In Theory: Should we break the law to feed the homeless?

A Christian group in Philadelphia is putting its mission above a ruling that bans feeding the homeless in the city’s parks. Although a judge has suspended the ban for 120 days, Chosen 300 Ministries is planning to continue feeding the homeless outdoors when it comes into effect. The ministry is one of four that sued the city when the ban was originally passed.

Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter claimed the move was made to prevent food-borne diseases from spreading, and to make it easier for social services to reach those in need. The city would allow groups to feed the homeless in a designated space near City Hall that has water and public toilets, and would serve as a transitional location as more homeless are directed to four private indoor feeding locations downtown.

“When we serve … we are also following the commandment of Christ by serving those in need,” said Chosen 300 Ministries’ Pastor Brian Jenkins. “There is Scripture to support what we do, and we are going to continue fighting to help the homeless,” he added. He believes that the law is designed more to hide the homeless than to serve concerns about public health.

The ban includes fines of about $150 for those who defy it. Jenkins says he’ll just pay the fine and continue helping the homeless, saying, “Our society has built an intolerance for the homeless.... There is no health issue. We met all the standards the health department already required.” He is preparing a legal case to challenge the ban when it’s reinstated in three months’ time. “[I]n the city’s view, we’re breaking the law. In our view, it’s the command of Christ,” he says.

Q: Do you support the group in its efforts? If a similar ban was passed here, would you consider breaking it?

No, I do not support Jenkins in his efforts.

It is true that ignoring poverty is wrong. One should expect no less from this church, as followers of Jesus, than to care for those in need. However, prematurely challenging the authority of the government is also wrong. God simultaneously cares for the poor and puts civil authorities in place to promote peace and order.

Sanitation is always an issue with any crowd. The mayor offered to move the feeding to a public place with appropriate restroom facilities to handle the crowd. This is something I would advise the church to collaborate on with the state.

We have similar laws in Los Angeles. In response, our church has started a food pantry. We feed hundreds of people a week right out of our church. While we do not require religious affiliation to either work at or receive from our pantry, both groups end up being a part of our faith community. This method may “hide poverty from the public,” but it makes our congregation aware of the issue and involved in solving it. These people are more than hungry and homeless. They have become our friends.

I think the real story here is that there is a city where compassion runs so deeply that average people have taken to the streets in an effort to help each other. It is a love of God and people so radical that the government does not know how to handle it. This is good news.

David Derus
Student, Fuller Seminary
Pasadena

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Yes, and yes, to both questions. I support the church for feeding the homeless and I hope I would have the courage to break the law if such legislation were ratified here.

Thank you, editors, for this week’s issue, because it points to just how un-Christian our nation is. Oh, I’m sure you’re nice and I’m nice and the people of Philadelphia are nice and the mayor of Philadelphia is nice, and I’m sure he’s only thinking about the public’s health.

Balderdash.

The homeless are an embarrassment to us all and we just wish they’d go away. But if you’re a true follower of Jesus, you can’t look away. Remember the Bob Dylan song, “Blowin’ in the Wind”? It contains the line, “How many times can a man turn his head and pretend that he just doesn’t see?” At the time that song was popular, racism was what the man was pretending that he didn’t see. In our day and age, it’s the homeless from whom we want to turn our heads and pretend.

Isaiah 53: 3 is instructive here. It’s part of one of the Servant poems, and some Christians think it foretells the coming of Jesus. But it also fits what we think of the homeless: “He was despised and rejected by others, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account.” Ouch! It’s as if the prophet looked right into our middle-class souls and called us out.

I’m a proud American and there is much to love and to be proud of — but remember what the French existentialist Albert Camus said: “And I should like to be able to love my country and still love justice.” I do love my country, but my obedience to God comes first. The Apostle Peter in Acts 5:29 says that he must obey God rather than men. How about you, Christian? Are you going to obey the emperor of Philadelphia, or the living God, whose son Jesus commands you to minister unto “the least of these my brethren” (Matthew 25: 40)?

The Rev. Skip Lindeman
La Cañada Congregational Church
La Cañada

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I wholeheartedly support people and ministries that feed the homeless in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ first miracle was food-related (turning water into wine). One of his most celebrated miracles was the multiplication of loaves and fish, which he performed out of simple compassion for the people’s needs. Jesus even identified himself in terms of food or nourishment for our souls: “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.... I am the bread that came down out of heaven” (John 6:33, 41). Jesus said “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).

But in this case, I don’t believe that breaking the law is justified. There are plenty of other acceptable alternatives to keep meeting others’ needs in Jesus’ name. There are legal avenues to properly challenge the ban. Jesus wants us to feed the hungry, certainly, but he also wants us to obey proper authority, as much as we are able to with a clear conscience before him. “Prove yourselves,” Scripture tells us, “to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).

Pastor Jon Barta
Valley Baptist Church
Burbank

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I am inclined to sympathize with the ministries that are feeding the homeless. I admire their determination. We have a responsibility to assist the poor, both by attending to their immediate needs and by looking for long-term solutions to help them escape poverty.

