A Theology of Economics?

We're getting ready to do another installment of our Theology at the Forge (TATF) series through Karis. This is one of our missional (culturally engaging) events in tandem with our Movies and Mindmaps series where we watch a film and discuss the wordlview presented in it. With TATF, however, we focus on a current cultural trend or social issue. I wanted to outline the basic premise of why we do this here. But first, to give credit where it's due. None of this is original. We got the idea from the Journey church in St. Louis, who does similar event at the Schlafly Bottleworks there. Plus, people used to do this stuff at pubs and taverns all the time!

Perhaps the first question on your mind is this: Why call it Theology at the Forge? This is a common question. (The Forge part is simple - we meet at the local restaurant, The Forge and Vine.) At Karis, we operate from an assumption, which we believe to be biblical, that we all operate out of some sort of functional theology - some view of who God is. Even the most stauch atheist or the most apathetic agnostic has a view of how the world works and who God is, or who he is not, that drives how they function in the world. We don't make our decisions in a vacuum, nor do we react to the diffiuclties of life without reference, conscious or unconscious, to our own experience, beliefs, assumptions, etc. So our use of the word "theology" here is in the broadest sense possible, reflecting the basic belief that everyone is a theologian. It's really more a matter of whether we're good or bad theologians. I could elaborate much more on this point, but for now I think I'll keep it there.

A second question relates to our choice of topics. For example, this next Monday, Nov. 17, out topic is: "Go Big or Bail Our: The economic collapse and what's next." So, you may ask, if we're supposed to be talking about theology, why are we talking about economics? And here I must address another common misconception about theology. Not only do we all have some sort of theology, but that theology in the end must relate to our real, daily life, or it ceases to function and fades away for some other, more functional theology. If I discover that my view of the world is inaccurate, then I must scrap it for one I find to be more accurate, or else live a divided life where I hold certain things to be true even though I find no evidence at all for them or see no possible connection between them and the real world I face. So, for example, when looking at the current economic decline, huge questions come into play. Whom do you trust? The government? The market? God? Your own ability to pull through? That's just one example of a huge question with major theological weight. How you answer it, and thus how you then make decisions about what do do with your money, will have drastic ripple effects on your entire life. So, as we learn theology, may we never fail to draw the lines of connection to the most practical and even seemingly mundane aspects of our lives.

A third question you may have: Is this just a church event or something for broader interaction with the community? Well, as I said, this is a missional event. It's designed to be something where both Christians and others of different beliefs and faiths are present, dialoging over the issue at hand. This serves many purposes. For the Christians present, it forces them to think through their own beliefs and assumptions about God and his world, and to see whether their picture is accurate and if it has a real impact on how you live, as it should. For non-Christians present, it does the same thing for their own worldview. We should each be challenged to see how our assumptions stack up to reality, and thus to change them if they don't. On one hand, the Christian should not be afraid of the possibility that someone outside Christian faith might at some point in the discussion articulate one piece of a more biblical picture of the world better then they do. As Christians, we should be humble enough to see God's truth wherever it comes to us (as it lines up with his word, of course). On the other hand, a non-Christian should likewise be humble enough to admit that Christians aren't the only ones bringing their "faith" into this. Everyone is bringing assumptions - it's just a matter of which ones actually explain reality and offer us the best possible way to live in this world. Lastly, on this point, I would say these discussions offer a benefit to the community at large, which is another aspect of what we believe it means to be missional. It is our hope that through these discussions, we'd be able to participate in serious discussions about major issues. The economy affects all of us dramatically. How can we strive together with our community to respond well to this? There will be some fundamentally different opinions between a Christan and a non-Christian, but there is some common ground to be sought, to be sure, and some common goals to work toward. Good Christians seek the common good of their communities.

So, that's a little insight into why we do Theology at the Forge. Would love to see comments and questions! If you're here in Columbia, you are welcome to join us on Monday, Nov. 17, at 7pm at the Forge and Vine downtown on 7th street. Hope to see you there!