Public Theology & Christian Living

by Craig Branch –

One of the major focuses of the Apologetics Resource Center is to teach Christians about our responsibility to understand and apply a biblical worldview in all areas of
life. Our calling as Christians is more than going to heaven and escaping hell. In addition to our calling to redemptively engage people, we are also called to engage ideas and the resulting cultural institutions. Jesus expressed it when He said we are called to be salt and light in the world (Matt. 5:13-16). Paul taught that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4-6).

One’s worldview is how one understands and defines reality. As Christians, we are to understand how God designed the way for mankind to interact with one another and His creation. Major areas addressed by worldviews include theology, ethics, philosophy, biology, sociology, law, government and economics, and more. Too many Christians compartmentalize many of these categories, separating them from our faith. Instead we should be applying a Biblical moral framework within these categories.

Worldview and Economics

This issue of Areopagus Journal focuses on the topic of economics. With the current political debates raging over economic policy, we need a good understanding of economics and the fundamental principles upon which it is rightly based. Many characterize our current experience as an economic crisis which impacts jobs, medical coverage, investments, housing, retirement, etc. In fact, our economic system is no longer autonomous or self-contained.

We are now significantly integrated with other countries and their economic systems. So does the Bible reveal any structure, guidelines, or parameters for economic policy in society? Did God reveal economic structures for Israel and for Christians and the new Israel? Does Jesus establish socialism when He teaches us to “Sell your possessions and give to charity,” and “do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . . No one can serve two masters. . . . You cannot serve God and wealth” (Luke 12:33, Matt. 6:19-20, 24)?

Does Luke provide a socialistic structure as he reports on and commends the Spirit-filled early church where “all those who believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone who might have need” (Acts 2:44-45)? Or again, Luke reports that the early Church “were of one heart and soul, and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. . . . For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds and lay them at the apostles feet to be distributed to each as any had need” (Acts 4:32, 34-35).

So is the Bible promoting a welfare system? Is it voluntary or mandatory? Should it be government-run or Church-run? Socialism? Communism? This issue of Areopagus Journal presents the case for the Biblical and historical framework of free enterprise, free market capitalism. The contributors will define capitalism as an economic system which recognizes a fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property, limited government, and the resulting responsibility for the means of production, as well as human creativity in the economic sector.

But Scripture also warns about our fallen nature and its impact on economics. There can be little doubt that capitalism in the hands of sinners can inspire selfish greed, consumerism, materialism, hedonism and the exploitation of the weak and poor. What we aim to present in this journal is a biblical view on economics that helps Christians individually and collectively to influence relationships between governments and markets for the better in the context of a democracy so that Christian values influence the operation of capitalism. We aim as well to promote private and collective agencies like churches and charities that freely fund the care of the weak and helpless.

Alvin Schmidt writes in his book, How Christianity Changed the World, “To be sure, the economic freedom of capitalism can be abused and misused, and on occasion this has unfortunately happened. . . . [But] is it merely accidental that the greatest amount of freedom and accompanying economic prosperity happen to exist in the countries where Christianity has had, and continues to have, a dominant presence and influence?”

In this issue
So how can Christians think Christianly—that is, with a Christian worldview—about national and global capitalism? In this Areopagus Journal on economics, four writers aim to provide the reader with a foundational understanding of the subject upon which to build. Two articles deal with basic methodological issues surrounding the question about how to best engage in the inquiry of the subject, while the other two articles explore some of the foundational principles that ought never to be abandoned.

In “Christian Anthropology and Economic Method,” Shawn Ritenour explores the Christian roots of the study of economics and proposes the proper method for investigating the subject. He traces the origins of economics back to the Scholasticism of the sixteenth century. He notes that any study of human beings must begin with an affirmation of the imago dei (image of God) if it is to be consistent with Christianity. He points out the gross errors in thought that have proceeded from the spread of historicism and positivism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

In a similar vein, ARC’s own Paul Cleveland argues that Christians need to stand firm upon the natural law foundations that undergird the study of morality and economics in his “The Compelling Natural Law Case for the Free Market.” He shows the nature of the historical struggle against the whims of people with power who have used their positions to pursue evil purposes in this world rather than to protect the equal rights of all. In that discussion, he traces the political progress of natural law thought as it was brought to bear in England and its Colonies. In addition, he considers the progress of new forms of tyranny and despotism that have resulted from naturalism and legal positivism and have caused widespread economic damage.

