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What Do You Think About Money?

Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think.” Romans 12:2, The Poverty and Justice Bible Whether for good or bad, one thing is certain about pandemic financial decisions: we aren’t spending our money the way we used to.  It isn’t coming in the way it used to be either.  That makes this a perfect time for each of us to take a good, hard look at the role   [Read More …]

Inequality through the Eyes of Patriotic Millionaires

 “We will not make an endorsement in the presidential primary election, but will happily endorse almost any general election candidate running against Donald Trump.”       That blunt statement is from a 2019 summary of the Patriotic Millionaires, “a group of high-net worth Americans who share a profound concern about the destabilizing level of inequality in   [Read More …]

New seminary class equips pastors to teach and preach on money and faith

It started with an idea.  Create a class for seminary students about money. Not just a course on stewardship as a church campaign, but a conversation about stewardship as a way of life. A place where seminarians could examine their own relationship with money — without guilt, shame or inadequacy. A curriculum that could help them preach it to their congregants.  This spring, “Faith   [Read More …]

Change Is Blowing In the Wind

“Change the wind, transform the debate, recast the discussion, alter the context in which political decisions are being made, and you will change the outcomes.”   Jim Wallis, God’s Politics In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stopped by the White House for a meeting with President Lyndon Johnson.  King had just been honored with the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership role in   [Read More …]

It’s Time to Push the Reset Button

“So those who really know the Bible wonder, how did the faith of Jesus come to be known as pro-rich, pro-war, and only pro-American?”    Jim Wallis, God’s Politics Let’s be honest.  For years, inequality has been a growing problem that has been easy to ignore for anyone whose life wasn’t impacted by it, but it can’t be ignored anymore.  Our soaring unemployment rate and miles-long   [Read More …]

How Much Is Enough? The Living Symbol of the Manna Jar

“This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.’” The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of   [Read More …]

More than Money: Generosity for Tough Times

“Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”   Matthew 25:40, the Poverty and Justice Bible Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States, guided our nation through the great depression.  He frequently reminded us of our responsibility to care for the poor as when he said, “The test of our progress is   [Read More …]

Pandemic Generosity, Part 2

“How we take care of each other will be what we remember from the coronavirus pandemic.”   Ai-jean Poo, Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance What would it look like to live below our means so we can help others who no longer have an income? I asked the Faith and Money Board members to help me answer that question.  Their summarized responses follow. Review Your Budget to Find   [Read More …]

Faith and Money During a Pandemic

How far down the “What if?” hole have you gone in recent weeks? From the news cycle, to email lists, to social media, to neighbors and friends, the most pressing topic is the coronavirus and how it is impacting our lives. My wife helps run a community health center which provides critical medical, behavioral health, and dental support to under-resourced communities, so the virus weighs heavily   [Read More …]

Pandemic Generosity

“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  Galatians 6:2 RSV As I write this COVID-19 is changing everything about life as we know it.  We’re asking ourselves how we can be helpful to others when sheltering-in-place and social distancing are our best protections against infection.  For each of us those answers will be different depending on   [Read More …]