Tag: progress
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Theologians & Economists: Linear Time and Progress
[Series Index] So far, we have noted the Hebrews' unique cosmology and notion of decentralized stewardship. But another peculiarity about Hebrew thought contributes directly to economic behavior: Linear time and progress. Ancient Near East culture had a cyclical view of time. Time moved in repeating patterns. Worship and daily life were about conforming to the…
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Prosperity: Linear Time and Progress
Throughout history, religions have had a cyclical (or at least nonlinear) view of time. Religious ritual was an exercise in honoring and appeasing the cycles of nature established by the gods. Life was an endless succession of cycles. One of the most striking features of the Jewish tradition is the notion of linear time. There…
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Theology and Economics: Creation Implications
As we reflect on the creation portion of the biblical narrative, we can make the following observations and see the following implications for economics. Observations (These are linked to my earlier post on creation near the start of this series.) God ultimately owns all. The opening words of Genesis are, "In the beginning, God created…
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“The Victory of Reason” Book Review
We all know how capitalism came to be. Thrifty Reformed Protestants planted seeds in the Sixteenth Century. The much-touted "Protestant Work Ethic" sanctioned hard work, frugality, and wise investment. As these thrifty Protestants became successful and the secularizing effects of the Enlightenment took place, capitalism began to enter full bloom. This thesis has been taught…
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History Doesn’t Repeat Itself, but it Rhymes
What time is it? Ask that question; usually, someone will look at a watch and tell you what it reads. Actually, there are several valid answers to the question. How about daytime? Wintertime? Christmastime? Wartime? Downtime? Dinnertime? Tool-Time? (Okay. Maybe not the last one.) All these have in common that they mark some point in…