In terms of establishing foundational principles, Dr. Eric Schansberg argues for the Christian affirmation of private property in his article, “A Christian understanding of Economics: Mutual Gains from Trade.” Beginning with the reality that people bear the image of God, Schansberg considers the nature of social interaction in this world and notes that voluntary exchange is mutually beneficial at both the individual and national levels. Private property is immediately relevant because people cannot exchange that which they do not possess. Thus, respect for and protection of the property rights of others is a fundamental moral duty for the Christian.

Finally, Dr. Thomas Tacker reinforces why Christians should affirm the private property rights of all in his article, “Life, Liberty, and Property.” Beginning with the problem of the commons, Tacker considers the nature of private property and explores some ongoing issues that threaten it. In one such consideration, he notes that the aggressive taxation of people generally undermines individual human rights, thus enslaving the citizenry.

While this collection of articles does not give a comprehensive system of economics, it does lay some foundational structures for our consideration. You are encouraged to study the subject more broadly by reading the books and materials referenced in these articles. For example, An Introduction to Christian Economics by Gary North attempts to lay out a “specific concrete biblical revelation concerning the limits of economic theory and practice.” North lays out a somewhat comprehensive outline of the various elements of biblical economic thought as revealed in the Old and New Testaments.

Alternative Views
We should also mention that there are differing views among Christians on this subject. The most common difference among evangelicals, albeit not very prominent, is a view that capitalism can cause an ever-widening gap between the poor and the advantaged. Some also argue that free market capitalism will create a threat to the environment, as consumerism trumps stewardship.

The same authors also argue that the consumerism of sinful people invariably leads to hedonism. They will often point to the passages noted earlier in this article, interpreting them as pointing to a model of communal socialism. As Craig Gay points out, “Basically, money has become one of the most important ‘measures’ in determining the ‘value’ in the contemporary world.” They see capitalism as leading to “life, liberty and the pursuit of material happiness.” I believe they have a valid point. All institutions that God has established before and after the Fall, such as environmental stewardship and marriage/family were sinfully affected by the Fall.

But rather than throw out “the baby with the bath water,” we should seek to redeem the fallen aspects of those institutions. The passages referred to, taken in context, do not dispute the value of earning a wage (“a laborer is worthy of his wage”—Matt. 10:10; Luke 10:7) or of private property (“Before it was sold, did it not belong to you?”—Acts 5:4), but simply confirm the valid point of concern that “the love of money is the root of all evil” (i.e., narcissistic and hedonistic consumerism—1 Tim. 3:3, 6:10; 2 Tim. 3:2). That is why the Church is given the pattern for a heart of sharing our earned resources with others in Acts 2 and 4. Some books I recommend that emphasize these points are:

The Consuming Passion: Christianity and the Consumer Culture, edited by Rodney Clapp.

Economics in Christian Perspective: Theory, Policy, and Life Choices by Victor Claar and Robin Klay.

Take a look at your money, any money, coin or paper. On all of our government instruments we find the inscription, “In God We Trust.” I find this very ironic in several ways. One irony is that most peoples’ actual trust is in what the money can purchase. Whether it is things or activities, we trust those things to make us happy rather than God. Another irony is that even though the court’s interpretation of the Constitutional “Establishment Clause” is a separation of church and state, here we have the blatant message from our government that we should trust in God in both government and wealth. So from now on, let us try to understand how we should trust in God’s system for our economic structures and life, even through a limited government. Whenever we look at that inscription, we should be encouraged to learn how to administer God’s way of economics.

Let me close with the remarks of Craig Gay: “Free market capitalism is a remarkably good system, but it is not perfect. The system has always stood and will always stand in need of moral valuation and discipline. Along this line, I believe we should use modern capitalism for the sake of our fellow servants, showing them grace, forgiving their debts [not irresponsibly], lightening their burdens, and employing whatever temporal wealth we have in the service of fellowship and friendship—always placing our hope in the goodness of God.”

Craig Branch is the director of the Apologetics Resource Center, Birmingham, Alabama. He is also the co-author (with John Ankerberg and John Weldon) of the book, Public Schools: The Sorcerer’s New Apprentice?

Notes
¹Alvin Schmidt, How Christianity Changed the World.( Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004) 207.

 ²Gary North, An Introduction to Christian Economics (The Craig Press, 1979), ix.
³Craig Gay, Cash Values: Money and the Erosion of Meaning in Today’s Society (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004) 17.
⁴Gay, Cash Values, 99.

Recommended Books

Basic Economics 
by Paul A. Cleveland (Boundary Stone)

Inherit the Earth: Biblical Principles of Economics
by Gary North (Dominion)

The Wealth of Nations
by Adam Smith (Simon and Brown)

Basic Economics
by Thomas Sowell (Basic Books).