Comments on: Chapter 1- The Economic Context http://economicsandfaith.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/chapter-1-the-economic-context/ An Interactive Book Study Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:06:55 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: clashing95 http://economicsandfaith.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/chapter-1-the-economic-context/#comment-5 clashing95 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:12:34 +0000 http://economicsandfaith.wordpress.com/?p=5#comment-5 The comments on hermeneutical issues are very pertinent. However, changing a social context would not make Jesus' teaching irrelevant. It simply makes our job of interpreting and applying his teaching more complicated. For example, if interest was considered wrong because most loans were to the poor for survival, we should take from that a teaching on how to be sensitive to the needs of the poor. That teaching about the poor does not change when interest is a return on productive capital purchased by well-off producers. However, our view of interest will change. In an article in the Journal of Faith and Economics I argue that the concept of productive capital did not become widely accepted until very late in the Middle Ages. On another note, you do a nice job of setting up the chapter issues and maybe eventually there will be some interaction generated. Jim Halteman The comments on hermeneutical issues are very pertinent. However, changing a social context would not make Jesus’ teaching irrelevant. It simply makes our job of interpreting and applying his teaching more complicated. For example, if interest was considered wrong because most loans were to the poor for survival, we should take from that a teaching on how to be sensitive to the needs of the poor. That teaching about the poor does not change when interest is a return on productive capital purchased by well-off producers. However, our view of interest will change. In an article in the Journal of Faith and Economics I argue that the concept of productive capital did not become widely accepted until very late in the Middle Ages.
On another note, you do a nice job of setting up the chapter issues and maybe eventually there will be some interaction generated.
Jim Halteman

]]> By: jdtapp http://economicsandfaith.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/chapter-1-the-economic-context/#comment-4 jdtapp Sat, 24 May 2008 14:36:36 +0000 http://economicsandfaith.wordpress.com/?p=5#comment-4 Thanks for the comment, Lucas. I agree with about it being problematic to not apply any of Jesus' teachings on economics because of today's system. I think Halteman would wholeheartedly agree with that. I'm not sure how many people will end up participating. Hopefully in the next week I'll go ahead and have a post for Chapter 2. Thanks for the comment, Lucas. I agree with about it being problematic to not apply any of Jesus’ teachings on economics because of today’s system. I think Halteman would wholeheartedly agree with that.

I’m not sure how many people will end up participating. Hopefully in the next week I’ll go ahead and have a post for Chapter 2.

]]> By: lucas http://economicsandfaith.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/chapter-1-the-economic-context/#comment-3 lucas Tue, 20 May 2008 01:35:29 +0000 http://economicsandfaith.wordpress.com/?p=5#comment-3 i'll be the first to get things going. first on the problem of scarcity i wonder whether the three possible solutions are mutually exclusive. on the different economic system of Jesus' day... i think you hae tvobe caref ul when reading scripture through any particular lens to recognize the limitations of that lens. reading the gospels and jesus' teaching through the lens of economics can be very helpful, but is not able to encompass the totality. the question should be first asked how we understand jesus' teaching. some try to apply them directly to a modern context. haltemann rightly points out the problem with this. however, it could be just as problematic to say that because our context is different jesus' words on economics do not apply at all. i'll jump on the discussion questions later. i still don't know which chapter i want. let you know soon. looking forward to a good ocnversation. sorry it got off to a slow start. i’ll be the first to get things going. first on the problem of scarcity i wonder whether the three possible solutions are mutually exclusive.

on the different economic system of Jesus’ day… i think you hae tvobe caref ul when reading scripture through any particular lens to recognize the limitations of that lens. reading the gospels and jesus’ teaching through the lens of economics can be very helpful, but is not able to encompass the totality. the question should be first asked how we understand jesus’ teaching. some try to apply them directly to a modern context. haltemann rightly points out the problem with this. however, it could be just as problematic to say that because our context is different jesus’ words on economics do not apply at all.

i’ll jump on the discussion questions later. i still don’t know which chapter i want. let you know soon. looking forward to a good ocnversation. sorry it got off to a slow start.

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