By Bob Allen
Baptist leaders were among nearly 100 top officials from all major faith groups on the eve of Pope Francis’ arrival calling for a shift in national priorities to end hunger and poverty.
Faith leaders gathered Sept. 21 at an interfaith summit that is part of a larger movement in the faith community to end hunger and poverty by 2030. They committed themselves to encourage their own communities to work for the end of hunger and signed a pledge to work to change national priorities.
“We are deeply pleased to welcome Pope Francis to the United States,” the faith leaders said. “The Pope has repeatedly urged people around the world to address the problems that contribute to the persistence of hunger and poverty. He has called us all to pray and work to end hunger. We trust that he will summon our nation to end the hunger in our midst and support global efforts to overcome hunger.”
“U.S. faith communities are deeply engaged with many sisters and brothers who struggle with hunger and poverty, and we have become increasingly active in urging our nation’s elected leaders to do their part – defending low-income people in the national budget debate, for example,” the pledge reads in part. “Our experience of God’s mercy and compassion for all people moves us to engage in God’s work of overcoming hunger and human misery, and our sacred traditions include visions of the world transformed.”
Baptist leaders signing the pledge include Robert Parham of the Baptist Center for Ethics and Suzii Paynter of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
“This is a week for witness,” Paynter said in a press release. “There are lessons in the margins of this week. Pope Francis has consistently prioritized acts of humility and simple practices of compassion ministry.”
“Pope Francis has let his life speak the gospel on the world stage,” she continued. “He has attracted the world’s attention by making the gospel visible. Learning to live by showing love and living the surprising acts of grace make a world of difference.”
Others include William Shaw, past president of the President National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; David Goatley, executive director of the Lott Carey Foreign Missionary Convention; and James Perkins, president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention.