church and public issues
poverty, debt and the
financial crisis
Concerns for tackling poverty and social justice are at the heart of the Gospel. There is a rich biblical tradition from the Old Testament prophets and throughout the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament. This has been carried forward in differing ways through the majority of Christian traditions to the current day.
Choose an option below to see what the churches are doing and saying:
News on poverty, debt and the financial crisis
March 2009
Faith Matters Lectures: Catholicism and Capitalism
At a time when the premises of economic liberalism are being questioned due to the financial and economic crisis, this lecture asks whether Catholics should feel comfortable with capitalism. The speaker, Philip Booth, is Editorial and Programme Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs and Professor of Insurance and Risk Management at Cass Business School, City University. 18 March 2009, 7pm, Westminster Cathedral Hall, London SW1.
Diocese of Westminster 
Faith Matters: Catholicism and Public Life
John Battle MP looks at issues of building basic caring communities and the moral responsibility to get involved practically in our own neighbourhood. 1 April 2009, 7.30pm, Westminster Cathedral Hall, London SW1.
Diocese of Westminster
Archbishop of Canterbury lectures on Ethics, Economics, and Global Justice
The Archbishop of Canterbury called for patience and trust to be re-established in economic processes, and for governments to resist the lure of protectionism which prejudices the growth of developing economies, during a lecture in cardiff.
Archbishop of Canterbury
Scotland's first Poverty Truth Commission
Aims to bring together those who know and understand the struggle against poverty in their lives and those who have the power and influence to change Scotland for the better. Sponsored by the Church of Scotland Priority Areas and Faith in Community Scotland. 21 March 2009, 2-5pm at Glasgow City Chambers, George Square, Glasgow G1 1RX.
Information leaflet
Email 
or tel: 0141 248 2905.
February 2009
Recession may be the jolt that Britain needs
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor gives an interview to The Times about the economic downturn.
Diocese of Westminster
CofE recognises implications of the financial crisis
The Synod of the Church of England has voted to take note of a report into the implications of the financial crisis and the recession.
Church of England
January 2009
New prayers for those affected by redundancy on CofE website
The Church of England has published two new prayers to comfort people made redundant, and those remaining in the workplace following a round of redundancies.
Church of England
December 2008
Drama - Voices from the Edge
Sunday 8 February, 6pm
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh EH1 2ED
Drama written for Poverty & Homelessness Action Week, performed by the Actors for Human Rights theatre company.
Email for booking.
November 2008
Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster reflects on the credit crunch
Our common bond is a fragile global financial system writes Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor in L'Osservatore Romano.
Press release
The financial crisis is a test for the values of European society
The financial crisis has exposed a deeper spiritual crisis and a misguided set of values, according to the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community.
Press release
Welsh Economic Summit: Church in Wales response
The Welsh Assembly Government called an emergency Economic Summit in Cardiff in October to address the implications of the global financial crisis for Wales.
Church in Wales response (PDF)
Helping the Homeless - Killing with Kindness?
18 November, 2 December 6-7pm
Acting out a biblical duty or killing with kindness? Homelessness has always been a central concern for Christians - but do our efforts just make the problem worse? A series of public discussions at Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church to explore questions relating to homelessness and the best way to overcome it. For more information call 020 7240 0544 or email.
October 2008
Thousands turn to online prayer and advice as financial situation worsens
Web users looking for support during the current financial situation have boosted traffic to a Church of England website section focusing on debt advice by over 70 per cent.
Church of England press release
CEC Central Committee expresses concern for economic crisis
The Central Committee of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) urges "governments to be most concerned about protecting the most vulnerable of citizens and that a sense of justice will prevail".
CEC press release
Bishop John attends end child poverty rally
Bishop John Hine, Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark, joined more than 10,000 people from around the country for the largest ever rally to end child poverty in the UK.
Catholic Communications Network press release
Welsh projects shown at United Nations
Welsh projects highlighting world poverty and environmental issues were part of an international Anglican Church video shown to United Nations leaders meeting to discuss the Millennium Development Goals.
Church in Wales press release
Prayers for the current financial situation from the Church of England
Church of England press release
July 2008
Archbishop of Canterbury Welcomes Government Announcement on Credit Unions
Poverty
Get Fair campaign
A major campaign, launched in September 2008, mobilising many organisations and networks already working on various aspects of the big problem of ‘poverty', which is being coordinated by Church Action on Poverty. Its aims are:
- To mobilise public opinion to support action to tackle poverty in the UK.
- To secure the commitment of all major political parties to deliver on their existing commitment to end child poverty by 2020 and to extend this goal to ending poverty across all the generations in the UK by 2020.
The campaign will draw on fundamental human rights principles of equality, dignity and respect for everyone living in the UK, at all life stages, having:
- A decent, adequate income.
- The right not to be marginalized or excluded from society.
- Equal opportunities and fair access to services.
- Neighbourhoods that secure health and wellbeing.
For more information, see Church Action on Poverty .
Poverty and Homelessness Action Week
31 January - 8 February 2009
After the first ever Poverty & Homelessness Action Week in 2008, the three partners behind the project - Church Action on Poverty, Scottish Churches Housing Action and Housing Justice - have been busy laying the foundations of PHAW 2009. This is a unique, annual opportunity for churches, church groups and others to raise the profile of poverty, housing and homelessness related issues within local churches and the wider community.
Just Church
A programme of action/reflection, developed by Church Action on Poverty in partnership with other churches/agencies, aiming to help local churches to integrate concerns for poverty and social justice into the lives and faith journeys of congregations and individual Christians.
Micah Challenge UK is a coalition of Christian organisations and churches in Britain united in their concern to fight global poverty, set up after world leaders signed up in 2000 to the Millennium Development Goals to halve global poverty by 2015. Micah Sunday is 19 October.
Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office briefing paper:
Poverty - Who Cares? SCPO briefing paper (PDF)
The Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches has produced a leaflet on child poverty .
The End Child Poverty campaign is a widely supported coalition whose members include the Church of England and many Christian organisations.
Debt
Churches and Christian organisations have been concerned for years about growing levels of personal debt and the disproportional effect this has on the poor in various ways.
Matter of Life and Debt
A Church of England campaign originally launched in early 2008, kept up to date with a variety of resources both practical and spiritual responding to the credit crunch.
Church of England website
Debt on Our Doorstep
A campaign of Church Action on Poverty which aims to end extortionate lending and ensure universal access to affordable credit and other financial services.
Church Action on Poverty website
Stewardship
A Christian financial support services charity.
Stewardship website
Life Beyond Debt
The Evangelical Alliance's response to the current economic crisis.
Life Beyond Debt website
Credit Action
A national money education charity.
Credit Action website
Christian Council for Monetary Justice
An open forum which seeks to make people more aware of the pertinence of faith to the economic order.
Christian Council for Monetary Justice website
See our new section covering the current economic crisis, including news, downlaods and links.