Friday Night Theology

The Value of the G20

3 April 2009

In last week's FNT, I drew attention to the 2000 report from the World Bank, Voices of the Poor. The report was based on the views of some 60,000 people from across the world who actually lived in conditions of poverty. One of the surprising (to some) findings of the report was that despite their poverty, it was not always material prosperity that was the most important issue to those affected. One woman from Ethiopia said this: 

A better life for me is to be healthy, peaceful, with love and without hunger. 
Love is more than anything, money has no value in the absence of love. 

This matters because it seems to be an aspect of poverty that the G20 leaders fail to grasp. In their communiqué issued at the end of the summit they draw attention to the way in which the current economic crisis is impacting the poorest and most vulnerable. In response, they reiterate their pledge to deliver the Millennium Development Goals and their commitments in respect of debt relief and fair trade. They even state, "We recognise the human dimension to the crisis."

That is all fine and well, but the problem is that their understanding of what it means to be human seems astonishingly narrow. For in the sentences that follow that statement, their focus remains on the material rather than social aspects of poverty. While there is one mention of a "family-friendly" policy, what matters most to them is employment, income, training, economic growth and prosperity. In short, it is money, money, money.

But isn't it that restricted focus that got us into this problem in the first place? The G20 leaders tell us that "the fundamental causes of the crisis" were "failures in…financial regulation and supervision", but surely the fundamental cause was the relentless pursuit of material gain at the expense of all other considerations - what the Bible calls greed.

It is precisely this avarice that the G20 leaders seem to neither recognise nor address. Indeed, in their repeated talk of measures to increase "prosperity", are they not continuing to promulgate an erroneous value system that lies at the heart of the problem?

On Tuesday at St Paul's, Gordon Brown made an impassioned speech to religious leaders telling us of the importance of ethics and values in our economic system. "Markets need morals" he said. Unfortunately, he did not elaborate on precisely what those values might be. Well if he is going to serve the poor effectively, those values certainly need to be concerned with more than just money.

The Jewish idea of shalom helps us here. It indicates restored human relationships as well as reconciliation between us and God. Its concept is well-being in its entirety: social, spiritual, emotional, physical, cognitive and material. It recognises, not just the whole person, but also the whole community. The point that the G20 leaders seem to miss is that prosperity is not an end in itself. It is rather just one of the things that is required for shalom. So, if we are to build a better and more just world, and if we are to avoid this kind of crisis again, we need more than just money - however large the sums. That at least is what the lady from Ethiopia would seem to suggest.

Justin Thacker, Head of Theology

Justin Thacker will be exploring issues of theology and development under the auspices of the World Evangelical Alliance. If you want to know more, please email Justin at j.thacker@eauk.org

It's not just Gordon Brown who has been talking about the global economic crisis. As part of the Pentecost Festival, the Evangelical Alliance's Life Beyond Debt campaign invites you to hear how you can keep ahead and support others through this current financial climate. Money? Let's Talk will be held from 2-5pm on Saturday May 30 at church.co.uk, 1a Kennington Road, London, SE1 QP.  

You can now follow us on Twitter: EAUKnews for the important stuff and EAUKchat for what I had for breakfast!