(By Samuel Smith, Christian Post). Seven left-leaning Christian leaders were arrested on Monday after protesting inside of a congressional office building on Capitol Hill in opposition to President Donald Trump’s “immoral” budget proposal.
The seven detainees were a part of a large group of left-leaning Mainline Protestant leaders who demonstrated outfront of the United Methodist Building on Maryland Avenue around noon on Thursday as part of the annual “Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice.”
The leaders called Trump’s budget proposal, which would cut many aid programs and increase military and border security spending, “sinful.”
After a handful of faith leaders representing the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ, the Progressive National Baptist Convention and other organizations spoke outside the Methodist building, those gathered prayed for Congress to reject Trump’s budget proposal, saying that it “invests in war at the expense of poor and marginalized people.”
Following the prayer, dozens of participants marched a short distance to the Hart Senate Office Building.
Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, director or the Office of Public Witness, Presbyterian Church (USA) speaks at the Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2017. (Photos from Twitter #ead2017).
Once inside the building, the participants who were willing to risk being arrested for civil disobedience dropped to their knees in a circle and began praying and singing spiritual songs like “Wade in the Water” and “We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest.”
A Capitol Hill police officer warned the faith leaders over a bullhorn that they would be arrested if they did not halt their act of civil disobedience. After a couple minutes, a team of officers surrounded the demonstrators, apprehended them and led them away.
Among the faith leaders who were arrested were the Rev. Traci Blackmon, the executive minister of the United Church of Christ’s justice and witness ministries; Patrick Carolan, the executive director of the Franciscan Action Network; Doug Grace, the director of Ecumenical Advocacy Days; and Eli McCarthy, the director of justice and peace for the Conference of Major Superiors of Men.
A press release explains that other faith leaders who were arrested are Bob Cooke, Elizabeth King and Scott Wright.
“I think [these arrests] send a strong statement,” Jimmie Hawkins, the director of PCUSA’s Office of Public Witness, told The Christian Post. “One of the issues with the Church today is it is too quiet. I think people are looking for the presence of the Church, the opinions of the Church or how we feel about different things that are happening. I think it is very good that faith leaders are putting themselves forward.”
At the public demonstration in front of the United Methodist Building, Hawkins argued that Congress should only pass a budget that “advances the public good.”
“Rather than increasing Pentagon spending, we petition Congress to increase spending for programs that provide support to people living in poverty in America and abroad, that addresses systemic racism, that exercises responsible care for the Earth. Budgets can do great good when put to the service of the poor. Or, they can do great harm,” Hawkins said. “When implemented with compassion, they can lift millions out of poverty or doom them to a life of despair. They can provide health insurance or make bankrupt those who don’t have it.”
“Christians, our faith calls us to advocate for a public policy that ensures the just allocation of resources for the common good. Our federal budget is a moral document,” Hawkins added. “It is a reflection of the values and priorities we value as a nation.”
Related articles from the PCUSA:
Ecumenical Advocacy Days rallies churches to become more active
CPJ Training Day addresses racism, materialism and militarism
Record turnout for CPJ Training Day in Washington, D.C.
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The Apostles Peter and John were arrested for preaching the resurrection from the dead in the name of the Lord Jesus after healing a lame beggar in His name (Acts 4.1-3). Saul of Tarsus had Stephen the Evangelist arrested on false charges that he blasphemed against Moses and God (Acts 6.11-7.1) and consented to his death for charging the Israelites not only for the death of the Lord Jesus but also for the deaths of the Old Testament prophets (Acts 7.58-60). Herod Agrippa arrested the Apostles James and Peter for their testimony to the Lord Jesus, putting the former to death and sentencing the latter to the same, before an angel miraculously delivered him from prison (Acts 12.1-5). The Jews stirred up persecution against the Apostle Paul and Barnabas for their testimony to the Lord Jesus, forcing them to flee from Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13.50), Iconium (Acts 14.5-6), and Lystra (Acts 14.14.19). The Apostle Paul and Silas were arrested at Philippi for preaching in the name of Jesus and for having cast a demon out of a slave girl earning profit for her masters by fortune telling (Acts 16.19-40). And the Apostle Paul was arrested in the Temple in Jerusalem for his testimony to the Lord Jesus and ultimately taken to Rome (Acts 21.27-28.31), where according to tradition he was beheaded.
None of the Apostles or early believers were arrested because of political advocacy. Indeed, nowhere do we find in Scripture any command from the Lord for His followers to openly criticize the secular rulers and authorities for budget proposals that “would cut many aid programs and increase military and border security spending.” “Visit orphans and widows in their affliction”? Yes (Jas. 1.27) Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned? Yes (Mt. 25.31-46). Show due respect to the civil authorities? Yes (Lk. 20.21-25, Rom. 13.1-7, I Pet. 2.13-17). Presume to criticize the emperor for his budget priorities? No.
