Justice, or just us?

In watching C-SPAN recently, I learned some new things about the mortgage crisis currently worming its way through our economic system. The panel was comprised of some of the economic advisers to 2008 presidential contenders.

The biggest surprise was being told that our bankruptcy laws are such that someone who owns several houses has some options in renegotiating mortgages so that homes are not lost. This is not the case for persons who own only one home. Obviously, there is nothing fair about such a system; if renegotiation options are available to some, they should be available to all.

The impact of the collapse of the mortgage market will have far-reaching effects. Studies demonstrate that when homes are repossessed, the values of surrounding properties drop. Today, the New York Times also reported on the number of renters who will be affected because the owners of their apartments may have unworkable mortgages now.

As Garret Keizer writes in a essay for “Getting on Message: Challenging the Christian Right from the Heart of the Gospel,” love of neighbor as one loves oneself applies to all systems, even economic systems. If, because we own three homes, we want the chance to renegotiate a mortgage to save those properties from foreclosure, we should want a family of four owning one home to have that same opportunity. As Keizer argues, there is no where in scripture where Jesus comes upon someone in need and pronounces something like, “well, that’s just the way life is,” or “God is trying to teach you a lesson.” Jesus creates circumstances for lives to be changed for the best. We should want the same for all person.