In chapter eleven of Tim Kellers book, Every Good Endeavor, he begins to talk about how we as christians need to have a compass for our work. Most businesses try to do the right and fair thing. But why is this? most people are not believers so what would cause them to go out of their way to be fair and honest? Tim Keller says in his book that " It is good for business. It enhances your reputation. And in the long term it creates a more favorable business environment.” All of this is true. Which is why business that promote family environments and positive beliefs do very well in our society. A great example of a business that does well because of their honesty would be Chickfila. Yes, they have great food. But a lot of people go there just…
A successful Christian business man may sound like an oxymoron, but that was R.G LeTourneau. He built big, powerful machinery that could do things that no other machine could do before, but he also believes that a Christian business man owes as much to God as a preacher does (LeTourneau, 1967). Mr. LeTourneau states, “God needs businessmen as partners as well as preachers” (1967). Imagine a man becoming a very successful Christian business man, the founder of LeTourneau University, and a leader of many missionary works. The proceeding essay will discuss the man, his faith, and my personal reflection of R.G. LeTourneau.…
Like was said earlier, telling the truth can be challenging. However, since lying can become a habit, the test for business people is to not become someone who constantly lives a lie. Another theory Seglin discusses is the various degrees of lying. From the point of view of two businessmen, it seems that lying is a must for anyone starting their own business without either capital or experience. The author disagrees with this but does argue that there is a qualitative difference between posturing and lying.…
Reading about Christianity, it seems that the early Christians did not believe in capitalism. In today’s society however, they support capitalism and it currently pushes our government and economy. I mean I guess if you believe strong enough in let’s say hell, then it could in a way boost the economy. This is what I am thinking. I am sure that religion reduces crime and corruption and those Christians who abide by the book probably respect the laws of the land. With that increase in respect, it could boost overall economic growth. I have gone into establishments where people have used their religious background to define their reliability. If you think about it, there are more verses on money and finance than there is about prayer in the Bible. But the New Testament has contradictions to this. It states that the rich person has little chance getting into heaven but then states the parable of the talents, which praises the servant who got the biggest return on his money. That alone could solidify why modern day Christians support capitalism. Even more so why our government is run the way it is. Religion creates bonds of trust and shared commitment among small groups, both of which is necessary qualities for lending and trade. Religion can directly affect what you earn. Some followers under Christianity have bigger families and give away more of their money. They also tend to have lower savings rate and incomes like Quakers or the Amish. With all this moving money, it is no doubt why Christians could have a huge impact on economic…
The first thing we must understand is the definition for Worldview, which the simple definition is the way you view the world. So the way that we see the world through our eyes and a heart is going to determine the view that we have of the world. That’s why as Christians we need to see the world as the way Christian would view it. Even though Romans is not a complete worldview or a Christian worldview it certainly directs us in the right way of how we should view the world.…
Trade and merchants play a major role in Christianity and Islam from their origins to the 1500’s, and even though both had similar attributes yet differed as well. Christians and Islam both had a negative outlook, both had their religious viewpoints, as well as both changed their views towards trade. Despite this, Christianity began to open up to trade, even tolerating it, while Muslims became stricter on merchants and trade.…
Theoretical approaches in general help us understand the concepts of religion that both our society has created and societies before ours. Two theoretical approaches to “religion” that would help understand ancient cultures would be Archaeology and History. Archaeologist would look closely at artifacts and past civilizations to understand the way they practice or believed in religion. Where as Historians would examine the language that was spoke, which would then correlate to the stories being told and the texts that came from a specific culture, traditions and decrees. Many may say that the archaeological approach to understanding religion has more evidence since the way these individuals look at religion have tangible objects opposed to the…
Compare and contrast the motivating factors of religious freedom and economic gain in establishing successful colonies.…
Christian worldview is one of the worldviews that determines how a person perceives the world and acts as a foundation of how to live life. Christians believe that God created everything out of nothing and gave us life. Christian worldview heavily focuses on that key point and how Christians should live their lives in a way that God can be proud of and try to spread his teachings.…
A worldview is an individual’s judicious model of truth by which they evaluate the world around them. This standard is the culmination of all life experiences attained through both conscious and subconscious action, and is the unified context by which we judge every aspect of our lives. This model acts as a template against which we attempt to frame all interaction, and much like a colored looking glass, it defines the manner in which we both interpret our interactions and responsibly invest in society in return. (Word count: 86)…
1. The difference between self-interest and selfishness could perhaps be best described as the difference between a desire to be monetarily successful and voracious greed for every last penny. Self-interest is when someone wants more for themselves, regardless of what it is they desire. A person could want more money, a bigger television, faster computers, or just better health with six pack abs. Selfishness is much more like when someone is willing to do anything, including hurt others, to get what they want. The difference is subtle, but it is there. Now, in terms of a competitive market economy, selfishness will lead to eventual collapse, while self-interest could potentially increase the general good, even if inadvertently. Selfishness is corrupting and businesses that are so will seek to draw as much profit out of their employees and customers as is possible, heedless of economic survival.…
Christian humanism has its roots in the traditional teaching that humans are made in the image of God (Latin Imago Dei) which is the basis of individual worth and personal dignity. This found strong biblical expression in the Judeo-Christian attention to righteousness and social justice. Its linkage to more secular philosophical humanism can be traced to the 2nd-century, writings of Justin Martyr, an early theologian-apologist of the early Christian Church. While far from radical, Justin in his Apology finds value in the achievements of classical culture .[2] Influential letters by Cappadocian Fathers, namely Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nyssa, confirmed the commitment to using preexisting secular knowledge, particularly as…
"The purpose of developing a Christian view of the world is not merely to evaluate and judge the world, but to change it," (Boa, 2004). Having a Christian worldview is hard enough in American but add in the entire world and it can be a little trickier. Thinking Christianly has a major impact on how someone would do business overseas, in a global economy. When it comes to a Christian worldview in a global economy there are numerous issues that can come up. Different countries and cultures have different things that they deem acceptable; however, when you are looking at it from a Christian standpoint you may have to handle things in a different manner. Just because something is acceptable or legal in the world does not make it acceptable to someone with a Christian worldview. John 17:17 says that, "The word is truth," so when one is looking for direction and guidance in any aspect of business he will always know that the word of God is truth that he can turn to. Although the field of business has many negative connotations with Christianity there are also positive ones. There are two main issues that this paper will address. The first issue, pollution, can be view negatively. The second issue, job opportunities, can be view positively.…
Patel’s lecture made me realize that it is critical to being a human being and living with other human beings to have an awareness and a great sense of respect for all religions. Not being aware of other religion’s practices is like walking through life with your eyes closed. It is not possible to be a well-rounded human being without taking the time to learn about religious traditions of multiple different religions. This is especially important if someone wants to travel to a different country or attend a new church that they have never been to before. According to Patel, people that plan on attending football games should have some sense of different religious practices. Religion is everywhere and if a person isn’t careful or knowledgeable,…
Many knowledgeable Christian professionals fed us their studies and wisdom taught by the Bible. A former Mob boss gave his moving testimony, and an outgoing evangelist who witnessed to Michael Jordan, presented us with arguments and strategies to combat false religions, yet be effective witnesses.…