The secular governing authorities are appointed by God “to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.” (I Pet. 2.14) “He does not bear the sword in vain, for he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” (Rom. 13.4-5)
Caring for the poor is something that the Lord has called His Church to do, not the secular governing authorities. It is not incumbent upon the Church to forfeit that responsibility and advocate for the federal, state, or local government to take it up instead. Indeed, irrespective of the character (or political affiliation) of the individual occupying the Oval Office, he commands our respect as “God’s servant for (our) good” (Rom. 13.4). “Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Rom. 13.2)
In point of fact, there is only one individual in all of Scripture who had the temerity to suggest that something costly had been wastefully used instead of having been sold, with the proceeds distributed to the poor. But few of us, indeed, would want to be identified with him (Jn. 12.4-6).
I rejoice that our church left the PCUSA and that I was a part of the separation.
Government spending more money will not erase poverty. Since the the start of LBJ’s “Great Society” our government has spent an estimated $21 trillion on programs to so-called “help the poor” but the percent of people living below poverty has dropped less than 1.5%. in 50 + years. Money that doesn’t go to making people self-sufficient only traps them in depependence on the politicians who want their votes.
[…] Related article: 7 Christian Leaders Arrested Protesting Trump’s Budget Proposal on Capitol Hill […]
So why do they do it?
A good question. I have always wondered about these events. If they care so much about their causes and issues, why this day, what makes this day special? Does not war, poverty, violence, sin, whatever they protest exist the other 364 days of the year? Publicity of course. hubris, ego, a sense of moral superiority comes into play. Especially as applies to the current Stated Clerk. But all were gathered in DC this week, so have at it. Find a place, a cause and issue, offer or issue a press release, wait for the cameras and have at it. Maybe not 15, but at least 5 or minutes of attention, which they crave, as an addict does crack.
But they do it primarily to serve their faith. And that faith is not the Church, Christ, God, or even Christianity as a belief system. Faith, Church, God, Christianity only serves as a utility, a vehicle, a means to serve their faith. And that faith is called “social justice”, which one is free to define and fill in the void however they see fit. Christianity ,Christ is only relevant in service to that faith. If they could get the same mileage or theological cover from Buddhism, Wicca, Islam, they would all don robes and head coverings in service of social justice. Social Justice as a faith, belief system has its own code words, signs, obligations as any other faith.
Liberal Protestant denominational systems has been in systemic decline into extinction for decades. The Holy Spirit has vacated their spaces generations ago. As nature abhors a void or vacuum something had to fill in the blanks. Social Justice, radical environmentalism, race, gender, sexual based tribalism has filled in the void and is now the golden calf in their Temple. And all are in its service.
I hope that it is an error by the author that these “leaders” represent the PC(USA) because they do not. Some may be members of the PC(USA) and they are entitled to express their own personal opinions. However, they do not speak for the PC(USA). The media is too eager to inflate the importance of a public protester.
Peter, you are so right! What a sad day in the PCUSA and it dies a slow death.
Sad day as the PCUSA dies a slow death.
You are right on! These false prophets need to get off the high moral horses and look deep into their own souls before God. Instead of trying to look holy and elevated for publicity, they should get on their knees and repent of all the sins they commit and lead others to commit before God.
Protesting against the budget to cut taxes for everyone? Wow. Including the lowest bracket to 10% only? Also highest bracket to 35% without ANY deductibles to hide or tuck away big chunk of profit? What’s there to protest?
Why do we call on the government to do the work of the Church!! This is not their job and is not supported by the Bible. To quote one saying “Render unto God the things of God and unto Caesar the things of Caesar.” Do the things of God not support all the issues stated in the article? If so, then why are we pushing this unto the government whose main job is the safety of its citizens.
How telling…. Listen to Jimmie Hawkins, director, PCUSA’s Office of Public Witness:
“I think [these arrests] send a strong statement…[T]he Church today…is too quiet. I think people are looking for the presence of the Church, the opinions of the Church or how we feel about different things that are happening. ”
Would to God they would show up for the same reason in front of an abortion mill. Then they might actually do some good.
More partisan Democrat behavior from PC(USA) leadership. Total abuse of their position. They should be ashamed of themselves. And they should be fired.
Today’s Epistle lesson by St. Peter instructs us to “love the brotherhood, fear God and honor the emperor.” Our current leadership loves only themselves (scorning the members in flyover country who pay their salary), have no fear of God and spend much of their time disrespecting any political leader who is not a Progressive hack.
The louisville sluggers at it again, acting like they speak for all of us, as far as I’m concerned they can throw them all in jail and throw away the key