Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky

In response to Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourner’s Magazine and leader of the Christian wing of Progressive activism, several conservative Christians gathered recently to form the Christians for a Sustainable Economy (CASE). We intend to counter what we see as the unjustified and irresponsible appropriation of the authority and vocabulary of the Christian moral tradition in service to ideas and policies that threaten the fiscal and cultural fiber of American society.

The “Christian Progressive” movement conflates the biblical mandate to care for the poor with the policy prescriptions of big government and deficit spending. Recently Wallis led a highly publicized White House visit of Progressive religious leaders to create the impression that any objection to the spending of the Obama administration was de-facto a threat to the poor. Needless to say he got plenty of attention. (Hear Wallis explain the purpose of the visit at the Huffington Post. Read a critique of the visit by the Institute of Religion and Democracy.)

The White House visit was a public relations gambit geared to shift opinion against bringing Congressional spending under control. Wallis formed the “Circle of Shared Responsibility,” a statement that literally bathes in the language of scripture but calculated to deliver the religious vote to Obama. How do we know this? Because George Soros, no friend of religion or nation states, funds Sojourners. See: Why Is Jim Wallis Denying that He Receives Grants from Deep-Pocketed Leftists like George Soros?

Should we Orthodox even care about these issues? Yes. Each of us owes $42,500 on the national debt. This debt will pass on to our children and grandchildren unless we stop our profligate ways. If that doesn’t worry you, visit the National Debt Clock to see how fast we are spending the money!

Further, several influential people in Orthodox circles who have jumped onto the Progressive bandwagon. one is Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky, Director of External Affairs and Interchurch Relations for the Orthodox Church in America, who signed the Wallis proclamation (download pdf).

In a small way I contributed to the formation and direction of CASE and am one of the early signers on a document urging more prudence about budget deficits. I also repudiate the notion that only Progressives speak for Christians. They misappropriate the Christian moral lexicon and there is no reason why we should stand by and allow it. I invite all readers to read the document and consider adding your name to it.

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