Notes on a Christian Approach to Work, Property, and Community in Roger Crook's Introduction to Christian Ethics
[This post continues notes on various authors regarding wealth, poverty, and economic justice. Here is a chapter from Roger H Crook, An Introduction to Christian Ethics (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice
Hall, 1990), pp. 227-243. I have
organised the notes into the table, below.]
Crook’s concern is to
find a Christian approach to work,
property and community different from capitalism and communism. Note the compatibility of his approach to
natural law ethics.
Capitalism:
‘the system of private ownership of the instruments of production,
distribution, and exchange, and the use of those instruments under a plan of
individual initiative and open competition to earn private profit’ (Crook, p.
228):
1.
Problems
with property: acquisition and use of
property (falling into the hands of a few, misuse of property)
2.
Problems
with free enterprise: unrestricted
accumulation and use of money may run counter to the needs of society as a
whole
3.
Problems
with competition as the basis for trade:
competition to regulate quality of products, set prices, establish wages,
determine which products will be produced may not always be decided best by
unregulated competition in the market-place.
4.
Problems
with profit as the primary motive for
driving the economic system: but profit now may involve payment later in
destruction of the environment, or profit for a few may involve exploitation of
the labourer.
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Values
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Virtues
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Actions
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1.
‘Nature has an intrinsic value’: Gen. 1.31 (‘it was
very good’); Ps. 19, 89, etc (nature praises the Creator); Ps. 8 (nature
reflects Creator’s glory); Rom. 8.19ff (‘nature will take part in the final
fulfillment of God’s purposes)
2.
‘Human beings are part of the natural order’ and
interdependent with it: Gen. 1-2 (part of creation); Gen. 3.19 (made from the
dust).
3.
‘Human beings have a responsibility for the natural
order’ as trustees (not owners): Gen. 2.15 (till and keep the garden); Gen.
1.14 (‘dominion’ over creation)
a.
Value resources more than profit margins
b.
Value right of private property, but understood as
trustees of God’s world: Ps. 24.1 (‘the earth is the Lord’s and all the
fulness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein’); Ex. 20.15 (‘do not
steal’Ã private
ownership)
c.
Value the worker and work as a vocation (including
being able to see connection between the product and the worker, being free
to choose careers)
d.
Value the individual’s right to make significant
choices
4.
Value one’s neighbour: Lev. 19.18 (love your
neighbour as yourself)—perhaps going beyond the Genesis story, but creation
or natural law does impose on us the value of others against any selfishness
(or worse: vengeance, grudges—Lev. 19.18) to which we might be inclined
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1.
Individual: conservation of energy, reduction of
waste; acts of compassion towards the
needy (Mt. 25.40)
2.
Communal:
a.
Stop unfair distribution of wealth—unfair wage
distribution (jobs, gender, age, race, abilities); unfair control of wealth
by a few, unfair entrapment in poverty
b.
Assisting poor (Mt. 6.3; Lk. 18.22) and poor
nations: land reform, sharing technology, education, gender issues keeping
women in poverty
c.
Stop exploiting natural resources
d.
Educating others
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