Dear Editor:
This letter is in response to the Bishops’ letter “On Waging Reconciliation” and the first page article by James Solheim and Jan Nunley in the October, 2001 edition of The [East] Tennessee Episcopalian.

While the Bishops’ letter did not explicitly blame the Free Enterprise Capitalist Economic System, that has made America not only the sole super power in the world but the wealthiest nation in the history of the world, for the death of 6,000 children in the course of a morning, they certainly implied that there was a direct connect. They seem to believe that the econimic system extant in the world is a Zero-sum Game: if an American citizen earned a dollar more per year, then the citizen of some poor country in the world has to earn a dollar less, but the modern economy does not work that way. With the proper utilization of resources, it is now possible for citizens of every country in the world to enjoy a rising standard of living; but only if they all participate in the emerging globalized economy that takes advantage of modern techniques of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.

Everyone with an understanding of modern history is familiar with the Marshall Plan, which sent billions of dollars from America to Europe and Asia after World War II, to help rebuild the economies of both our allies and our enemies in that conflict. What many people are not familiar with is the fact that for 50 years afther the Marshall Plan was completed, the United States made it possible for many countries around the world to expand their economies and raise their standard of living by reducing the standard of living in the United States. As a matter of public policy, although it was not widely publicized for obvious reasons, the American economy had a higher rate of inflation and a lower rate of economic growth in order that other, less developed, countries would be able to have a lower rate of inflation and a higher rate of economic growth.

As wealthy as the United States is today, it would be even wealthier, and many countries in the world would be even poorer, if we had not voluntarily given up some of our wealth so that other countries could have more. As terrible as the death of 6,000 children in the course of a morning is today, it is very likely that it would be 20,000 to 30,000 every morning if the United States had not been as extraordinarily generous as it was over the last 50 years. If that is not a commitment to the common good, in the best Christian tradition, I don’t know what is.

Sincerely yours,
Edwin J. Stuart
Greeneville, TN

Dear Editor

The Diocese of East Tennessee is truly one church. It is with great pride that we are able to thank each and every congregation of the Diocese of East Tennessee for their financial support. The outstanding support that has been shown by making full voluntary commitments and paying them in a timely manner is evidenced by the great work that continues to be done throughout the Diocese.

Sincerely,
Mary Berl
Diocesan Financial Administrator