It is very much a part of the Reformed faith to be muddling about in the public policy decision-making process. John Calvin himself wrote in the 20th chapter of the Fourth Book of the Institutes of Christian Religion, “Wherefore no man can doubt that civil authority is, in the sight of God, not only sacred and lawful, but the most sacred, and by far the most honorable, of all stations in mortal life.” Scripture reminds us of the necessity to speak out on behalf of the poor, the hungry, and the vulnerable. Theologians remind pastors to preach with one hand gripping the Bible and the other wrapped around the newspaper. The question is not should Presbyterians be engaged with secular government but is instead how Presbyterians should engage with their government.
I served three elected terms in the Oregon House of Representatives from the 1995 session to the 1999 session. I served all six of those years on the House Revenue Committee and very quickly saw how power and wealth takes very good care of itself. One day the committee held a hearing on reducing the Estate Tax, a tax that is placed on wealth as it passes from one set of hands to another at the time of death. The hearing room was packed with well-dressed, eloquent Oregonians ready to present polished written and verbal testimony on the hardships created for families by this tax. A few weeks later we held hearings on Earned Income Tax Credits, a benefit designed for the working poor. The hearing room was empty because no one could afford to take the time off from work to attend our hearing so we adjourned early that morning. Which group’s bill advanced and which group’s bill died in committee?
That experience and many more like it has convicted me. We who have access to power, we who are educated and have the time and the social network need to show up on behalf of those who do not. I am convicted that congregations that run food banks need to ask their clients why they need help and then start figuring out how to create real change that helps people shop for their own food rather than line up for the hand out.
For decades, Presbyterians have maintained a strong voice in Congress, representing and advocating for those who have no voice in the national halls of power as directed by General Assembly. It has been and remains an important part of our witness to the still coming Kingdom of God. The presence of the Farm Bill, for example — a large and critical piece of legislation that impacts not only secular government’s food stamp program but also shapes the kind of food that is stocked on our grocery shelves — attests to the need for Presbyterian participation in its formation and passage through Congress.
However, Congress is not the only place where Presbyterians need to be present. Decisions are made at regional and local levels that have as much of impact (if not more) on people’s lives as anything Congress does. In many cities, it’s the cost of housing. In other locations where gasoline prices are rising above $3/gallon, it may be an undependable public transportation system that forces workers on the edge of survival to prioritize filling the gas tank over filling the refrigerator. Once congregations have identified where they are called to advocate, they need to learn how to interact with not just Congress but perhaps even more effectively with their state legislator, their city council, their county board, their local zoning commission.
The PC(USA) should develop a position titled Social Justice Evangelist where one or several people would travel within a region or across the country holding workshops and seminars within existing conferences and setting up stand-alone events that would develop and equip regional advocacy action teams with both a theological grounding and practical, effective strategies. These teams, guided by General Assembly statements, will take inventory of their regional needs and decision makers, both elected and non-elected, determine a plan of advocacy and then work with other advocates to make a difference in arenas from city hall to state agencies. Each team will have the authority and responsibility to select the issue and advocacy position that is most critical for their particular community and theological understanding.
This is not a radically new idea. The Peacemaking Program supported a state-level advocacy position in the 80s and 90s and sponsored several national consultations around state level advocacy. Two presbyteries, Baltimore and Greater Atlanta, have employed public policy advocates on their staffs for years. Synods and presbyteries in the Northeast form advocacy teams to work on issues in their regions. The Washington Office began to develop material for regional advocacy about seven years ago. Other denominations are also involved in regional as well as national advocacy. The ELCA has a large network of national and state level public policy advocates supported by a dedicated funding source.
The church needs to speak truth to power in all the places power is located from the local town hall to the federal halls of Congress. Now is the time for the PC(USA) to set up a structure that will empower Presbyterians across the country to speak up on behalf of those with no voice wherever they are located. Our Book of Order, in the Directory for Worship, calls for nothing less when it reads: “God sends the church in the power of the Holy Spirit to share with Christ in establishing God’s just, peaceable, and loving rule in the world. God’s reconciliation in Jesus Christ is the ground of justice and peace. The church in worship proclaims, receives, and enacts reconciliation in Jesus Christ and commits itself to strive for justice and peace in its own life and in the world” (W-7.4001).
From global warming to feeding the hungry, it is not a question of if Presbyterians are called to participate in the formation of public policy but how.
Anitra Kitts was an elected member of the Oregon House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. Anitra is a candidate for the Ministry of Word and sacrament, under care of the Cascades Presbytery and a freelance writer.
