The other Archbishop calls for renewed efforts to end poverty
John Sentamu, Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has become such an internationally recognized person that he almost needs no introduction. A theologian, poet, and writer of great force and insight, he was a public figure even before being chosen to lead the Anglican Communion. What many Americans might not know is that there are two Archbishops in England.
The “other” Archbishop is John Sentamu, Archbishop of York. Born in Uganda, he’s something of a celebrity in the United Kingdom, where he has a reputation for balancing out the intensely cerebral Williams with a media-friendly, pragmatic style. (Check out the Times Online story on his recent parachute jump!) In the context of the special UN meeting aimed at furthering progress on the Millennium Development Goals, the two archbishops made statements last week condemning the practices of some financial traders and the overall culture of unfettered greed that has taken over much of the West.
Taking a moment to review the statements issued by these leaders can remind an American audience that the economic crisis we’re facing is a global one, and that both the causes and the potential solutions of said crisis may well extend across national borders.
A must-read BBC article highlights the common cause between the two men, and also makes clear how very different they are in rhetorical style and approach. Williams makes potent but nonetheless rather abstract points, such as when he says that “the biggest challenge in the present crisis is whether we can recover some sense of the connection between money and material reality.” Sentamu, meanwhile, grabs headlines by calling “share traders who cashed in on falling prices ‘bank robbers and asset strippers’.”
For all his exuberance, Sentamu makes some salient points that should not be missed. Most of us, for instance, would tend to think that this moment of global economic crisis is the worst possible time to renew calls for an end to poverty. Sentamu points out that the opposite is true; in comparison to a $700 billion bailout plan, the money needed for poverty eradication measures starts looking like peanuts:
The archbishop acknowledged the need for stable financial systems if poverty was to be eradicated, but added: “One of the ironies about this financial crisis is that it makes action on poverty look utterly achievable. It would cost $5bn (£2.7bn) to save six million children’s lives.
“World leaders could find 140 times that amount for the banking system in a week. How can they tell us that action for the poorest is too expensive?”
Of course, as of this afternoon the bailout plan has not passed in the House. But the truth underneath the Archbishop’s question still rings true to me.
To see an earlier statement by Sentamu on the MDGs, read his July column in the Times.
Pamela Dolan is on staff at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Webster Groves and is a Candidate for Holy Orders. After high school in Hawaii and college in California, she earned a master's degree in theology from Harvard before spending several years in New York studying medieval religion and literature. Pamela is married with two children. 
We have attempted to diminish poverty in Iraq by installing a government that will provide freedom for people to earn a good living. This effort is costing hundreds of billions of dollars. Five billion dollars to save six million kids looks too simplistic.