The scene on the steps of the state capitol in Montgomery Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 9, was unprecedented. Representatives from four of the state’s major Christian denominations stood together calling for a new expression of social justice in Alabama.
Unfurled behind them was a huge banner proclaiming “Faith and Fairness: A unified call for tax reform.” The banner summed up the group’s message. Fairness in Alabama’s tax system was the issue. Each speaker called fairness an expression of economic justice.
Religious leaders advocated social justice issues from those same steps in other days. This event was different in at least two ways. First, the religious leaders were all Alabamians. It was not a case of people from other parts of the nation pointing to problems in our state and telling us what we ought to do. Those who spoke all lead Alabama church groups. It was Alabamians speaking to Alabamians.
Second, prominent among the speakers was the president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. Alabama Baptists are known for their strong stand on social justice issues such as gambling. We are not known for participation in issues such as tax reform. Yet, the first to speak after the issue was introduced was Alabama Baptist State Convention president Mike McLemore, pastor of Lakeside Baptist Church in Birmingham.
The uniting factor for the five groups — two Methodist conferences, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Baptists — were actions taken by their governing bodies. Each had adopted an official statement calling for tax reform. Alabama Baptists, for example, adopted a resolution during its 2001 annual meeting urging tax reform in Alabama as an expression of tax fairness and care for the poor.
And like the experience with the Alabama Baptist resolution, the issue came from the members of each group, not from the leadership. Readers will remember the reference to tax reform was added to the Baptist resolution as an amendment from the floor after the resolutions committee declined to include similar language in its report.
Thus, those who stood on the capitol steps Jan. 9 were not social activists necessarily. Each stood as a representative of his denomination expressing positions that arose from the membership. No attempt had been made to recruit participants for the rally who were interested in tax fairness. Had that been the case, many other groups would have been present. Instead, the denominations limited participation only to those who had officially adopted a position.
Individually, each denomination is known for social ministries. In Baptist life, churches and associations minister in countless ways to the poor, the hungry, the hurting, to those in need. Members work privately to care for those around them. The same is true for those in other Christian denominations.
But the problems of tax fairness and economic justice are greater than individual ministries can address. They are systemic problems, and changes in the system are a necessary remedy. It is not enough to run an ambulance service at the bottom of a steep mountain where numerous accidents occur. It is time to build a guard rail along the mountain road to help prevent people from plunging to the peril.
The religious leaders standing on the Alabama capitol steps spoke of biblical principles. They spoke of values and morality. They articulated goals of fairness and justice in the state tax system. McLemore said he was confident that Alabama Baptists would support tax fairness if they only knew some of the problems in the present tax system.
Nothing was said about loopholes or special interest groups. No tax plan was put forth. Creating tax structures is a role of government, the speakers pointed out. It is not a role of churches. The rally was to urge government officials to incorporate economic fairness and economic justice into the changes anticipated in the state’s tax structure.
That Alabama Baptists were a part of this effort is only right. This denomination helped lead the fight that defeated lottery gambling in 1999. At that time Baptists said there was a better way to fund government than through gambling.
In 2001 the messengers called for changes in the tax system to help the poor and to achieve fairness and justice. Now that concern has moved into the public square.
May the day soon come when the goals spoken of so eloquently by McLemore and others become reality for all Alabamians.
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