big government and advocating higher taxes don't qualify," Institute for Religion and Democracy President Mark Tooley, a conservative United Methodist, responded in a statement of his own. "These religious elites have formed a 'circle of protection' around the Obama Administration."
United Methodist Women began agitating over the debt ceiling in April, right after the government shutdown was averted. "Next month the U.S. Congress votes on whether to raise the debt ceiling," the group advised. "Let your representative know that you want the debt ceiling raised to protect important programs." But don't protect tax cuts.
"Tax cuts for the wealthy and money for Wall Street has not yielded benefits for the poor, low-income and middle class families," reads the United Methodist Women's action alert. "Now is the time to call for just budget decisions. Tell your representative you want a budget that reflects our values -- a belief in the importance of caring for the vulnerable and a vision of America as a land of opportunity."
After all, what would John Wesley do?
