Lutheran Leaders Offer Advice to Presidential Candidates

By Jennifer Riley, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, July 10, 2008

Four Lutheran leaders, citing the denomination's long history of social work, offered policy advice to the two major presidential candidates in a letter this week.

The six-page letter released on July 8 touched on issues related to poverty, health care, global warming, immigration, international development, and conflict resolution.

The signers of the letter are the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Jill A. Schumann, president and CEO of Lutheran Services in America; Ralston H. Deffenbaugh, Jr., president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service; and the Rev. John Nunes, president of Lutheran World Relief.

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"The Scriptures are clear about God's concern for and solidarity with people living in poverty and on the margins of society," the Lutheran leaders wrote. "They are equally clear that God calls us to be stewards of creation."

As a result, Lutherans bring into the public square "a commitment to service for the well-being of all of God's children, but they also have a "faith conviction" that the government is an "important catalyst in God's work of restoring peace, achieving economic justice and protecting the environment."

In the letter, Lutheran leaders urged U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to make a public commitment to a measurable poverty reduction goal of 50 percent over the next 10 years, and propose a budget to fund programs supporting services to low-income families.

In addition, the next U.S. president should propose a comprehensive health care plan, support an increase in Medicaid funding, and support the preservation and production of affordable housing in his effort to tackle economic insecurity and poverty.

On the issue of global warming and energy, the Christian leaders encouraged the next president to re-engage the United States in international talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emission cuts. They also called for resources to help low-income Americans with the increased energy costs, to enact energy conservation policies, and to increase research money for clean energy sources.

Other recommendations include the adoption of fair but humane immigration laws, the increase of foreign aid to fight poverty and disease, and support for sustainable peace in Iraq, Sudan, and between Israel and Palestine.

"The record of effective and transformative work by Lutheran organizations demonstrates our belief that people of faith can help change the world in practical ways," wrote the Lutheran leaders.

"Our broad and long- standing experience also teaches us that our faith-based response to human need is enhanced and more effective when supported by government with the wisdom and will to provide resources to fulfill its basic constitutional mandate to protect the well-being of all its citizens."