...BUSINESS FOR THE GLORY OF GOD The Bible’s Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business Book Review BUSI 301 In the book, “Business for the Glory of God”, the author, Wayne Grudem, states there are many aspects of business that a Christian can use to glorify God. The main aspects are Ownership, Productivity, Employment, Profit, Money and Borrowing and Lending. According to Grudem, all these things can bring glory to God in the way they reflect the nature that is God and His provision for man. God structured humans in such an intricate way to give them the ability to provide food, shelter and clothing for themselves and families. He also designed us to be a part of a community, one with an economic system for sustainability. The basis for all economic systems is free enterprise. The ability to govern one’s own business and to set forth the mandates therein is essential to the well being of any strong economy. In today’s marketplace, many consumers have become weary of businesses due to the high level of corruptness and the large amount of government interference. Grudem suggest that rather than business being viewed with inherently evil motives, consumers should understand that business activities are sometimes manipulated and used as a means to sin. In this book, he proposes that the practice and nature of business is a blessing given by God to mankind. The Introduction and fist chapter begin by acknowledging that many view business ownership as a means to procure...
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...is a great resource on business and each chapter starts with a phrase. The book has many opportunities for glorifying God but also many temptations to sin and what it can do to you and your business. The writer Grudem concisely lays out his reasons why business is good and very briefly raising some of the dangers of greed, envy and materialism. The weakest arguments by far are his argument that inequality of possessions is the way God intended things to be, that this is a good thing that gives glory to God. While extreme wealth and extreme poverty are both considered 'bad things' there's no way of drawing a line, no attempt at working out how some inequality is good but too much inequality is bad. Nor is there recognition that in the countries that have excelled in competition, profit making and generally getting rich is also the countries with the greatest inequality. So while it is good to be in business, and it is good to equip those who are called to business, this short book is unbalanced by taking complicated issues and making them black and white. For me is what the Bible is about taking a yes being a yes and a no meaning don’t do it, nor go there because he gives you all the reasons of what happens in evil deeds. Companies close, people go bankrupt and show on the news of people going to jail for fraud for being greedy. Hebrews 12:11 NIV No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for...
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...Summer Hensley Mrs. Pond Transitional English 9 September 2016 US History DBQ: English Colonies, North and South The east coast of North America was settled by English settlers of the same ethnicity, yet by the 1700 they had developed into two totally different societies. In the Massachusetts colony, a theocracy was established based on the strict Puritan beliefs as written in the Bible. The settlers worked together in order to guarantee their mutual survival. The Virginia settlers, on the other hand, were young, single men out too make their fortunes, and their priority to achieve personal wealth. The Chesapeake people were only after gold not willing to help the poor, not for a family either. The governor of Virginia wanted his prosperity...
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...Christian Social Thought puts it, the “encumbered self.” Religionists are not simply free-will individuals bound to choose their religious convictions as they choose between McDonalds or Burger King. Rather, people of faith are fundamentally identified by their faith convictions and communities. These commitments are seemingly foreign to the court that Hitchcock describes. Will religious institutions, as a community of faith, be able to withstand employment discrimination lawsuits posed by individuals? Will parents, as the children’s most fundamental community, continue to be able to pass on religious values, through private education and homeschooling, even if deemed divisive and irrational by society at large? Furthermore, a liberal worldview that views true knowledge as rational and leaves issues of faith to personal speculations necessarily gives religious believers a disadvantage in the area of church-state relations. As Hitchcock accurately explains, the court, by defining religion as irrational and subjective belief may provide the benefits of the free exercise clause to political and philosophic viewpoints, including secularism. On the other hand, the establishment clause restricts the actions of traditional religions such as Christianity, while allowing other “faiths” to escape. This disadvantage plays out not only in traditional church-state issues such as funding (e.g., faith-based initiatives) but also in the rapidly escalating church-state discussion surrounding moral...
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...not only ensuring that people follow the transcribed messages but also guaranteeing social justice among earth occupants. Despite several attempts to ensure these elements remain at the helm of success, many actions around the world show similarity to those manifested by Amos in the bible from verse two. According to Amos, Northern kings of Israel have exceeded religious expectations, instead transforming to personal and private interests. Some of the activities that Amos brings to the attention of believers include pretence and adultery among other human derailing traits. Based on a personal assessment, religious institutions are walking backwards with regards to solutions towards social inequality, injustice, poverty and other life problems. As a matter of fact, contemporary religious institutions work more towards encouraging what Amos warned against. Instead of helping the poor, religious institutions are in the verge of collapsing the society. It is the poor that contribute a lot of funds in religious facilities. They support a lot of programs ranging from pre-burial schedules to contributions that support the welfare of institutional leaders. In terms of discouraging social inequality and injustice, it is evident that some of the religious groups limit given activities. They control what their followers do, eat, and even the level of education. Marriage is not left out in the many problems that subject people to great problems hence a key issue that require...
