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Protestors at St Paul's - What would Jesus do?
“I could imagine Jesus being born in the camp” was the headline quote from Rev. Giles Fraser, former Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral in my newspaper today.  I have just heard an hour long phone in on Radio 5 on the subject: “What would Jesus do.. about the protestors outside St Paul’s”.  There’s no doubt that the events at the Occupy London Stock Exchange camp this week have not only polarised opinion but raised the question – what would Jesus say to the protestors, given that it is happening just outside cathedral doors.  Giles Fraser imagines Jesus born in the camp, by which I think he means Jesus was born on the margins, and mixed with those who appeared strange to many.  Would Jesus have been a protestor, asked others – what would he have to say about global capitalism? 

All these are really important questions with which we should be unafraid to engage.

Now, I’m not saying that Jesus was an anti-capitalist, any more than he would have been found behind a desk at Goldman Sachs.  Jesus asked questions of others, he got alongside those whose poverty or anger at injustice made them stand out.  He also said that we should render to Caesar, just as he asked the rich young ruler to give up everything to the poor.  Jesus was interested in people not systems – but he did say that people who rage against injustice were fit for the Kingdom of heaven.  So, Jesus would certainly have got face to face with those today who ask why the poor are getting poorer, and why those “without” seem to be paying most (in lost jobs, unemployment  and lower income) for the banking crash. He would also have been unafraid to mix with politicians and bankers, with those who are working to sort out a future for our economies this week in Brussels. And he would have asked them all about the health of their souls too.

So, in our worship, praying and our daily living I hope we can all respond to the question “what would Jesus do?”

Reverend Dr Andrew Wood

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