Straight Talk

I have been encouraged by the "apostolic exhortation" recently sent out by Pope Francis I.  Without getting into its content, I just sense that he is speaking out about economic issues (global and personal) more when church-goers are more accustomed to hearing a "social gospel".  An economic gospel?!  Well it's about time.  Not enough can be said about "exclusion and inequality" - the two themes that he addresses.  Here are two samplers, in case you haven't read it:

Some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world. This opinion, which has never been confirmed by the facts, expresses a crude and naïve trust in the goodness of those wielding economic power and in the sacralized workings of the prevailing economic system. Meanwhile, the excluded are still waiting.

As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world's problems or, for that matter, to any problems.


That’s enough!  I only want to say "Amen!" to a Pope talking about such issues.  It is not inappropriate.

By doing so, he helps me to ask you to bear with my own diatribes about rampant fraud, corruption and Triumphalism.  Sometimes you may wonder, am I a missionary or a journalist?  Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment.


The most recent example is at the heart of the Nkandla-gate scandal here in South Africa.  President Zuma hired an architect to work on the security upgrading to his homestead, which was initially budgeted at R30 million.  Then later he appointed the same person to oversee the whole upgrading, and there were cost overruns that have already reached R210 million, and rising.  Well that is Triumphalism - runaway exhuberance to spend money inebriated by power without any restraints because you have been "turned loose" by the Big Boss to get a job done.  Without impunity.  Eish.


My prayer for you is to remember the Lausanne slogan: Live simply so that others may simply live.


This involves self-sacrifice.  In South Africa, the virtue of self-sacrifice has been replaced with Triumphalism.  Some call it greed.  When Pope Francis uses phrases like "a new tyranny" and "the idolatry of money", I can only thank him for not mincing his words.


Pray for me, that I will not lose my audience by speaking out, by saying what a lot of people really don't want to hear.


Inequality is getting worse, not better.  In today's news, the 10 richest South Africans got richer over the past year.  But the gap is widening and resentment is rising.  Economist Emmanuel Saez found that the incomes of the top 1% in the USA grew by 31.4% in the three years after the financial crisis, while the majority of people struggled with a disappointing economy. The other 99% of the population grew their incomes 0.4% during the same period. Globally, the gap between rich and poor is not closing.  This week 500,000 youth are finishing high school in South Africa.  But jobs are hard to find.



Exclusion is the name of the game for Triumphalists.  Even when their exhuberance is for a noble cause, even social service delivery, the end does not justify the means.  "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."  In a constitutional democracy, you should be playing by the rules.  Pray that the minorities in South Africa will still be heard, in a context where affirmative action favours the majority.


Sorry if this became more of an exhortation than a prayer letter.  But I am in good company!  God bless Francis I.