Promoting the Common Good: Bringing Economics and Theology Together Again - Softcover

Braybrooke, Marcus; Mofid, Kamran

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0856832316 ISBN 13: 9780856832314

Publisher: Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd, 2005

Synopsis

Modern economics has deliberately divorced itself from all moral and ethical considerations in the belief that it needs to be a value-free science. In schools and universities students are taught that what matters is maximising profits and cutting costs - any other considerations are irrelevant to them as economists. This is the philosophy which guides multinationals, governments and international institutions like the World Bank and the IMF. It is a matter of hard choices. Relief of poverty is charitable, a noble ideal, but has nothing to do with economics. In the year in which the campaign to Make Poverty History was launched, and in which Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were trying persuade the G7 to reduce the debt burden on developing countries, an economist, Dr Kamran Mofid, and a theologian, Rev Marcus Braybrooke, joined in a dialogue to consider how economics and theology could be brought together again - for they have not always been divorced. Dr Mofid points out that before Adam Smith, who is generally regarded as the 'father' of modern economics, had written his famous book The Wealth of Nations, he had been professor of Moral Philosophy at Glasgow University and had written The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Before that, St Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle and Plato considered social issues in a moral context. Marcus Braybrooke recognises that 'the thought of religion interfering with economic and political life' will concern those 'afraid of the influence of extremists in the world of Islam or of conservative evangelicals in the USA'. But he points out that 'if there is no concept of truth, business agreements become impossible' - the presence of lawyers at every negotiation shows how trust has been undermined. Together they call for the evolution of a global ethic that respects cultural diversity, the environment and economic reality. Though they bring experience and expertise to the dialogue, the book is intended for a general readership - the future of the world affects everyone. It is too important to leave to experts. In a clear, engaging style the authors show how economic issues can be understood by us all - it is important we do, so that we can help build a world that is just, free and prosperous.

About this title

About the Author

Rev Marcus Braybrooke is an Anglican Priest, Peace Councillor, President of the World Congress of Faiths, Patron of the International Interfaith Centre (Oxford), Co-founder of the Three Faiths Forum (London), and author of numerous interfaith books. Dr Kamran Mofid taught economics at universities for 20 years. Recently, he has developed short courses, seminars, and workshops on economics and theology, the economics of the common good with an interfaith perspective on globalisation. In 2002 he founded the annual international conference "An Inter-faith Perspective on Globalisation for the Common Good." His books include Globalisation for the Common Good (Shepheard-Walwyn, 2002).

From the Inside Flap

Foreword

BY RICHARD HARRIES, BISHOP OF OXFORD

There was a time when economics was regarded as a branch of theology.
Economic factors were intimately linked to what was regarded as just or right and these in their turn were shaped by a Christian understanding of the common good. From the eighteenth century onwards economics became an autonomous discipline and this has clearly enabled a great deal of technical expertise to be developed.
Nevertheless in the end economics is about human well-being in society and this cannot be separated from moral, or perhaps in the end, theological considerations. The idea of an economics which is value-free is totally spurious. Nothing in this life is morally neutral. Although of course there will continue to be a range of
technical, very often statistical and mathematical factors in economics, in the end the subject cannot be separated from a vision of what it is to be a human being in society.
Globalisation has sharply divided people today. On the one hand there are anti-capitalist, anti-globalisation campaigners and on the other hand those who believe that the process of globalisation will solve the world s economic ills. Both these positions are false. Whether we like it or not globalisation is taking place and will continue to
accelerate. The question is whether the forces at work in the process can be harnessed and made to work for the well-being of human society as a whole.
I very much welcome this book and believe that its themes are of crucial importance for the world today.

Edition details

• Publisher: Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0856832316
• ISBN 13: 9780856832314
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144