Church of England bishops have backed ‘Make Poverty History’, the worldwide effort to end extreme poverty.
They commended the worldwide response to the plight of those suffering after the Asian Tsunami disaster, and have called on governments and international institutions to honour their pledges and help bring about long term transformation for the area.
But they noted that the outpouring of aid and goodwill in this case contrasted with the lack of political will to push back poverty elsewhere in the world: “With poverty claiming a child’s life every three seconds, a man-made and preventable disaster on the scale of the Tsunami happens every single week. World poverty is sustained not by chance or nature, but by our human failing.”
The bishops are committed to mobilising their parishes, deaneries and dioceses to help the cause this year, noting that “..our Christian calling demands us to speak out on behalf of those without a voice and to challenge unjust structures that keep people poor.”
The Church of England’s membership of the Trade Justice Movement means that in 2005 it is part of the Make Poverty History Coalition. This is an alliance of more than 150 charities, unions and faith groups who are calling for trade justice, debt cancellation and more and better aid for the world’s poorest countries.
from Parish Pump
Bishops back drive to end world poverty