Five year plan x2

I know you've all been eagerly awaiting an update on the actions of famed new ecumenical group CCT so I will not disappoint... Having just concluded their "celebration" of formation last week they could not fail to release some "objectives" towards which all "Christians and all people" need to strive.

Being not quite as ambitious as Stalin they will expand their plan from 5 years to 10, but no bother. Before laying out these objectives we must first get you in the "spirit" and remind you that "The Gospel and our ethical principles place our service of the poor and vulnerable and our work for justice at the center of Christian life and witness." (As if stating that "justice's" foundation is in the Gospel isn't enough they have to invoke those ambiguous "ethical principles".) Let's see what St. Isaac the Syrian says about this so-called "justice" talked of in the Gospels, "how can you call God just when you come to the passage about the laborers' wages [Matt. 20:1-16] Where is God's justice? ...Do not call God just, for His justice is not made known in your affairs ...He is good, as He says, to the evil and the ungodly."

Laying aside the fact that the center of the Christian life is actually the Eucharist we'll proceed. Next, to inspire your sense of "justice" some cheerleader phrases and lofty goals would be good, "...we can, we must, do more. Our goal must be the elimination of poverty in this land." I can almost hear Stalin's 1925 era voice through the crackly speaker perched high above red square...

Lest you forget who is calling you to action I will remind you that they are "representatives of almost all the families in Christianity in the United States: Evangelicals/Pentecostals, Catholics, Racial/Ethnic, Orthodox and Historic Protestants." (Grammatical correctness aside, if I had a bad dream and were the "ecumenical officer" from the Orthodox Church present when this was written I think I would have objected to being called an Orthodox Protestant.)

And don't forget kids, in 10 short years you'll be poverty free!

[Edit: See superb article here.]