A few weeks ago I shared a summary of a presentation by the Pacific
Conferences of Churches on the Exodus formation for Israel on Social
Justice. The two key points were
self-determination or political freedom and the covenant with God and it
involves collective responsibility - Israel is to exercise social justice
within itself and to ensure that no one is excluded from the shared
graciousness of the community. Freedom requires responsibility and to be
responsible requires freedom. “A society in which the few prosper but the many
starve, in which some but not all have access to good education, health care
and other basic needs, is not a place of liberty” (Sacks, 2000). Nor is it a
place of collective responsibility. The Biblical narrative insists that a free
society cannot be built on the rule of law alone; it must also be built on a
just distribution of resources (Tzedakah). The greatest act of tzedakah is one
that allows the person to be self-sufficient. In Mosaic Law: a person dependent
on tzedakah must give tzedakah, highlighting the truth that giving is an
essential part of human dignity. The
Biblical narrative understands equality to mean human honour and a society must
ensure equal dignity to each of its members.
If social justice is the
organising principle of the new social order, the economy and economic activity
is the mechanism or the means for wealth creation and distribution. Last
night’s final presentation at the PCC/FCC Lenten Talk Series was on Economic
Justice. The Biblical narrative does not prescribe how the economy ought to be
organised (or of any economic system). It does, however, provide moral guidelines as to its purpose,
the values it should be premised, and examples of corrective measures. It
is very important to understand that
insofar as the Biblical narrative is concerned, the economy is a means by which humanity creatively participate in
producing wealth and the means by which it (wealth) is distributed. Central to it is the care for the poor. The
fundamental moral principle is this: since we are trustees of God’s creation, we
are bound by its requirements to ensure that the benefits of what we produce
are shared.
The primary purpose of economic activity is precisely that since each
one is made in the image of God and, therefore, sacred, is not to be excluded
from the graciousness of the community (Gen 1:26). The earth and everything in
it is the Lord’s and Israel is bound by the responsibility of trusteeship to ensure
the freedom and creative participation of all, especially the poor, in the
development and enjoyment of the community’s wealth (Deut 10:12-19).
The specific economic principle is that Israel is to be co-creators
with God and they are to create and distribute the wealth they produce to cater
for everyone’s basic needs. The Biblical story of humanity begins with the
command: “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen 1:28)
Work is more than mere labour; there is a difference. Two Hebrew words:
“melakah” which means “work as creation” and “avodah” which means “work as
service or servitude”. Melakah is the word used to describe the arena in which
Israel were to transform the world and, hence, become partners with God in the
work and stewardship of creation. The creative God seeks creativity from His
human creation. It is in this sense that the Biblical narrative sees the
systems of economic exchange and trade as necessary because these allow for the
creation of wealth through human creativity and competition. At various times
in the Old Testament and the New Testament, Israel failed to remember these
principles and Moses, the Prophets and Jesus chastised them for doing so.
The
Covenant expresses God’s desire that: “There are to be no poor among you” (Deut
15:4). The Sabbatical Year (Lev 25:1-7; Deut15:1-11) and the Jubilee Year (Lev
25:6-17) set in place mechanisms to restore justice and greater equality in
society. These mechanisms were to remind
Israel that, as a people freed from slavery and oppression, they were to be
concerned for the poor in their midst and not to exploit and oppress (widows,
strangers and orphans) and not to allow anyone to be downtrodden and treated as
slaves. Even though the promise land was given to Israel, they were to share it
with strangers who might come to live among them (Eze 47:21-22). The Old
Testament Prophets Amos, Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Elijah, Ezechiel and others often raised their voices to speak out in
God's name when the dominant socio-economic system of their day stood in
opposition to God's dream expressed in the covenant. Jesus revived the covenant dream under a new
name - what he called "the Kingdom of God" (Luke 4:43). The Kingdom envisaged a time of reversals and
alternatives to the existing socio-economic regime.
Economic activity is
necessary because it gives expression to
human freedom, creativity, although the biblical narrative insists that
there must be limits to how far
economics can interfere with nature and equity in the participation of wealth creation and wealth distribution.
God seeks the free worship of
human beings, and two of the most
powerful defence of human freedom, creativity and integrity are “private” property and economic independence.
Moral dimensions of economics or the “market”
as understood by the Biblical narrative as the medium of trade and exchange of
goods
If anything has a
moral dimension, economics does. Prophet Isaiah (1:17-23) makes the point that
without political and economic virtue, religious piety or holiness is vain.
The Biblical narrative views wealth as a blessing is to
be enjoyed as such. The reason is that this world is God’s creation, therefore
it is good, and prosperity is a sign of God’s blessing
One of the recurring themes in Deuteronomy is: “You shall
rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given you and your
household.” (26:11). Economic growth has religious significance, first and
foremost because of the degree (perhaps more than other economic system in the
past) to which it allows us to alleviate poverty. Yet the Biblical narrative is
aware that economic gain and interest is not from benevolence but from
self-interest. “I saw that all labour and all achievement spring from man’s
envy of his neighbour” (Eccl 4:4). “Were it not for evil inclinations, no one
would build a house… or engage in business” (Genesis, Rabbah 9:7)
The great concern of the Biblical narrative was the
elimination of poverty by creating a society which the poor have access to help
when they needed it, charity for sure, but especially through job creation. Therefore,
while wealth is seen as a blessing, it comes with great responsibility.
Successful business men and women (Prov 31 is essentially a hymn of praise to
the businesswoman) were expected to set an example of public generosity and
communal leadership. Conspicuous consumption is frowned upon. The key point is
this: since wealth is a blessing, it carries a grave moral obligation to use it
for the benefit of the community as a whole.
Jesus was strong in the challenge he issued to the
rich of his time. In the Kingdom, he said, the rich must learn to share their
wealth with the poor or they will face eternal condemnation (Lk 16:19-31).
The poor, the hungry, the thirsty, the marginalized
and the lonely must be at the centre of our concern otherwise we will be cast
out of God's presence on the day of judgment (Mtt 25:41-46).
Without putting into practice the kingdom values of
caring and sharing and concern for others we can expect to hear Jesus’ harsh
words:
"How terrible
for you who are rich: you have had your easy life! How terrible for you who are
full: you will go hungry! How terrible for you who laugh: you will mourn and
weep!" (Lk 6:24f)
In other words issues of economic justice are very
serious for us and we must give them very serious attention. Bryan Hehir notes
that economic globalization has its own logic, but not its own ethic. The ethical principles on which globalization
need to be challenged are: the dignity
of every person, the common good, the option for the poor and solidarity. He writes:
“No political system
or economic system is self-justified: all social systems must be tested by what
they do to and for the dignity of the person. … Whatever threatens that dignity
becomes the business of the Church” (2001:1700-1702)
Of any
economic system, we are challenged to ask these questions:
Does it
enhances human dignity, create self-respect and encourages creativity?
Does it
allow everyone to participate in the material blessings of this created world?
Does it
sustain a climate of equal regard – for employees as well as employers, the
poor no less than the rich?
Does it
protect the vulnerable and help those in need to escape the trap of poverty,
does it ensures that no one lacks the means for a dignified existence and do
those who succeed share their blessings with those who have less?
Does the
economic system strength the bonds of solidarity? Does it know its own limits –
that the market is not the only mechanism of distribution, and that an economic
system is a means not an end?
Food for the soul and food for thought as we approach the
end of the season of Lent.
“Simplicity, Serenity, Spontaneity”
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