In response to the current U.S. economic crisis the Rev. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, former president of UCC-related Chicago Theological Seminary, has written a pastoral letter of encouragement and challenge to UCC pastors and members.

In the Sept. 26 letter entitled "In hard economic times, church must proclaim justice, good stewardship," Thistlethwaite reminds the UCC of its long history of activism in economic justice issues.

She calls on two important publications on financial responsibilities and faith which have entered the lexicon of UCC resources.

"A Pronouncement on Christian Faith: Economic Life and Justice," was passed at the United Church of Christ's General Synod 17, in July 1989. The document affirms that the "struggle to achieve economic justice for all of God's people is an imperative of the Christian faith."

A reflection on the nine years of work that produced this pronouncement, "Do Justice: Linking Christian Faith and Economic Life," was authored by economist and UCC layperson, Rebecca Blank.

"Linking Christian faith and economic life requires that we look at the process by which economic decisions are made through the perspective of our faith," said Blank. She challenges that this means "confronting the operation of the economy with the vision of human purpose and human society to which we are called as God's faithful people."

The General Synod pronouncement and Blank's work both hold warnings against economic policies that do not consider their impact on the most financial vulnerable in our society.

"It is not up to us as church people to dictate a certain economic plan," said Thistlethwaite, "but it is up to us to say loud and clear when the [plan] isn't working and the means of life is not flowing to most of the people."

She encourages pastors to read and study the cited documents, not as means to becoming economic experts, rather so that they can speak biblically for justice and hope.

Lay leaders, teachers in the church and members are all advised to study, teach and pray in their contexts so that they may effectively reach out to those who have the most need and inform those who have the means to offer support.

The letter implores the church to address the immediate needs presented by falling stock values, lethargic home sales and the ongoing mortgage foreclosures while continuing to be a voice for economic justice in the future.

"Susan reminds us that every economic question is also a moral question," said UCC president and general minister the Rev. John Thomas in response to Thistlethwaite message.  "Today's crisis is not just about financial markets, or the plight of wealthy managers, or even the well founded anxiety of the middle class.  It's fundamentally about those who have been poor for a long time and who need the church to be a strong prophetic voice on their behalf."

"We dare not, from this day forward, allow the church to be silent when so much is at stake for so many not only in our country but around the world," said Thistlethwaite.  "It is our Christian responsibility and we must take it with utmost seriousness."

The full text of Thistlethwaite's letter can be found at <ucc.org/justice/economic-justice/in-hard-economic-times.html>