The views expressed in this article are of the author only and do not necessarily represent those of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
Business for the Glory of God: The Bible's Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business
Wayne Grudem
Crossway (2003). 96 pp.
Written as an expansion of a paper delivered at a lecture, Business For the Glory of God offers a brief look at how eleven aspects of business can bring glory to God. Written by Wayne Grudem, theologian, prolific author, and seminary professor most known for his work Systematic Theology, this concise book allows the reader to consider areas of business and particularly their inherent goodness. He states at the outset his thesis that “many aspects of business activity are morally good in themselves, and that in themselves they bring glory to God—though they also have great potential for misuse and wrongdoing” (p. 12). He then lists the following business activities for consideration: Ownership, Productivity, Employment, Commercial transactions (buying and selling, Profit, Money, Inequality of Possessions, Competition, Borrowing and lending, Attitudes of heart and Effect on world poverty. Under each of his subsequent chapter headings titled for one of these activities, this thesis is printed in varying form.
Prior to beginning his analysis of these business components, he spends a chapter reviewing the theological reality of humankind as image bearers of God. Specifically, he frames the discussion within the concept of Imago Dei and the delight that God has in His image bearers looking like Him. Within this framework, Grudem seeks to answer the question as to whether business is basically good, evil or neutral. He opts for the first: business as inherently good, and a way in which humanity, particularly when redeemed, might image the Creator.
In each of the chapters that follow, Grudem argues from different scriptural texts his belief that business is inherently good. For instance, when he discusses the issue of ownership, he uses, among other verses, the eighth of the Ten Commandments given in Exodus 20. He points to the inference that the prohibition to steal assumes that ownership of property is a God-sanctioned reality. In discussing productivity, he points to the creation mandate of Genesis 1. In his treatment of Employment, he directly counters Marxist theory, and utilizes Luke 10:7 to argue that the Bible gives credence to persons being both employers and employees. As he discusses Money, he points to a swath of biblical texts that assume the usefulness of money, and he ends his chapter by saying, “…the distortions of something good must not cause us to think that the thing itself is evil” (p. 50). Ultimately, Grudem desires that his readers offer thanksgiving to God for these morally good activities of business. He desires that his arguments not only fuel thinking, but action on the part of the reader regarding their praise of God. He is effective in many ways towards this end.
A primary strength of the book is its accessibility. Both theologically trained and untrained individuals could easily read this book. It seems particularly suited for those in business who are often given books of this length to consider in their own respective businesses. While none of the chapters are exhaustive, each of them contains at least one well-argued point for consideration. Some of the chapters go beyond this. In his chapter on Borrowing and Lending, Grudem not only offers biblical support to his inferences, he gives some practical macro-systemic examples of how there is goodness inherent to the back and forth of products. A particular niche of this book is that in comparison to concept books on business such as Good to Great by Jim Collins, or practical books on business such as The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, this book evaluates macro-level aspects of business from a biblical and theological lens. A final strength of the book is the inclusion of World Poverty. While seemingly desiring to show that the picture of business in the Bible is not that of Marxist, socialist or progressive agendas, Grudem also deals head on with the reality of poverty, and the need for the image-bearers of God to deal with poverty in a God-glorifying way, to include generosity.
Grudem mentions in his Preface that a larger book on the topic is in the works. This alone shortens some potential criticisms of the book, such as its brevity on each topic. That said, a way the book could be strengthened would be a further discussion on some biblical texts that Grudem uses in passing to make his points. Sometimes he accurately points to direct texts on an issue. At other times, he will refer in passing to certain passages, even some passages that are parabolic, and while he does not directly misconstrue them, their use could be accompanied with a little more detail, particularly regarding hermeneutics. Specifically, on less direct texts, a few more words could be added to show that certain inferences made from the usage of a passage are clearly appropriate. While not at all a major concern, this recommendation would only strengthen the work.
Grudem has provided readers with a helpful resource, and one from which pastors, students and laypersons alike would receive benefit. Dealing with the text, and perhaps with anti-business values often seen in the culture today, Grudem delivers some succinct, helpful and biblical thoughts for consideration.
J. Ryan Davidson (PhD, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) serves as pastor at Grace Baptist Chapel (Reformed) in Hampton, VA, as well an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology at International Reformed Baptist Seminary in Mansfield, TX. He is a member of the St. Peter Fellowship of the Center for Pastor Theologians.
