Christian Economics

BEFORE I start: I am not trying to espouse any particular economic or political view. This is simply an analysis, informed by some current heavy reading in Augustine's "City of God."

It seems to me that people (bloggers, Twitterites, etc.) are tending to either justify increased social benefits or, on the other hand, limitless economic freedom, from a Christian standpoint.

While I think applying one's personal beliefs and faith to social action, especially with concern for one's fellow human beings, is commendable, I think some people need to take a step back.

While it is a Christian duty to work within one's civic situation (or outside of it, depending upon the restrictions and limitations of one's state - see Dietrich Bonhoeffer), these kinds of actions can lead to the mistaken beliefs that human institutions (communism, socialism, free-trade economies, lassez fair) can ultimately bring about the "Kingdom of God."

There are two reasons people come to this mistaken conclusion:

First, our own arrogance and hubris (ultimately the reality of human sinfulness) tempts us to believe that our own efforts are enough to accomplish tasks of Biblical proportions. While human accomplishments thus far are nothing short of astounding, our equal capability for destruction and our tendency to bungle even the simplest things (like welfare), even with the best of intentions, shows how ultimately flawed we are.

Secondly, inattention to the message of Jesus, as he conveyed it, leads people to believe that the Kingdom of God is something that we must work to bring about. "The kingdom of God is NOW" asserts quite the opposite. God comes to us through the person of Jesus Christ (or, if you are Jewish, Muslim, or a non-trinitarian Christian), through the words of inspired scripture, which assert God's presence among us. This guiding force is, in my opinion, less a conquering spirit, sent by God to "reclaim" our "lost Earth" for holy people, but rather a spirit of revolution, come to radically change people's perspectives and lead us to more whole, loving relationships with one another.

Ultimately, the Kingdom of God manifests itself in individual works of love, compassion, and charity between individuals. The hope that this new, revolutionary spirit will ultimately change the "regulator" of individual relationships, that is, the government, is just that - a hope. If this change does happen, it will not be because governmental bodies accept the beliefs of one particular faith tradition but because the individuals who comprise that government will be themselves transformed.

This, however, has not happened in the 2,000 (give or take a few) years since the beginning of Jesus' mission, and I think it would be somewhat over-optimistic to look for it anytime soon, or to believe that one particular form of government (socialism, communism, democratic-republic) is more likely to bring it about.

Ultimately, the perfect Kingdom of God on Earth (if it does come at all) will be securely established not by human labors or well-intentioned political finagling, but rather by the providence of an omnipotent, eternally gracious God.


P.S. Don't get me started on Revelation - I'll save that for another blog post, tied into a discussion of the horrors of Biblical Literalism.