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Excerpts from God The Economist
by M. Douglas Meeks, Fortress,
1989
"The oikonomia tou theou - the
management of the household of God - could be used to describe not
only Paul's responsibility and service to the community (Col 1:25;
cf. 1 Cor 9:17; Eph 3:2; 1 Tim 1:4). This action of domestic
administration could also be employed to symbolize God's
arrangements for the redemption of the world ... (Eph 1:9-10; cr.
Eph 3:9-10) ... (p. 34)
One of Israel's children had been a
great economist in Pharaoh's household. In the 'land of affliction'
Joseph, the lowly Hebrew, is blessed by God and elevated to great
heights. As Pharaoh's economist, Joseph manages the food stores so
well that he redeems the nation from famine. His economic work leads
to his being called 'the lord of the land,' for the Egyptians say,
'You are like Pharaoh himself' (Gen 44:18 ... 45:8 ... 41:57) ...
When the brothers are finally confronted by the well-disguised
Joseph, he gives a stirring definition of a true economist:
"God sent me before you to preserve life. ... And God sent me
before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to deep alive
for you many survivors' (Gen 45:5b, 7) The work of an economist is
preserving, keeping alive. The biblical traditions treat Joseph as
the first great economist, on whom 'all the earth' was dependent and
whose economics meant survival. ... (p. 78)
Yahweh's exclusive right to or claim
on the household of Israel is based on his liberation of them from
the house of bondage (Exod 20:2, Deut 5:6, 7-21). ... Israel's
history becomes a history of the destroying and building of the
household, according to the righteousness of God (Jer 31:28, 40:7,
42; Amos 9:11). ...The Covenant Code (Exod 20:22-23-33) the
Deuteronomic Code (Deut 12-26), and the Holiness Code (Lev 17-26)
all protect the endangered livelihood of the weak. they picture what
is necessary for all of God's people to have access to the
household, to what it takes to live. ... (p. 82, 84)
God the Economist works to build
households in what all of God's creatures can find home. Whether all
potential members would be included in the predominant political
economy of a time has always depended in large part on how it has
understood human needs. What we think about needs shapes our beliefs
and practices about consumption and about what, how, and to whom the
goods of the oikos should be distributed. ...
Sin is always at work in the way human beings define and satisfy
needs. ... When in the same public household some live in luxury
while others scrounge for the barest means of survival, a cancerous
injustice is planted that will eventually destroy the entire
household. ...
In the past god language and metaphysics provided the framework in
which society could articulate valid needs as opposed to destructive
needs. But in the market society needs themselves have taken the
place of God talk and metaphysics.
To the church is left the care of emotional and 'spiritual' needs.
Many churches also try to meet the needs of starving and homeless
people on our city streets or in North African deserts. But they
seldom question the meaning of needs in the public discourse of our
economy ...
The church's public witness and its contribution to the question of
needs in the global household should depend on the peculiar
perspective on needs that the Triune God gives us. Needs arise and
are met in the context of God's creating and sustaining a just
household for God's creatures. Human needs are a dimension of God's
righteousness in giving access to livelihood to all creatures we
perceive, name, and practice needs in our public household. ... (p.
158-159)
The household of God is meant to be a
peculiar sphere of distribution because it has a special meaning of
social goods derived from the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ. Its household rules of distribution are meant to conform to
God's own distribution or righteousness. This distribution does not
do away with every need, but it sees every need in relation to God's
justice. This distribution does not do away with every hunger, but
it transfigures every hunger and thirst into the hunger and thirst
for God's righteousness." (p. 180)
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