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... * God sent his Son to earth to save humanity from the consequences of its sins. * There is only one God, but that there are three elements to this one God: God the Father, God the Son, the Holy Spirit * One of the most important concepts in Christianity is that of Jesus giving his life on the Cross (the Crucifixion) and rising from the dead on the third day (the Resurrection). * The Christian holy book is the Bible, and consists of the Old and New Testaments. * Christian holy days such as Easter and Christmas are important milestones in the Western secular calendar * Priests and Ministers shines the holy light in Churches which give the worshippers hope in the world. Background of the birth and death of Jesus Christ The traditional story of Jesus tells of his birth in a stable in Bethlehem in the Holy Land, to a young virgin called Mary who had become pregnant with the son of God through the action of the Holy Spirit. The story of Jesus' birth is told in the writings of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament of the Bible. His birth is believed by Christians to be the fulfilment of prophecies in the Jewish Old Testament, which claimed that a Messiah would deliver the Jewish people from captivity. Jesus' ministry After the story of his birth, little is known about Jesus until he began his ministry at the age of about 30. He then spent three years teaching, healing and working miracles....
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...chosen souls that got to heaven. This created modern capitalism as Calvinists would work to the top and reinvest their money into themselves instead of disrupting wealth equally, forming a class society. One criticism of Weber is that it was not the Calvinist belief system that brought about the capitalist attitudes that he claims but rather an alternative to earn money as they were excluded from society and professions. However that could be countered as other religious minorities were excluded and didn’t exceed bringing about modern capitalism like Calvinists did. Functionalists however would completely disagree with Weber as they see religion as a conservative force as they believe it maintains social stability. It is argued that religion performs this function by creating value consensus so people are less likely to pursue their own selfish interest, bringing a risk of society collapsing. For example in the biblical scripture it says “Love thy neighbour”, meaning people shouldn’t harm others out of their own selfish pursue. This results people being carry out their functions in society and continue social stability. This could be criticised as other sociologist may view that religion value consensus may not maintain social stability but rather a more negative function of alienating people from society’s inequalities....
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...that business is essentially a gift from God, therefore is good. In Business for the Glory of God, Grudem explores the following aspects of business activity: 1. Ownership 2. Productivity 3. Employment 4. Commercial Transactions (buying and selling) 5. Profit 6. Money 7. Inequality of Possessions 8. Competition 9. Borrowing and Lending 10. Attitudes of Heart 11. Effect on World Poverty One chapter in Business for the Glory of God talks about borrowing and lending. As some Christians refuse to accrue any debt, this chapter helps to give insight regarding the acceptance of certain debt. If one is purchasing a home, then signing a mortgage loan for 30 years is normal. The main objective in borrowing money or accruing debt is the intent to repay in the proper time line. Borrowing can be unwise. In cases where one borrows too much and cannot repay, this does go against the Bibles teachings. Proverbs 22:7 says, “the wicked borrows but does not pay back.” When used in a responsible manner lending and borrowing can bring much good to the economy. Grudem explains how the “process of lending and borrowing multiplies the available wealth in the world more times than it is possible to calculate.” (pg. 71) He brings the thought that borrowing and lending is not an evil act in itself, but is a God-given gift to provide for mankind thru the economy. Another chapter that really stuck out to me in the book is the chapter on ownership. ...
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...Islam is the second largest religion in the world. Islam has many beliefs and values. They believe in Allah and praying five times a day. Some of their rules that they must follow are, any wealth obtained from illegal or criminal means. The practice of gambling, be it money or property or any object. The practice of taking interest or usury. Drinking or consuming alcohol in any form. Taking drugs. Eating the flesh and products obtained from pigs or swine. Eating the flesh of dead animals or carcasses. Eating flesh of carnivorous beasts and birds of prey. Eating flesh of an animal that has not been killed in the name of Allah (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/islamic-beliefs-and-practices.html). In order to submit to Allah, the Islam region has to perform certain duties to Allah and fellow members. The duties to Allah are; Prayer, Fasting, and Pilgrimage to Makka. The duties to their members is to spend their resources, time, energy, money, etc. for the welfare of others, to give a part of one's wealth to help those in need (known as giving zakaat, a charity-tax). They believe in doing at least one good deed a day. Islam believe that Black people were the first race. With this belief Islam also had a role in shaping America’s Culture. The Nation of Islam (NOI) was the largest organization. It taught a form of Islam, promoting Black supremacy and labeling White people as "devils". Malcolm X was one of the most influential leaders of the NOI, he wanted complete separation of Blacks...
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...Islam is the second largest religion in the world. Islam has many beliefs and values. They believe in Allah and praying five times a day. Some of their rules that they must follow are, any wealth obtained from illegal or criminal means. The practice of gambling, be it money or property or any object. The practice of taking interest or usury. Drinking or consuming alcohol in any form. Taking drugs. Eating the flesh and products obtained from pigs or swine. Eating the flesh of dead animals or carcasses. Eating flesh of carnivorous beasts and birds of prey. Eating flesh of an animal that has not been killed in the name of Allah (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/islamic-beliefs-and-practices.html). In order to submit to Allah, the Islam region has to perform certain duties to Allah and fellow members. The duties to Allah are; Prayer, Fasting, and Pilgrimage to Makka. The duties to their members is to spend their resources, time, energy, money, etc. for the welfare of others, to give a part of one's wealth to help those in need (known as giving zakaat, a charity-tax). They believe in doing at least one good deed a day. Islam believe that Black people were the first race. With this belief Islam also had a role in shaping America’s Culture. The Nation of Islam (NOI) was the largest organization. It taught a form of Islam, promoting Black supremacy and labeling White people as "devils". Malcolm X was one of the most influential leaders of the NOI, he wanted complete separation of Blacks...
