December 2000 issue of Response

As a little girl, editor Dana Jones sat down in her pastor’s office and asked the question:

In what can now be perceived as wisdom, the pastor said, "I don’t know." Then after some reflection, the pastor extrapolated on his statement. He said that if they kept asking that question, maybe someday everyone would have enough.

There are no definitive answers in this issue to the question: "Is it possible to be rich and to also be faithful?"

The editor goes on to say: "What I found were writers asking the question in new ways from new perspectives. I found them offering biblical guides to how we should deal with material wealth. I found that there are many committed Christians who struggle with what it means to be faithful stewards of money in a world ruled by consumerism."

There is no dodging the issue. The Bible gives preferential option to the poor, says this author. The author looks at several scripture lessons and says that compared to many people in the world, we’re rich. The challenge for Christians is overcoming foolish greed, searching our souls for ways to be faithful, and continuously reminding ourselves of the rigorous demands of discipleship.

Statistics from the Wall Street Journal show a tremendous rise is the number of wealthy people in recent years. Those who consider themselves middle-class are in fact, quite rich. As we light candles for Advent season, we can prune away thorns of abundance and look at ways to live more justly with our wealth. David Wildman looks at personal responsibility, economic justice for all, solidarity, stewardship of the earth and the challenge of the Christ child.

"Gain all you can... Save all you can... Give all you can..." The authors of this article contend that these famous words of John Wesley are not open-ended statements and still relevant today. The parallels between the 1700s and 2000 are similar– high employment rates, low wages for most workers, and long hours. So, Wesley’s directives should cause us to pause and reflect on the physical, mental and spiritual costs of prosperity, guidelines for saving, and obligations for giving.

Bill McKibben of Upstate New York got tired of seeing his neighbors do without heat or similar sacrifices so that they could have money to spend on Christmas. And as he looked around, people were exhausted preparing for the holiday. So, he proposed to his church a $100 Christmas. Members of the church responded enthusiastically. This is the story of non-commercialized Christmases that all enjoy.

Living simply is not simple. But after one Christmas where her children went wild opening presents and appreciated none, Christine Leonard-Osterwalder knew they had to make a change. This author looks at the principles, not rules, of simple living. It takes constant vigilance to live simply when everyday habits, the media, family and friends doing the opposite are a constant. The article also includes a sidebar on concrete actions for the commitment.

This author talks to several people who have inherited wealth. It’s a growing issue as an unprecedented $10 trillion to $40 trillion passes between the World War II generation and baby boomers. Inherited wealth has caused people to ask the question: "how much is enough?" It also has them looking at ways to use their money to affect social and economic change and invest responsibly.

When this author traveled to Ethiopia last April to cover the worsening drought, he took along images of Western media coverage – emancipated beggars, starving people, victims waiting for the world to rescue them. The real pictures show a proud people struggling to survive and many people, especially women, hoping and coping in creative ways.

This author married a Philadelphia lawyer and lives in the suburbs where lawns are unnaturally green, children wear designer clothes, and most people drive sports utility vehicles. She struggles with the lifestyle after being raised by a preacher and teacher in the Appalachian Mountains of Western Pennsylvania. But lessons from other United Methodist Women, and struggling with ambivalence, advocacy and activism is one way to be a catalyst in mission.

In a region where brown bears are in the bush and salmon swim up river to spawn, a capitalistic force is at work – logging, road development, mining. And the force is encroaching on the Copper River and natural resources, engendering a fierce conflict. The author looks at the conflict, the harsh split between Alaska natives and their heritage, and a model for how tribal identity and resources can be preserved, while maintaining the well-being of shareholders.

In "Bateye" Number 8, a community of Haitian sugar-cane workers in the Dominican Republic, women have received the first medical physical in their lives. Now, they’re banning together to stop abuse against women, sending a message that women should be respected. They’re participating in Spanish-literacy classes so that they can move outside the bateye when jobs become scarce. This article is about the work of Alfalit, a United Methodist Women-supported program that is providing public services, education, health and sanitation to communities in need. It is accompanied by sidebars about inspirational leaders in this movement.

If you do not have a will, the government has one for you. So, financial planning enables you to put your money to work and use it to reflect your goals and values. This article says that many women do not know what fate awaits them, therefore, they should be involved in family finances. The author gives concrete steps to short- and long-term financial goals and how to meet them.

Being Rich
and
Being Faithful

See also:

Being Rich and Being Faithful

See also:

Being Rich
and
Being Faithful