
Christians may or may not have initiated the commercialization of Christmas, but we bear a responsibility to help heal its wounds.
Rachel Anderson is a resident fellow with the Center for Public Justice and leads the Families Valued initiative as director. Previously, Rachel served as the director of faith affairs at the Center for Responsible Lending, where she worked with faith leaders at the state and federal level to advocate for protections against predatory lending. She was the co-founder of the Boston Faith & Justice Network, which engages Christians in biblical justice through spiritual formation, community organizing and advocacy. Anderson is a graduate of Harvard Law and Divinity schools.
Christians may or may not have initiated the commercialization of Christmas, but we bear a responsibility to help heal its wounds.
The power to lend is also the power to abuse. Scripture commands us to be wary.
As an ad coupling Haiti relief with a credit card application shows, it’s not just our vices that can be manipulated. Our virtues can as well.
It would be easy, in our financial climate, to pursue a moral race-to-the-bottom. Rebuilding morality in the financial sector is far more difficult.
Some wise leaders saw the financial collapse coming. How can the rest of us draw on that wisdom to promote a surer economic foundation now?
“This was a game-changer for us. The chance to climb up from the ‘dance floor’ of our everyday activity and discern a clarified organization future from the ‘balcony’ was the gift we needed even more than we understood at the time.
If possible, please pursue this extraordinary opportunity.”
— Tim Soerens, Parish Collective
Christian leaders from a variety of roles are welcome to apply. The grants provide “balcony time” to reflect on accomplishments, broaden perspectives and discern next steps. The application deadline is May 2, 2025.
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