Comments on: Christians for a Sustainable Economy Challenge Jim Wallis and “Progressive Christians”

By: Dean Calvert

Dean Calvert — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 18:12:38 +0000

The Heritage Foundation publishes some excellent economic work which helps to illuminate the current problem. For example, 70% of income taxes come from the top 10% of wage earners (begging the question to those class warfare Democrats: How much is enough?).

See their “2011 Budget Chartbook” at http://www.heritage.org/BudgetChartBook/contents

Best Regards,
Dean Calvert

By: Fr. Johannes Jacobse

Fr. Johannes Jacobse — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 01:19:04 +0000

In reply to anon. Could you add some intellectual substance to justify this complaint? All it offers so far is a scolding. Not much to respond to here except the disapproving wagging of an anonymous finger.

By: anon

anon — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 23:38:39 +0000

This CASE thing looks like a radical rupture with Orthodox Tradition and the mind of the contemporary Orthodox world. The fact that the site is rooted in radical utopian libertarian economic ideas also suggests it expresses something alien to “conservative” thinking if that is what you are going for. And frankly the WWJD snippet is blasphemous.

I suggest readers new to Orthodoxy (recent converts and inquirers) acquaint themselves with the ideas of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil of Caesarea, and St. Gregory of Nyssa as a starting point for understanding an Orthodox mindset on economic issues before taking an “Orthodox” stand on contemporary American political issues. Orthodox Christians should be mindful that the Church has definite positions on issues related to usury and self-interest that are not compatible with the American economic model (not to mention war – the American debt is largely a function of the war machine and our non-stop interventionist foreign policy, and THAT is a moral issue).

While I don’t think this kind of breach with Tradition is grounds for ex-communication per se, can you explicitly state whether you have the blessing of your Bishop to advocate as a priest for this organization?

By: Fr. Johannes Jacobse

Fr. Johannes Jacobse — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:38:32 +0000

Sign the petition Chris! Make your voice heard. Do not allow people like Jim Wallis and other Progressives to speak for you.

(I know you know this. I say it primarily for the benefit of other readers.)

By: Fr. Leonid’s Culture War | OCA Truth

Fr. Leonid’s Culture War | OCA Truth — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:38:23 +0000

[…] Economy (CASE). Orthodox priest Fr. Hans Jacobse played a role in CASE’s creation, and he reports on CASE and offers a critique of the Circle of Protection uber-supporter Jim Wallis and his liberal Sojourners group. It appears […]

By: Chris Banescu

Chris Banescu — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:10:24 +0000

Wonderful news! We need all the help we can get to challenge the lies, half-truths, and falsehoods of the religious left.

By: cynthia curran

cynthia curran — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:56:47 +0000

Usually, Christians that come from countries that had a history of a land gentry are more likely to be attractive to left-economics since their ancestors were taken advantaged of by the land gentry. This is one of the reasons why Orthodox and Roman Catholics and some Protestant deminationss are more attractive than Evangelicals to left wing economic views. Granted, Evangelicals arose in the early industrical period which would alsohave turn some of them to the left as well. Long work hours and child labor in factories in the US, England, Germany and so forth in the 19th centurywould do this but their was a reform movement to change this first in England and Germany, then the US. Therefore, Evangelicalsas a group tend to be less attractive to left wing politics. What is interesting in regards to theOrthodox in the book that I’m reading, the author supports the big land aristocracy theory of the Byzantine empire in the 4th to 7th centuries with freer peasantly in the smaller communties but scholars during the past 100 years changed their view on how much of an influence the land gentry had.