Month: July 2012

July 19, 2012

Monks, Florists, and the Poor

It’s hard to think of anything more onerous than preventing enterprising people from entering the market. To do so is to interfere with their ability to serve others and engage in their vocation. Continue Reading...
July 19, 2012

Is Capitalism the Most Biblical Economic Model?

Richard Land argues the case that free-market capitalism is the economic model that most closely fits in with Christian anthropology: When I lived in England as a Ph.D. student, I was visited during my first fortnight in the country by a fellow student seeking to sign me up for the Socialist Club. Continue Reading...
July 19, 2012

Praying for Rain in a Drought

A Reuters article highlights the fact that U.S. Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack is praying for rain to help relieve droughts in the Midwest. The drought is having a significant impact on farmers and their crops. Continue Reading...
July 19, 2012

Churches and Climate Change

I belong to the Christian Reformed Church, and our synod this year decided to formally adopt a report and statements related to creation care and specifically to climate change. I noted this at the time, and that one of the delegates admitted, “I’m a skeptic on much of this.” Continue Reading...
July 18, 2012

‘Does God Like Economics?’

That’s the question asked at the “Economics for Everybody” blog. The answer? A resounding yes: Work is important to God. It’s so important that He put Adam in the garden “to work it and keep it.” Continue Reading...
July 18, 2012

Acton Commentary: It Takes a Village to Raise a Business

President Obama’s speech last week in which he asserted to businesspeople, “You didn’t build that,” has been getting some pretty harsh and some pretty hilarious responses. In this week’s Acton Commentary, “It Takes a Village to Raise a Business,” I caution against responses that play into a simple individualist/collectivist dichotomy that underlays the president’s message: We all know at some level that we didn’t get where we are on our own, and that we have an ongoing responsibility and dependence on others for our continuing enjoyment of the goods of human existence. Continue Reading...
July 18, 2012

How Did Business Shape Jesus’ Life?

“What life experiences would best prepare Jesus for his later public ministry,” ask Klaus Issler, “for his distinctive divine-human role as Messiah and Savior of the world?” We might think being born into a priest’s family would provide an excellent heritage for the Messiah, which was the life situation for Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptizer (Luke 1:5–17). Continue Reading...
July 17, 2012

Let Them Eat Cheese

Turns out that cronyism hits more than just your pocketbook. There’s a good chance it’s hitting your waistline too. That’s the takeaway from this editorial by Charles Lane. You see, cheese is one of the highest fat foods we eat, and our country overproduces cheese because of government created market distortions. Continue Reading...