Alabama Baptist Convention president Mike McLemore joined top leaders from three other denominations in an unprecedented show of ecumenical unity in a campaign for tax fairness.
Under the banner “Faith and Fairness: A Unified Call for Tax Reform,” McLemore and the leaders from the Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian denominations issued this unified call for tax fairness in a press conference Jan. 9.
Standing on the state capitol steps, McLemore summarized Alabama Baptists’ 2000 resolution “On Resources for the Poor.”
“There is considerable, credible evidence that Alabama’s tax structure places a disproportionate burden on the poorest of our citizens,” McLemore read. “We affirm the biblical model of approaching poverty from both the physical and spiritual causes, because our focus is on changed hearts as well as changed physical conditions.”
McLemore said, “We renew our commitment to do God’s will concerning the poor … and call upon the governor and the state Legislature to develop and implement appropriate tax reform which will bring relief and justice to the poor who are our neighbors.”
The resolution “On Resources for the Poor” was adopted by Alabama Baptist State Convention messengers during the 2000 annual meeting in Montgomery. The other denominations also adopted similar resolutions in 2000 and 2001.
While each religious leader expressed brief remarks as to his denomination’s reason for joining the drive for tax fairness, Henry Parsley, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, introduced the group’s belief that tax fairness is a “critical moral and spiritual issue for the people in our state.”
“We are here in solidarity as Christian leaders of the Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist and Presbyterian churches to make a joint appeal to our legislators for tax fairness in the state of Alabama,” Parsley said.
“Our success as a state is measured by how well we care for our neighbors, especially the poorest among us and the children. The poorest of us must have more opportunity to flourish,” Parsley said.
Calling on state lawmakers to seek tax fairness and other faith groups to support this effort, Parsley said, “We believe that tax fairness and reform is good for all of us. It is one way to live the commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves.
“For God’s sake, for the poor’s sake, for the children’s sake, for the sake of all people, it is the right thing to do,” he said.
Robert Fannin, bishop of the North Ala-
bama Conference of the United Methodist Church, said, “We must be fair in our taxation. … We don’t have all the answers, but
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