Presentation on Faith and Economics at the 2009 Trans-Sea and East Asia Finance and Economics Conference Suzhou University Suzhou, China Archbishop Johnson was invited to present a paper on his work dealing with the interrelation between religion and economics at the Trans-Sea and East Asia Finance and Economics Conference in Suzhou, China. The conference was hosted by and held at Suzhou University. The modern flavor, global feel, and economic well-being of Suzhou made the location ideal for this conference, the primary topic of which was the current global economic crisis. Many scholars from China, Taiwan, and Korea attended to discuss their views and present their research that might give insight into the economic crisis and how to solve the problem. Dr. Johnson was the only representative of the United States (or any western country). +Johnson's presentation, which was of research still underway, began with a treatment of the potential psychological effects that religion and turning away from religion might have on consumer behavior. Included in this was the approximate doubling of wealth in the United States in the past 50 years, but also a marked decline in church attendance. The presentation further included Christian theology dealing with wealth and its potential to do both good and evil. It was suggested that there is a theoretical amount of wealth inherent to each individual past which that individual will behave financially and socially irresponsibly. For any given individual, this amount might be so high, that it can effectively never be reached. If a sufficiently large portion of a population reaches this level inherent to them and goes from responsible to irresponsible, it is possible that this can contribute to economic problems on a wide-reaching scale. Archdiocese Signs Concordat of Intercommunion with the Restoration Old Anglo-Catholic Church Archbishops Barnes and Johnson signed a Concordat of Intercommunion as a move towards spiritual unity among continuing Anglican jurisdictions. Archbishop Barnes is Primate of the Restoration Old Anglo-Catholic Church. Archdiocese Signs New Concordat of Intercommunion with the Traditional Anglican Province of Brazil Archbishop Rui Costa Barbosa of the Traditional Anglican Province of Brazil signed a Concordat of Intercommunion with Archbishop Johnson and the Archdiocese of the Southwest. The Traditional Anglican Province of Brazil has four dioceses within it and maintains the doctrine of traditional Anglicanism in Brazil. The Province also has intercommunion established with other traditional Anglican jurisdictions around the world. The Archdiocese of the Southwest is pleased and honored to join in a state of intercommunion with this great Province in South America. Archbishop Rui Costa Barbosa Archdiocese Participates in the Ringing of the Bell of Peace at the Demilitarized Zone in Korea In June 2009, members of the Archdiocese rang the Bell of Peace at the Demilitarized Zone (South Korean side) at its hourly ringing. The bell is rung during main daytime hours, seven times every hour on the hour. The bell stands as a symbol for peace in the Korean peninsula, in Asia, and in the world. Bell of Peace Bridge over which prisoner exchanges were made.