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The first command God gives man in the Garden of Eden is to be fruitful and multiply. The second: to be a good steward of the provisions He has given us (Genesis 1:28).
I don’t know what stewardship looked like in the days of Creation but I do know as a Christian in the modern world, I’m still called to use what I’ve been given in a Godly way and for God’s kingdom. Jesus Christ’s parable of the talents is clear enough that you’d better use it, or you will certainly lose it.
But what does stewardship in today’s world look like, and with a mostly non-Bible-based world determining our economics, can God truly expect us to still fulfill this command?
In Economics For Everybody, by Ligonier Ministries, R.C. Sproul Jr. hosts a 12-part DVD-based study that explores the principles and consequences of today’s economic structures and how they impact Christians around the world. It’s important to understand that while a viewer need not be a believer to use the program, this series is faith-based, and so any starting point is going to be from a Christian perspective.
Beginning with God’s creation of the world and the expectations He had for Adam, Sproul first lays out key economic principles, moves to the relationship between theology, philosophy and economics and wraps up the series with the application of different economic structures found throughout the world.
It’s clear from the beginning that Sproul is a man who believes strongly in a capitalist system with little government intervention, and so each segment stems from this basic point. But even more important perhaps is the idea that God’s plan for everything in this world — including its economic structures — was ruined from the moment of Adam and Eve’s original sin.
Regardless of one’s view on a proper economy — free market, government-derived, socialist or more — the key, according to Sproul, is how to work within those confines so as to live as close to God’s intent as possible.
With segments averaging about 20 minutes, these are mostly quick-hit looks at very complex topics, but the opportunity for lengthy discussion is there.
Our version came with a study guide but we haven’t actually used it past the first episode. My family (high school children and up) has discoursed on each topic for more than an hour without it, often having to end our conversation before we were finished because it was getting late.
The only struggle I’ve had with the series is that sometimes Sproul’s commentary has been hard to follow because of the use of Charlie Chaplin movie clips to make a point. I find myself at moments more entranced with the silent hilarity of Chaplin than the voiceover of Sproul.
I also may not agree with every point Sproul has made but each session has left me rethinking what I thought I knew about the world. Where we completely agree is that until the Lord returns to set the world right, our world of economics is a mere shadow of what God initially intended.
Economics for Everybody is part of Timberdoodle’s 12th Grade Curriculum Kit, and they are offering one To Sow a Seed reader the chance to win their own copy of the course! Enter below, and share with your friends.
this looks like a great resource!
Thanks for the review! We plan to cover economics this uear with my oldest son, and have been looking at some options. I wasn’t familiar with tbis one, so thank you for bringing my attention to it.
Heather, I know that you’ve made a commitment to this give-away, but I’d rethink using anything by R.C. Sproul, Jr. He was defrocked by his denomination in 2006 for abuse of authority, alleged misuse of the denomination’s tax number, and not following denomination rules for communion. And then he was suspended from Ligonier for a year for having an Ashley Madison account. It’s all on Wikipedia.
I knew some of the issues surrounding Sproul, Jr., but not all, and they were definitely on the table as we made our way through this course. If you listen to him speak about taxation in general, the tax number issue takes on a whole new light, as he is implicit that the only role of government is to, as he says repeatedly, “wield the sword.” His theology does not support any form of government intervention in any arena. Fascinating case study of someone whose actions have been alleged to fall far out of line with his professed beliefs.
I know Heather has replied, but I’d also like to throw in a few thoughts. There were several aspects of his economics theory that I thoroughly disagreed with, however, each was an incredible opportunity to discuss as a family the proper way to disagree with fellow Christians, to discuss what we believe the Bible calls us to do as Christ followers with the resources we’ve been given, as well as the various ways God provides. We have been a family who has had the opportunity to bless others through giving as well as a family who has been blessed when in great need. God can and does use many ways to provide for His people, and this was only further cemented in our views as we went through this course.