Thus, some distinctions regarding purist capitalism and the Christian view of economics are in order. We join in this task in our Special Focus, while discussing the worldview considerations of economics and its relationship to governance and freedom.
Some economists admit that their field is just as much a social science—whose core issue is human nature—as it is a hard mathematical science, as has been the predominant view in recent decades. Historians show us that up until the recent past, economics was inexorably bound up with the fields of ethics, government and even theology. For example, Augustine and the Bible both say much about how our view of man effects our view of wealth, poverty and economics and how these issues relate directly to sin, righteousness, justice and mercy. According to the 1981 statement by the Institute on Religion and Democracy, Christianity and Democracy, "We believe that the personal and institutional ownership and control of property—always as stewards of God to whom the whole creation belongs—contributes greatly to freedom. We note as a matter of historical fact that democratic governance exists only where the free market plays a large part in a society's economy." The Church universal is still debating the balance of values like mercy for the poor and the common good of the majority. Whatever your view, sample our Special Focus for more....
—Byron Barlowe, Editor/Webmaster, Leadership University
Justice, Mercy, and Economics Paul A. Cleveland Cleveland critiques what he sees as government's illegitimate use of its power for the redistribution of wealth, resulting in economic hardship, societal discord and the loss of freedom. This, he says, is a far cry from mercy, by which a benefactor willingly bequests, rather than being forced to give up that which he has attained.
A Biblical View of Economics Kerby Anderson This article provides a biblical framework for economics by showing how a biblical view of human nature is key in developing an economic system. The program also discusses the free enterprise system and addresses the economic and moral critiques of capitalism.
Money: A Biblical Point of View Christian Leadership Institute What does the Bible say about money? Is it all bad?
Morality, Prosperity Gene Edward Veith Veith insists that, "a free-market economy requires a moral culture." The ill-fated economy of Russia—which never developed into a market economy—provides a vivid example of a failure to wed the two.
Wealth and Poverty Kerby Anderson What do biblical views of wealth and poverty have to tell us about living today?
Choosing Abundance John P. Sisk Sisk propounds deep considerations of waste and abundance in modern society.
Two Cheers for Class Peter L. Berger Berger, Director of the Institute for the Study of Economic Culture at Boston University, draws from "pre–1960s sociology" to question the legitimacy of our present academic understanding of "class." After commenting on sister concepts "race" and "gender," he maintains that the class system leaves more room for achievement and social mobility—a mainstay of capitalism—than do ascribed systems, in which "the game [of social ordering] was essentially fixed at birth." The class system, he maintains, is the least distasteful of our imperfect choices.
Book Review: The Coming Anarchy, by Robert D. Kaplan First Things, June 2000 "Call it bracing or call it alarmist, Robert Kaplan has written a contrarian tract that is a necessary antidote to several brands of optimistic moonshine about the post–Cold War world.... Capitalism is not working for the vast majority of the world's people, he contends, and democracy requires social circumstances—mainly a stable middle class—enjoyed by relatively few. 'We are entering a bifurcated world. Part of the globe is inhabited by Hegel's and Fukuyama's Last Man, healthy, well fed, and pampered by technology. The other, larger, part is inhabited by Hobbes' First Man, condemned to a life that is "poor, nasty, brutish, and short."'"
Is Love Enough? Recreating the Economic Base of the Family Nancy Pearcey Design is not merely a scientific question. The reason origins questions excite such visceral responses is that they have profound moral and social implications. Pearcey offers fascinating insight into the history of women's role within the family, and shows how Darwinism influenced early feminism.
Globalization and Christian Ethics From Discernment Online, the Web newsletter of The Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College, Illinois. Leads off with the text of a debate held in 2000 on "The Ethical Challenges of Global Capitalism" featuring Michael Novak and Ron Sider and moderated by Michael Cromartie. Also includes, Ethical Questions Concerning the Global Market by Martin E. Marty and two other articles.
Evangelicals and the Poor A Prism Forum Discussion (Prism is a branch of Evangelicals for Social Action) "At a recent conference, Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center stated: It is a settled issue that 'the least of these' among us be treated with both charity and justice. Twenty years ago in evangelical circles, talk of justice and the least of these would have gotten one branded as a liberal—marginalized as a dangerous, controversial radical...."
Go here to see our past Special Focus features.