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The Economy and Money in Three Recent Mission Documents

Vähäkangas, Mika LU (2015) In International Review of Mission 104(2). p.292-301
Abstract
While economic issues are not usually much debated in theology, three recent mission documents (The Cape Town Commitment, Together Towards Life and Evangelii Gaudium) have directly addressed them, criticising globalised capitalism more or less sharply and explicitly. However, all three lack transparency in that possible analysis which might provide foundation for the statements made is not visible. Additionally, the critique offered is vague and general except for some relatively concrete propositions in Evangelii Gaudium with seemingly social-democrat overtones. Thus these documents do not readily connect with economic, political and social scientific discourses, which reduces their applicability predominantly to the religious sphere and... (More)
While economic issues are not usually much debated in theology, three recent mission documents (The Cape Town Commitment, Together Towards Life and Evangelii Gaudium) have directly addressed them, criticising globalised capitalism more or less sharply and explicitly. However, all three lack transparency in that possible analysis which might provide foundation for the statements made is not visible. Additionally, the critique offered is vague and general except for some relatively concrete propositions in Evangelii Gaudium with seemingly social-democrat overtones. Thus these documents do not readily connect with economic, political and social scientific discourses, which reduces their applicability predominantly to the religious sphere and further supports an Enlightenment sacred/secular dichotomy that conflicts with the approach advocated in Together Towards Life. In order to increase the relevance of theological arguments concerning economic issues to spheres beyond the churches, theologians need to cooperate with economists and familiarise themselves with economic theories and practices before prescribing policies based on theological argumentation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Mission, economy, theology of mission
in
International Review of Mission
volume
104
issue
2
pages
292 - 301
publisher
The Commission on World Mission and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches
external identifiers
  • wos:000368859900016
  • scopus:84957068263
ISSN
0020-8582
DOI
10.1111/irom.12103
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
74501df3-0817-4866-bdfb-77ffe18656d9 (old id 8596188)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:00:10
date last changed
2022-03-29 05:00:55
@article{74501df3-0817-4866-bdfb-77ffe18656d9,
  abstract     = {{While economic issues are not usually much debated in theology, three recent mission documents (The Cape Town Commitment, Together Towards Life and Evangelii Gaudium) have directly addressed them, criticising globalised capitalism more or less sharply and explicitly. However, all three lack transparency in that possible analysis which might provide foundation for the statements made is not visible. Additionally, the critique offered is vague and general except for some relatively concrete propositions in Evangelii Gaudium with seemingly social-democrat overtones. Thus these documents do not readily connect with economic, political and social scientific discourses, which reduces their applicability predominantly to the religious sphere and further supports an Enlightenment sacred/secular dichotomy that conflicts with the approach advocated in Together Towards Life. In order to increase the relevance of theological arguments concerning economic issues to spheres beyond the churches, theologians need to cooperate with economists and familiarise themselves with economic theories and practices before prescribing policies based on theological argumentation.}},
  author       = {{Vähäkangas, Mika}},
  issn         = {{0020-8582}},
  keywords     = {{Mission; economy; theology of mission}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{292--301}},
  publisher    = {{The Commission on World Mission and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches}},
  series       = {{International Review of Mission}},
  title        = {{The Economy and Money in Three Recent Mission Documents}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/irom.12103}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/irom.12103}},
  volume       = {{104}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}