Although my personal feelings about this are rooted in the teachings of Christ, I don’t think this is necessarily a religious issue. From a purely secular viewpoint, it is in our interest to help those at the bottom of society.

The question of how we do this can be difficult. I don’t know whether there is a legitimate health issue in the Philadelphia case. If there is, I’m sure there are adjustments that can be made by both sides to allow charitable groups to continue the park meals in a clean and sanitary way. While this goes on, the city needs to continue to pursue development of facilities that provide not only food, but clean water and restrooms.

Ideally, private charities and public assistance programs would answer the problem of feeding and housing the poorest of our citizens. The problem is that even where clean, well-run shelters exist, there is never enough room for everyone who needs care. Evidence of this can be seen along Los Angeles’ Skid Row. Facilities in the area operate at full capacity, yet hundreds of people remain in the streets. It seems to me that 300 Ministries and similar groups are simply reaching out to these people that traditional programs don’t reach.

I do have concern about any group deciding to break the law. I am hopeful that the lawsuit will provide a way for feeding to continue without civil disobedience.

In the Book of Mormon, a work that LDS people regard as Scripture, there is a passage that describes a scenario in which prosperous people, the “haves” of society, live amid those who are poor, sick and needy and “notice them not.” I mustn’t become that kind of society.

I don’t think we will ever eradicate poverty, but at the same time, we can’t escape our obligation to do what we can to ease the suffering of those caught in its grasp.

Michael White
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
La Crescenta

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The religious and non-profit organizations that are challenging Philadelphia’s ban on outdoor feeding seem to be doing the right thing. Mayor Nutter claims that his plan to end homelessness will serve homeless individuals better than community groups providing food in public. No one has seen this plan. Instead, the city of Philadelphia has cut homeless services over the last few years.

The only plan that the city seems to be working on for the increased homelessness in the city is to hide it from public view.

We judge societies on how they treat all members of their society. Homeless individuals are members of society. The city government should not outlaw providing food for them.

I would oppose cities banning the feeding of homeless people unless the cities have realistic plans to help those individuals obtain the services they need. I would consider doing the ethically right thing in this case because what is good for people and society is not the same as the written law.

Steven Gibson
Atheist
Altadena

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“Thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered.... I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land.... I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.... I will feed them with justice” (Ezekiel 34:11-16).

“[Jesus] called his disciples and said to them, ‘I have compassion for the crowd, because they … have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way — and some of them have come from a great distance.’ Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground;” and had the disciples feed them with bread and fish (Mark 8:1-9).

“[When] Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead … Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him [three times] … ‘Feed my sheep’” (John 21:14-17).

“Is not this the fast that I choose [says the Lord]: to loose the bonds of injustice … to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them?” (Isaiah 58:6-8).

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And [the Lord] will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me’” (Matthew 25:37-40).

Which is to say: Yes. You bet your ass I’d break that law.

The Rev. Amy Pringle
St. George’s Episcopal Church
La Cañada Flintridge

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In considering the controversy in Philadelphia over feeding the homeless in the city’s public parks, it is difficult to get sufficient facts to determine what a reasonable course of action might be. On the face of it, it sounds like the city ban is targeting the homeless as a group, because picnics, food at approved events, catering trucks and office workers eating lunch are all still allowed. Currently the city is facing lawsuits from a group of churches represented by a private law firm, the ACLU and lawyers from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. This disparate group would suggest that there is a broad base of support for feeding the homeless at city park sites.

The issue of civil disobedience is a complex one for any Christian, and in the end comes down to a decision of personal conscience. We are commanded in Romans 13 to obey legitimate authority, and we are told in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” To me, the key phrase here is, “if it is possible.” Unfortunately, there are times when it is not possible. I am reminded of the civil disobedience led by Martin Luther King Jr. The lunch counter sit-ins and freedom walks went against local laws, and yet the disobedience was absolutely essential in bringing about more equality between the races.

Our Declaration of Independence was definitely an act of civil disobedience by the colonists against England. Of the 56 men who signed the declaration, 51 were Christians who obviously felt that it was “no longer possible” to live as colonies of Great Britain. During World War II, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran minister and theologian, was a strong critic of the Nazi regime and was actively involved in an assassination plot against Adolf Hitler. His Christianity compelled him to go beyond civil disobedience into active, militant opposition.

I think it’s always preferable to collaborate with civil authorities on issues of joint concern to the church and the government. Collaboration moves issues from the win-lose of an adversarial relationship to a win-win situation. Whenever possible, working together will produce greater benefit than working at cross purposes. It appears that the federal judge who issued an injunction suspending the city’s ban for 120 days shares this viewpoint. He stated that he would like to see the city sit down with representatives from religious organizations and come up with some meaningful solutions to the problems of the homeless. I pray that they will be able to do this, as I’m sure it will result in a better outcome for everyone.

