BusinessTowards a Christian approach

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8467833.stm

What do these have in common?

George Cadbury (1839 - 1922)

Cadbury “We consider that our people spend the greatest part of their lives at work, we wish to make it less irksome by environing them with pleasant and wholesome sights, sounds and conditions”

Cadbury “We consider that our people spend the greatest part of their lives at work, we wish to make it less irksome by environing them with pleasant and wholesome sights, sounds and conditions”

“I have for many years given practically the whole of my income for charitable purposes, except what is spent upon my family. Nearly all my money is invested in businesses in which I believe I can truly say the first thought of the welfare of the work people employed.”

“I have for many years given practically the whole of my income for charitable purposes, except what is spent upon my family. Nearly all my money is invested in businesses in which I believe I can truly say the first thought of the welfare of the work people employed.”

Originally 24 houses for the key workers - then 300 houses.Large rooms and gardensSchool, hospital, reading rooms and wash houses.Houses were grouped in cul-de sacs to aid community.

Originally 24 houses for the key workers - then 300 houses.Large rooms and gardensSchool, hospital, reading rooms and wash houses.Houses were grouped in cul-de sacs to aid community.

Some of the Bournville buildings

“Forty years ago I visited among my scholars and knew their hardships and the difficulties men have to contend with when they are reformed - unattractive neighbourhoods, no social life and but few objects of interest in and around their homes. But if each man could have his own house, a large garden to cultivate and healthy surroundings - then, I thought, there will be for them a better opportunity of a happy family life.”

Largely through my experience among the back streets of Birmingham I have been brought to the conclusion that it is impossible to raise a nation, morally, physically, and spiritually in such surroundings, and that the only effective way to bring men out of the cities into the country and to give every man his garden where he can come into touch with nature and thus know more of nature's God.

“Forty years ago I visited among my scholars and knew their hardships and the difficulties men have to contend with when they are reformed - unattractive neighbourhoods, no social life and but few objects of interest in and around their homes. But if each man could have his own house, a large garden to cultivate and healthy surroundings - then, I thought, there will be for them a better opportunity of a happy family life.”

Largely through my experience among the back streets of Birmingham I have been brought to the conclusion that it is impossible to raise a nation, morally, physically, and spiritually in such surroundings, and that the only effective way to bring men out of the cities into the country and to give every man his garden where he can come into touch with nature and thus know more of nature's God.

Swimming pool at the Bournville factory

Cadbury Brothers already had a reputation as a good employer, having introduced Saturday half days and Bank Holiday closing. At Bournville Cadbury introduced a wide variety of sporting and recreational facilities. There was a kitchen for heating up food and later a works canteen was added. The company also provided medical and dental treatment.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REcadbury.htm

Cadbury Brothers already had a reputation as a good employer, having introduced Saturday half days and Bank Holiday closing. At Bournville Cadbury introduced a wide variety of sporting and recreational facilities. There was a kitchen for heating up food and later a works canteen was added. The company also provided medical and dental treatment.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REcadbury.htm

BusinessTowards a Christian approach

Noah - the first Christian business person?

 Ex 3 21 "And I will make the Egyptians favourably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbour and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.

Ex 32"Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me." 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."

Some misconceptions

1. Business is not a necessary evil

Business is good

It should reflect God’s character:

a concern for honesty, integrity and justice

Proverbs 11: 1

.. accurate weight’s are the Lord’s delight ....

The creational structure of business is affirmed.

Develops and unfolds creation

Provides meaningful employment

Enables people to provide for their family

St. Augustine said, "Business is in itself an evil."

Jerome, "A man who is a merchant can seldom if ever please God."

St. John Chrysostom put it this way, "How did you become rich? Can you show the acquisition just? It cannot be. The root and origin of it must have been injustice."

St. Augustine said, "Business is in itself an evil."

Jerome, "A man who is a merchant can seldom if ever please God."

St. John Chrysostom put it this way, "How did you become rich? Can you show the acquisition just? It cannot be. The root and origin of it must have been injustice."

Some misconceptions

1. Business is not a necessary evil

Business is good

but can easily be misdirected

Proverbs 11: 1

.. accurate weight’s are the Lord’s delight ....

The Lord abhor’s dishonest scales

Some misconceptions

1. Business is not a necessary evil

Business is good

but can easily be misdirected

2. It is not a neutral activity

Some misconceptions

1. Business is not a necessary evil

Business is good

but can easily be misdirected

2. It is not a neutral activity

3. A business is not Christian because it was set up by a church or by Christians

Some misconceptions

1. Business is not a necessary evil

Business is good

but can easily be misdirected

2. It is not a neutral activity

3. A business is not Christian because it was set up by a church or by Christians

4. A business is not Christian because it has Christian employees or because it employees pray before and after the working day.

Some misconceptions

1. Business is not a necessary evil

Business is good

but can easily be misdirected

2. It is not a neutral activity

3. A business is not Christian because it was set up by a church or by Christians

4. A business is not Christian because it has Christian employees or because it employees pray before and after the working day.

5. A business is not Christian because it is run morally and ethically - it takes more than business ethics!

Some misconceptions

1. Business is not a necessary evil

Business is good

but can easily be misdirected

2. It is not a neutral activity

3. A business is not Christian because it was set up by a church or by Christians

4. A business is not Christian because it has Christian employees or because it employees pray before and after the working day.

5. A business is not Christian because it is run morally and ethically - it takes more than business ethics!

How can faith transform business?

Some key issues/ questions

1. What is the calling of (the) business?

2. What creational principles should shape business?

3. What norms should business obey?

4. How has the fall distorted business?

4. What are the dominant idolatries?

5. How can these be subverted?

6. How can business be redeemed?

13 " 'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property.

Principles from the law: Leviticus 25

 14 " 'If you sell land to one of your countrymen or buy any from him,

15 You are to buy from your countryman on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And he is to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops. 16 When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what he is really selling you is the number of crops.

17 Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the LORD your God.

 18 " 'Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land. 19 Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live there in safety. 20 You may ask, "What will we eat in the seventh year if we do not plant or harvest our crops?" 21 I will send you such a blessing in the sixth year that the land will yield enough for three years. 22 While you plant during the eighth year, you will eat from the old crop and will continue to eat from it until the harvest of the ninth year comes in.

 23 " 'The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. 24 Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land.

do not take advantage of each other.

There was once an engineer who owned his own business – he wanted to be Christian in all that he did.

He was accurate in all his measurements, he worked hard and was an example to his employees, he made sure he had time for his own family, he treated his employees well, he didn’t swear, he shared his faith with his co-workers and invited them to the Alpha course, he tried where possible to use Fairtrade and sustainable products.

It wasn’t until later he realised his company been helpinginstall the gas system at Auschwitz.

Was he being Christian in his work?

How could the Christian community help him?

A parable

To discuss

A Christian business woman works in middle management for a large supermarket chain. It becomes increasingly evident to her that the profit motive dominates her company to the exclusion of every other consideration - the bottom line of profit is all that really matters. But she recognises that this drive for profit means upholding unjust economic structures that exacerbate poverty in developing countries and ransack the natural environment.

Taken from Living at The Crossroads p. 131.

How is this business woman to respond if she wants to keep her job and address this injustice?

How could the Christian community help her?

God as an entrepreneur

1. He creates out of nothing

2. He is pervasive and thorough going

3. He innovates

4. He creates in the midst of chaos - he is not risk adverse

5. He has a strong sense of self

6. He is alert and attentive

The Lord is my entrepreneur, I shall innovate!

Ambulance drivers and tunnel builders