Episode 80 :: Walter Brueggemann on the Primal Power of Money & Possessions in Our Lives
Our guest is renowned Biblical scholar and teacher Walter Brueggemann discussing his latest book “Money & Possessions.”
Sacred texts around the world challenge the idea that the best stewardship of money and possessions is to grow them. Despite this, "growth" is the operative word in the investments of most people and businesses. And, we can add congregations too. The belief that growing possessions is the highest value to pursue persists for many despite the teaching of most spiritualities that unlimited growth corrupts our spirits and ruins our eco-regions.
Among people using the Bible, many lack awareness that the Bible is permeated with insight about money and possessions. In addition, in the parts of the Bible where stories of monarchies are being told, the expansion of riches is glorified as God's blessing. But in the parts of the Bible where stories reject monarchies and reconnect us with creation and nature's ways, riches are treated as captivity and seduction, taking us away from the abundance of living within God's creational community of life.
Listen to Walter Brueggeman’s six theses on this show and test yourself: see if you can’t hear in those theses some contours for shaping an economy that fits our planet better and that loves our souls more. Let’s find a better way together. Doing so is for the common good.
Walter Brueggemann was also our guest in 2016 when he talked with us about his book “Sabbath: Resistance to the Culture of Now.” His recent scholarly book examines Money & Possessions throughout the entire Bible.
PART ONE of the two-part series presents his six theses about money & possessions in the Bible, observing their contradictory nature to the conventional wisdom and practice of both the ancient world and today's society. PART TWO, coming later, is a brief survey of the theme of money and possessions throughout the Bible. Of course, Walter makes some connections between the six theses and contemporary politics.
SIX THESES
1. Money and possession are gifts from God. 2. money and Possessions are received as reward for obedience. 3. Money and possession belong to God and are held in trust by human persons in community. 4. Money and possession are sources of social injustice. 5. Money and possessions are to be shared in a neighborly way. 6. Money and possessions are seductions that lead to idolatry.
Essential Reading! — Contents, Series Foreword, Foreword (Richard Horsely), Preface, Introduction (Chapter One) — available free online.
ALSO MENTIONED
Dan Swanson, recently deceased co-director, as a guest on TCGP:
• Episode 66 :: Dan Swanson: What's Trending in Jubilee's Paradigm-Shifting Mission
• Episode 53 :: Dan Swanson: How U.S. Policies in Latin America Drive Immigrants North for Survival
Co-host Lee Van Ham's new book, From Egos to Eden: Our Heroic Journey to Keep Earth Livable, becomes available February 14, 2017, Valentine's Day! Show Mother Earth some love and tell people about the book (at least it's one way to show her love).
• Episode 77 :: Lee Van Ham: Our Heroic Journey to Keep Earth Livable
On The Common Good Podcast and Simple Living Works! Podcast in early 2017, we plan to talk with Hazel Henderson, founder, Ethical Markets Media, [LLC] and Series Creator and Co-Executive Producer of its TV series, also author and syndicated columnist. Also with author, community organizer Cecile Andrews.
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