Pastor Ché Ahn
HRock Church
Pasadena

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Yes, and yes, to our questions. However, I believe that such efforts aren’t the solution. My theory is that private charity forestalls a demand by the poor who are loud enough to challenge the inequality of which homelessness is but one symptom.

But being homeless isn’t a theoretical condition, so we must be as charitable as we can. We should also make homelessness part of the public conversation, as Jenkins is doing.

Another article I read recently described some cities’ efforts to set up centers where the homeless can store their stuff. In Philly the homeless can legally be fed in a “designated space” with water and toilets. All cities have locations where social services and job support are provided.

How much harder would it be to combine all these facilities and throw in some beds?

And don’t tell me there isn’t money. Plenty of countries less rich than the United States manage to not have their people sleeping in the streets.

Roberta Medford
Atheist
Montrose

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I applaud the efforts of Jenkins and the Chosen 300 Ministries. I believe that they mean well and truly want to help those in need. In my opinion, had Philadelphia, or any other city, banned feeding the homeless altogether, then it would definitely be appropriate to disobey the order and feed them anyway.

However, I find it hard to believe that Philadelphia officials are trying to starve the hungry and harass the homeless. It seems that they are simply seeking an effective way to take care of these needy people without upending other elements of society in the process. This is not an easy task, and charity-minded organizations need to find ways to be of assistance, instead of becoming obstacles. The city is trying to organize what otherwise can be a very chaotic situation, and I feel that in the long run, the ministry would be better off working with the municipal officials to find a resolution to this problem, rather than defying the law.

Our society relies heavily on charitable acts of caring, attitudes of benevolence, and the display of compassion from one human to another. At the same time, we depend on rules and regulations to ensure that our environment remains civil and does not descend into disarray. These two components of a healthy culture need to be aligned in a proper balance to ensure that the homeless get fed and that the public’s health and safety are not put at risk.

Rabbi Simcha Backman
Chabad Jewish Center
Glendale

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I worry about the soul of a community that seeks to limit acts of kindness and compassion among its residents. When neighbors are willing to extend care to one another, that sounds to me like something to celebrate, rather than condemn.

Anyone who has ever been homeless, or been involved in a ministry with homeless people, knows that life is challenging in every way. Just to spend a night in a shelter entails standing in line(s), showing identification, submitting to a search, and then becoming part of a mix of unpredictable companions. Shouldn’t it be OK every once in a while to just get a meal and eat it without hoopla in the company of one’s own choosing? Doesn’t a healthy, connected community want to offer long-term solutions to those who are ready for them, and the simple comfort of a meal to those who are not?

To those of you who think that churches house nice people who need more heart, more courage, and more relevance, aren’t you cheering for the church folks who refuse to succumb to a compassion-squelching understanding of law and order?

Maybe this issue doesn’t sound like a big deal to you, but consider it to be resistance practice for more difficult challenges. Think about the church folks in Alabama who have refused to stop assisting undocumented immigrants, though the state wants to criminalize not only the immigrants, but those who help them. Think about church folks in Nazi Germany who continued to offer food and shelter to Jewish neighbors at great personal risk to themselves.

There are always opportunities for religious leaders and congregations to nourish the soul of a community by offering a different vision of how we can live together. One could say that this is particularly important in the City of Brotherly Love, where this drama is playing out. I appreciate this ministry practicing the art of faithful resistance, being the hope they wish to see in the world.

The Rev. Paige Eaves
Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church
Montrose

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I believe that Jenkins and his partners have good intentions and are following what they believe to be biblical injunctions to feed the hungry. My religious tradition also draws me toward justice and compassion for those who are in need. It is difficult to see those who are homeless and not feel called to do something to assuage their suffering. However, the question is determining the most effective way to do that.

Had I been faced with this question five or six years ago, I would have been very angry with the government of Philadelphia for its seeming lack of empathy for homeless people. But that was before I gained some up-close and personal experience — before my husband and I took a homeless woman into our home for a number of years and before I found out about the complexity of the issue.

I am reminded here of a story about a small town with a river running through it. One day, a person standing near the river saw a basket in the water with a baby inside. He went into the river and rescued that baby. Unfortunately, that did not solve the problem. Each day for more than a week, baby-filled baskets kept coming down the river and being retrieved, until some of the people in the town decided they needed to go upstream to find out why the baskets and babies were being put in the river. They needed to go to the source of the problem.

Likewise, feeding the hungry is only a small part of what is needed to help homeless people in Philadelphia, or any other place. They need mental and other health services, job training, safe and sanitary places to live, showers and laundry facilities, and many other things to get them out of the situations they are in. We need to deal with the causes of homelessness, not just treat the symptoms. My hope is that people of faith throughout our country will develop comprehensive programs to give homeless people an opportunity to thrive, not just survive.

Rev. Dr. Betty Stapleford
Unitarian Universalist Church of the Verdugo Hills
La Crescenta