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...Culture Diversity in the United States culture Diversity in the United States For decades, the human race has been identified as nothing more but unique! From the various shades of skin to the native language and geographic native land, people are diverse and have a major impact on our world and society. United States has had major culture changes as money continues to be one of the leading causes to mankind’s problems. However, knowledge of justice has help citizens and the governments realize to a degree, humans are the primary concern rather than the root to all madness “Money”. The effects of money has had an impression on the cultural diversity of the United States primary because power played the role of inequality that lead to the destruction of many families of minorities by the majority because of money. Moreover, the United States has overcome barriers to fix the disarray that power has had on individuals to help the citizens to reach out for understanding and answers that has led to the combination of knowledge, awareness and solutions. Let’s examine how! Understanding the history of how the United States met with cultural diversity has helped me to see that through history the effects begin with a negative view and later after harsh treatment was administered; lawmakers examined the outlook of the country to benefit the citizens. Two unique situations were race and gender that had an influential role of the American culture. Race was distinguished between...
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...best way to uncover the truth would be to speak to a real Rastafarian. I caught up with a gentleman by the name of Ras Kamau who agreed to answer a few questions on Rastafarian beliefs, history, as well as shed some light on a few of the myths and misconceptions that other people including myself have regarding his religion. Haile Selassie I The Rastafarian religion plants its roots in Africa, and is frequently associated with the underprivileged black population of Jamaica. The followers of Rastafari consider it to be more of a way of life, and not just a religion. Rastafarians consider themselves to be advocates of global issues and often speak out against social injustices such as inequality, oppression and poverty. The foundation of the Rastafarian religion is rooted in the Holy Bible, which is believed to be the word of God. “Our primary belief is that Jesus Christ returned to Earth as Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia”. (R. Kamau, personal communication, December 1, 2011) Selassie, born as Lij Tafari Makonnen, later changed his name to Ras Tafari, was the Emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarian scriptures prophesized him to be the Second Advent, the...
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...According to the Bible in 1 Corinthians 10:31 it says, so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God." The author of The Business for the Glory of God must have derived their inspiration from this verse and interpreted the “whatever” to mean, among other things, business. One intriguing question many may ask is why someone would venture into trying to relate the business ideology with the aspects of God seeing that theological studies always tend to distance themselves from the worldly business wealth creation activities. Wayne Grudem goes a long way to try and answer these questions in his book The Business for the Glory of God. Grudem makes a point out that most people fail to recognize and hence miss out on...
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...Justice as Fairness Harvard philosopher John Rawls (1921-2002) developed a conception of justice as fairness in his now classic work A Theory of Justice. Using elements of both Kantian and utilitarian philosophy, he has described a method for the moral evaluation of social and political institutions. Thesis: While John Rawls theory of Justice as Fairness argues that all social values are to be distributed equally unless an unequal distribution of these values is to everyone’s advantage, his argument is flawed by his reliance on the veil of ignorance and his two principles of justice that are difficult to apply in society. Imagine that you have set for yourself the task of developing a totally new social contract for today's society. How could you do so fairly? Although you could never actually eliminate all of your personal biases and prejudices, could you take steps at least to minimize them? In his book, A Theory of Justice, Rawls attempts to argue a position to do this very thing. He asks us to imagine a fantastic scene: a group of people are gathered to plan their own future society, hammering out the details of what will basically become a Social Contract. Rawls calls this the “Original Position.” In the Original Position, the future citizens do not yet know what part they will play in their upcoming society. They must design their society behind what Rawls calls the Veil of Ignorance. Rawls says in his book titled the A Theory of Justice, “No one knows...
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...RELIGION and GENDER INEQUALITY Equality for women in our society has been a controversial issue for centuries, sparking debates, marches, protests, and movement for the purpose of lifting women out of servitude to men. Many might point to the idea that women are the smaller, delicate, and weaker of the two genders as the reason for male domination. In history there have been many groups that were dominated by another group, but none with such complicity from those claiming to be following the word of God, as men over women. The Bible, perhaps the most influential collection of scripture, seems to align man with God; “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground” (Genesis: 26). Does this passage from the Old Testament establish men as the rulers of all that lives and breathes on the Earth, or is the word “man” used to establish the human species (men and women) as masters of our world? My guess is that asking a woman might garner a different response than if posed to a man. When it comes to the matter of inequality or oppression, a condition that has affected many groups during human history, it seems that religion, or God in one way or another has been used as an example to stop the onerous treatment of such groups, seemingly with the exception of women. During the 19th century many Christian women...
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