Large, multinational corporations controlling prices and driving down wages, masses of people too poor to afford basic goods, an economy that favors the wealthy, politicians and church leaders at the mercy of banks….1517 was quite a year!  So much has changed, so much remains the same.

Many people remember Martin Luther’s sharp critique of the abusive practices of the church, but few of us are as familiar with Luther’s equally sharp critique of the abusive economy of his day, an economy that made a few people wealthy and a lot of people poor.

At the 2015 “Forgotten Luther” conference in Washington, DC, theologians and historians shared this little-known side of Luther’s teachings.  The presenters described Luther’s critique of monopolies, price gouging, and greed. They showed the clear economic teachings in Luther’s Catechisms and the political side of his theology. They also shared Luther’s insistence that the church be part of the solution to injustice, a heritage that can still be seen today in the many ways Lutherans respond to poverty and hunger 500 years later.

ELCA World Hunger is proud to offer for free videos of each presentation from this important conference, as well as video interviews with each of the presenters. You can find all of the videos on the ELCA’s Vimeo channel at https://vimeo.com/album/4043021. The presentations were also collected into a short book, complete with discussion questions and other contributions from the conference organizers. You can purchase the book for only $15 from Lutheran University Press at http://www.lutheranupress.org/Books/Forgotten_Luther.

Here on the ELCA World Hunger blog this month, we will feature some highlights from this collection of resources.

In this interview, Dr. Samuel Torvend of Pacific Lutheran University talks about justification and justice, the experiences that shaped his own perspective, and how to reconcile Luther’s conservative positions with the Reformer’s progressive call for economic justice. Find this video and more at https://vimeo.com/album/4043021.

Last week I posted the suggestion that the way in which depictions of those who are hungry often make them less than human.  I wondered how we could possibly see their full humanity (along with all their power and dignity)  by only seeing their limitations (that in many cases are simply material).  A couple people responded with thoughtful ideas along the same lines (props to Kris and Mary!).  A blog post I found today via my Twitter account (thanks @meowtree!) raised a similar question.  The author writes,

And what would communities in general think if they saw the kinds of marketing appeals that go out in their names. … I’m bothered by these kinds of appeals, imagining a photo of my own children plastered on a ‘needy children’ billboard or direct mail piece somewhere, thinking about what that might do to their self-image or my image of myself as a capable parent.

The point is well taken–how would you feel if that less than flattering image was all that was known of you?  Her concern also perhaps reveals a bias we have against those who receive aid.  We too often assume that those receiving aid have some flaw (and the images of people who live in poverty don’t always help with that!).

The fact is I have been the recipient of all kinds of aid.  My dad was a doctor, and rewarded me with cash for good grades.  My mom (and, yes, you too dad) created a loving, safe environment.  They had time, energy, and resources to give me a well-rounded childhood experience.  I had the help of a good education system and a stable government (things that I did nothing to create or sustain).  My skin color and gender gave and (continue to give) me many unearned advantages.  Why is it that it is so difficult for me (and people like me) to recognize and admit all of the aid that we have been given (both monetary and otherwise)?  And why is it so easy for us to categorize (and even denigrate) people who did not receive a similar aid package?  What sort of soul searching do we need to do?

I have digressed from the question implicit in my first post on this topic (namely, is there a place for a charity mindset), and I hope to engage it next week.  For now, I’d appreciate any thoughts or responses you have on the topic!

– David Creech