Tuesday, April 6, 2010

God or Mammon?

My brother Dave's blog is primarily about economics, mine primarily about theology.  But I have got to highlight to you guys, this post in which Dave quite properly calls out some of the ways in which church institutions seem to have forgotten which deity they ought to serve (Matt. 6:19-24).

Churches sometimes talk a good game about justice, and even do great works for justice.  But who stops to think about what their investment and property holdings say about justice?  Dave points out some flagrant examples in New Guinea where he's done extensive work. . .I would suggest that a look closer to home, even to the lavish "worship centers" we build and equip, would be equally valid.  Where, then, is our treasure?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You bring up some great concerns here. I have not had time to read your bro's post yet, but I was wondering if you have read Jacques Ellul? he has some great things to say about the god mammon in chapter 3 of Money and Power...

-- Kurt

Dan Martin said...

I have not read Elul, Kurt. If you have some particularly relevant quotes, I welcome them. Otherwise I'll just have to add that to the (painfully long) list of things I need to read some day. . .