Edgework

In this essay I will wrestle more directly with the question of how I, as a Jesus-Follower, should think and respond to global economic systems. In other words, I will be asking how visions of Kingdom economics should affect how I live.

In one sense, it is impossible not to participate in the economic construct that surrounds me even though my faith perspective puts me at odds with some of its darker sides. At the same time, I suggest that it is not appropriate to equate any given economic system operating in the world with “the” Christian way. I believe that people of faith must always find a place to stand outside of such systems that is informed by their faith perspective.

In a recent posting, Drew Smith made this point when he stated, “We should never equate any political or economic ideology, such as capitalism or socialism, with being Christian or non-Christian.” This is the case, he argues, because, “God’s economy, as envisioned by Jesus, confronts the economies of the world with their inherent inconsistencies toward humanity that caused some to be rich and other to be poor, and judges them as unjust.” Smith states that the quote Paul draws forward from Exodus should still light our path: “The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little” (2 Corinthians 8:15). Can we envision such a world?

Ted Grimrud, a Jesus-Follower in Virginia, just posted a blog yesterday in which he suggests that the labels “capitalism” and “socialism” have exhausted their usefulness. He says that both systems have too much negative baggage that can be used as cudgels to increase polarization and limit our efforts to transcend such a binary world. Drawing on James C. Scott’s book, Seeing Like a State, Grimsrud makes the case that while both systems may have some kind of rational and ethical foundations, their tendencies toward centralization, which translates to “top down power,” is what hurts people and destroys true democracy in both systems.

Within global capitalism, as practiced today, power is centralized within global corporations intent on maximizing profits for shareholders and within socialism it is centralized within the state. In both cases there is a powerful impulse toward corruption, massive inequities and a destruction of true democracy. To help us envision more positive outcomes, Grimsrud proposes that instead of using global, corporate capitalism as our primary exhibit of a free-enterprise model, we would do better to think of capitalism as Adam Smith saw it – a market-oriented economy that spurs innovation and meets actual needs of people. And instead of using the former Soviet Union as our primary exhibit for socialism, we would do better to put on display the Scandinavian-style of socialism, a much more positive alternative.

But better yet, we should simply be asking the question as to what makes for a strong democracy, says Grimsrud. If we could just forget the labels “capitalism” and “socialism” and focus on strengthening democracy we may find a way forward that carries at least some of the markers of Kingdom economics. In his vision he sees:

…an even playing field for locally-owned small businesses vis-á-vis the big boxes; access for voting for everyone; a guaranteed living wage; an end to big money dominating politics; universal healthcare; rebuilt infrastructure with union jobs; revitalized labor movement in general; renewable energy; support for family farms, et al.

In an August, 2018 post, “God’s Kingdom Has a Startling Economic System,” Michael Rhodes raises the question as to why Christians like to talk about unique ideas about marriage and sexuality in God’s Kingdom while often failing to see anything distinctive about God’s view of economics. Rhodes takes note of a standard definition of economics seen in University textbooks: “Economics is concerned with the efficient use or management of limited productive resources to achieve maximum satisfaction of human material wants.” Then he envisions what this definition might look like if written by Jesus. He comes up with: “Economics is the study of humanity’s consumption, production, and exchange of goods and services in order to steward King Jesus’ creation.” Look carefully and you will see a world of difference.

Because I had been toying recently with the image of a “potluck” as a helpful image when thinking about God’s economy, I was delighted that Rhodes raised the same idea. “The Bible’s economic vision isn’t a vastly more equitable soup kitchen where everyone gets fed; it’s a potluck feast where everyone brings a plate.” While I support feeding the hungry and agree that in our present situation food banks may be necessary, I can’t help but think that there is something horribly wrong with an economic system that requires hundreds of foodbanks to feed the hungry in a wealthy, modern country like ours. Rhodes says, “A soup kitchen (or we could say a foodbank) creates a room full of haves and have-nots. At a potluck, everyone gives to and receives from everyone else.”

I find myself lingering for a while with these thoughts. I have been at hundreds of potlucks and there has always been enough food for all – except in a few cases where someone tried to dictate who should bring what (a case where centralization spoiled the party). A potluck assumes that everyone has something to bring. When our economic construct ends up leaving some people without anything to bring we end up with foodbanks instead of potlucks. It seems to me that in God’s vision of a healthy economy everyone shares in its benefits so they can participate joyfully in a potluck instead of making a humiliating trip to the food bank to get by.

One more thought I came across recently: Churches tend to spiritualize Jesus’ parables, claiming that they are “earthly stories with heavenly meanings.” Perhaps if we could see how many of these parables speak directly about Kingdom economics, here and now, we would get a better picture of what Kingdom economics is all about.