Book Review: "God the Economist" by M. Douglas Meeks

Meeks, M. Douglas. God the Economist: The Doctrine of God and Political Economy. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989. $24.43. pp.xi-272. ISBN 978-0-800623-29-6. ★★★★★

God the Economist is not a book promoting the values of Republicans or Democrats, of Tea Partiers or Socialists, or of Marxists or Libertarians. It is a book that asks the question, "What would Jesus do?" Douglas Meeks seeks to construct an economic ideology based on the model of the Trinity, and he does it better than most of the attempts I have seen. These are the reflections of a Christian dedicated to understanding the kind of economy Jesus wants us to look to as a goal. Whatever your economic ideals, this book will be a challenge.

Norman Gottwald aptly stated in his review of the book that Meeks "reads theology economically and economics theologically." Meeks begins by showing the lack of focus on economics in the church, as well as the reluctance of economists to speak of God. Whether or not the church addresses economics, it has a profound effect on how Christians live their lives, and how churches are run. And whether or not economists acknowledge God-concepts, God-concepts are at work in their economic ideologies. Both groups, says Meeks, will find their ultimate guide in the community of the Triune God, modeled in Jesus Christ.

Meeks provides that an essential move toward Christ-like economics is abandoning the emphasis on scarcity. Rather than focusing on hunger and gain, the economy should be centered around the livelihood of the members of the community (or, to use his word, the 'household'). Livelihood is a God-given human right. As children of God, we have been blessed with the right to experience his righteous abundance. When scarcity takes over, accumulation becomes the goal. Focus is taken off of the household and placed on one's self. Walter Brueggemann laid this out in a presentation on the narrative of accumulation vs. the narrative of abundance: an ideology of scarcity leads to anxiety about not having enough, which leads to self-focused amassment, and then monopoly and oppression.

The book gets pretty technical at times, but never too technical. Much of what Meeks says is quite profound. If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you'll know that I've been posting quotes for days. What the book could have used more of are ideas for practical application. Meeks provides a great framework with which to pursue practical application, but he himself does not offer a whole lot in that arena. This isn't necessarily a flaw, though, as it seems hard to imagine his ideas not inspiring creative action.

The need today for a book like God the Economist cannot be overstated, as the church continues to lose sight of Christ's model for money management, our nation is experiencing greater and greater wealth inequality, and our middle class is growing weak in the face of an ever-amassing few who exploit workers, accumulate wealth and power, and gain more and more sway in the government of our society. We are in desperate need of Jesus' model of other-focused generosity, rooted in the abundance of God. I encourage all who care about the economy, Christian or not, to read this book. And even more, I implore Christians to read it, as it contributes significant insights to how the church can and should approach society in the future.

Purchase God the Economist on Amazon (here)

Biblical Money Management: Key Passages

This is in no way a comprehensive compilation, so post more passages in the comments section if you can think of them. Americans could definitely learn a thing or to from the Bible's economic wisdom. And even more, we need the church to start paving the way!

"If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him a creditor, and you shall not exact interest from him." Exodus 22:25

"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender." Proverbs 22:7

"If any of your fellow Israelites become poor and are unable to support themselves among you, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they can continue to live among you. Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you. You must not lend them money at interest or sell them food at a profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God." Leviticus 25:35-38

"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:9-10 (also see, Deut. 24:19-22; Lev. 23:22; Ruth 2).

"For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove." Exodus 23:10-11

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I." Isaiah 58:6-9

"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?" 1 John 3:16-17

"Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same." Luke 3:11

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need." Acts 4:32-35 (see also 2:44-45)

"There need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, if only you fully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you. If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need." Deuteronomy 15:4-8

"Freely you have received; freely give." Matthew 10:8

"The righteous gives and does not hold back." Proverbs 21:26

 "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:42

"Lend without expecting to get anything back." Luke 6:35

"The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom." Luke 22:25-30a

"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.
The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' Then he said, 'This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, 'You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:16-21

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you have held back from your workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you." James 5:1-6

Now, go and sin no more. Let us create a Christ-like community of abundant generosity that will counter the tyrannical systems in power fueled by selfish accumulation and exploitation, and will transform this oppressive-oppressed society from the inside out.