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European churches urged to scrutinize their investments
2002-170-2
7/2/2002
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[Episcopal News Service]
Churches in Western Europe are being urged to examine their investment portfolios to help counter the negative aspects of the globalization of the world's economy. The call came from 80 church leaders at a five-day meeting in the Netherlands in mid-June.
Participants are asking churches to examine how they are managing their financial resouar4ces, such as pension funds, to see if there are ways they can use their financial muscle to promote positive changes in the world economy. The meeting followed regional gatherings of Asian, eastern European and Pacific churches over the past three years that examined the links between Christian faith and the global economy and formulated a number of critical questions for churches in western Europe. They pointed to a perception, for example, that 'for Christians in the west and their churches, material values and possessions have taken a far too important place in their lives.'
Sam Kobia, a senior staff member at the World Council of Churches, told the gathering that the interests of the world's poorer countries were being overshadowed by the 'war on terror' launched in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He said that worldwide justice should top the political agenda, rather than the security priorities of the developed world.
The gathering was sponsored by the WCC, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.
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