A few centuries ago the Dismal
Science of Economics and the Divine Science of Theology went to court
seeking a divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Economists claimed that
theologians had their heads in the clouds. Theologians countered that
economists had a cold and calculating hearts. The court of public opinion
granted the divorce. The two parties drifted further and further apart
with the passage of time, and their distrust of each other deepened. Then in
1759, Adam Smith, a leading economist, wrote, The Theory of Moral Sentiments,
and it seemed like there might be an opportunity for rapprochement. Yet, as
markets became more firmly established and theories of market economics became more
sophisticated, the chasm of distrust between economists and theologians
remained as deep as ever. Recently, however, there appears to be renewed
interest in both camps to start a new conversation. There is simply too much at
stake to allow the status quo to continue.
Let me cite two examples: the World
Council of Churches has identified global capitalism as an idolatry, and a
number of economists have argued that the defense of self-interest as a
cardinal virtue of the marketplace is, at best, myopic.
The rapacious nature of global
capitalism and its tendency to commodify everything has raised alarms not only
among members of faith communities, but also among climate scientists,
economists, and the general public. The chorus of prophetic voices decrying
this situation is growing louder and stronger. At the same time members of
faith communities are making significant contributions in shaping market
sectors. Organizations of Habitat for Humanity are redefining the meaning of
affordable housing. Faith communities are major providers of healthcare. Many
educational institutions are related to faith communities. In classic language,
faith organizations have both a prophetic and a priestly/pastoral presence in
the marketplace. Pension funds, of course, are one of linchpins creating a
tight bond between faith organizations and markets.
In the balance of this essay I want
to introduce three possible places of rapprochement between economics and
religion that people in a democratic society must have: the mental capacity to
make meaningful choices; the material means to act on and implement their
choices; and, authentic political communities of choice. I will call these
capacity-building vectors that must be present and coordinated in a healthy
democracy. From an economic perspective rather than limiting legitimate
interest to shareholders, we are beginning to hear new conversations that
recognize the valid interests of all stakeholders. Conversations in faith
communities tend to center around themes related to the common good.
Stakeholders have a shared interest in the common good, albeit at times these
interests may be in conflict.
In a vibrant democracy people must
have the mental capacity to make meaningful choices. Public education is one of
the battle grounds or meeting places for faith communities and economics. The
push to privatize and further commodify education through charter schools,
vouchers, and the like while at the same time curtailing or cutting funds for
public education poses a threat to the future of a democratic society. The
recent Chicago teachers strike serves as a case in point. Educators in Chicago
created a union, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), in 1937. The union did not
gain collective bargaining rights until 1966. In 1987, the CTU went on strike
for pay, reduced class size, and resources for the classroom. The CTU strike in
2012 focused on smaller class sizes, increased funding for music, art, physical
education, reduced emphasis on standard tests, and paid time for teachers to prepare
for classes. Once the Chicago teachers went back to work their message spread
across the country. Teacher strikes in New York City, San Francisco,
Minneapolis, Tampa, and points in between emphasized a community approach to
achieve educational reform. Lessons learned in these struggles continue to be
applied. According to US Department of Labor more than 485,000 workers went on
strike in 2018. The 2019 CTU strike was not just about long overdue pay
increases, but also for better resources to improve students lives, such as
increasing the number of counselors, nurses, and social social workers. The
focus on the need for these resource specialists is explained by changes in the
community such as increases in gun violence, domestic violence, and drug use.
Clearly many of the problems and challenges teachers confront in the classroom
have their origin outside the classroom. To address these issues requires broad
based community mobilization.
In a democracy people need the
mental capacity to make informed and meaningful choices. They also need the
material means that allows them to act on their choices. Using a Quality of
Life Index (QLI) economists and political leaders are able to track and assess
the well-being of communities at a very refined level. QLI measures include
such things as access to affordable and adequate health care, education, food
security, housing, public safety, and environmental sustainability. Rather than
focusing exclusively on the wealth gap and the wage gap, as seems to be the current
obsession of the public media, our society would make more progress toward
creating a stronger democracy if we focused on ways to improve the QLI of those
members of society who are most a risk. A shared commitment to a better QLI for
the most vulnerable members of society could be a point of rapprochement for
economists and theologians, and provide a road map for the future.
Thirdly, in a vibrant democracy
people need to be able to participate in meaningful ways in political
communities that are transparent and accountable. Faith communities can be
places where people learn basic skills such as sharing resources and
responsibilities that are needed to create and sustain such communities.
Lessons learned in these communities can be put to use in the public square.
Faith communities can also become educational centers where people learn how to
do community analysis.
Economists trained in schools of
economics that teach in primacy of self-interest and who sanctify the bottom
line may dismiss the foregoing as being unrealistic and just another example of
head-in-the-clouds theology. But I believe that we live in a time when a
rapprochement between theologians and economists is not only possible; it is
necessary.
Rev. David Hansen, Ph.D.
Contributor
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