José Miguez Bonino: Four themes

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Then [Jesus] said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15

“I would dare to point out at least four themes that run through the different interpretations of the Bible with respect to economics.

1. The condition of the poor—aliens, widows, orphans, the weak or vulnerable—appears almost always in the interpretations, even in the cases in which it is seen as a result of laziness or carelessness, as a challenge or a call to piety, almsgiving, justice, solidarity, or vindication.

2. Economic life is conceived always as a question of community. Rich and poor are always interrelated. “Economic destinies” are not isolated but related—in solidarity, destructively, or through dependence. In the final analysis, all are included as conflict, as demand, as promise.

3. God demands justice: Clement can see it as sharing; Calvin distinguishes charity and communicative justice; Duchrow sees it as a structural matter. But all, in one way or another, try to link the theme of economics to the demand for justice.

4. All these texts underline the risk that economic power represents, either by enclosing human beings in the realm of the material, by making them insensitive to the neighbor, “prisoners of Mammon,” or by leading them to the “idolatry” of wealth, of money, or of vanity.”

José Miguez Bonino in “The Economic Dimension of Biblical Hermeneutics” in in God’s Economy: Biblical Studies from Latin America edited by Ross and Gloria Kinsler (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2005) 41.

Bonino does a great job summarizing the themes linked to money in the Scriptures. Which one stuck out to you? I am in Latin America right now, and the point which jumped out to me was #2.

Latin Americans grasp the “community” aspect of money and possessions. As an American, my culture tells me everything I possess is mine, because I earned it. This thinking disconnects me from others. It’s toxic.

Jesus would say “Beware!” because such thinking turns us into rich fools instead of generous stewards. Our care for the poor is a reflection of our piety or lack thereof. God demands justice and care of neighbor.

At dinner last night I learned that a network of churches in Ecuador said they were raising money for missionaries and the effort reached its goal. Then, sadly, the funds were spent on other efforts.

This example of corruption in the church caused shame to be brought to the name of Christ and crushed local giving. Julieta Murillo was wounded from this. She said our meetings are “healing” her and giving her “hope.”

Today is a full day of meetings and biblical teaching with Christian workers. The goal is to multiply faithful stewards and equip national workers to follow standards to grow local giving. Appreciate your prayers.