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The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search |
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a healthy church...transformingLIFE |
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December 2005 |
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Beyond GreedBook reviewed by Edward Vaughan Brian Rosner's book Beyond Greed seeks to challenge Christian belief and behaviour on money. He argues that we have been blinded to the issue of greed. As modern Western Christians we have bought into materialism so totally that we have lost touch with the Bible's teaching on greed and contentment. In fact we have lost sight of greed as idolatry, and therefore minimised the impact of the Bible's teaching on greed. A welcome challenge to our thinking, it's worth reading because it's helpful and challenging to our own attitudes to money. Of course, Rosner is writing in a context that is controversial. Hillsong's Brian Houston and others are accused of having a 'prosperity theology', which promises, in crass and simplistic ways, that it is the will of God that we should be financially rich. The problem with these kinds of theological debates is that they tend to polarise people. A lot of heresy is not just saying things that are not true, but also over-emphasising things which are true. It's worth addressing these questions: Does God bless people? Does he do so in material ways? Does God only bless in 'spiritual' ways? Should I feel guilty if I happen to be good at business? If I work hard and smart, and generate substantial amounts of capital, have I committed the sin of greed? Is it possible to be rich and generous? Does God materially bless those who materially bless others? Or is he just the ruler of the spiritual world alone, and not the ruler of the material world? Getting the balance right is hard. Beyond Greed is a good place to start.
The Rev. Edward Vaughan is senior minister at Darling Street Anglican Church. Review from Sydney Anglicans Network Beyond Greed by Brian Rosner Matthias Media, 2004 |
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