I opened a popular church publication last week and actually read an argument claiming that the widening gap in wealth among people is a good thing. My first instinct was to react from a social justice perspective, and that would not be incorrect. Yet further reflection moved me to conclude that such a claim is first and foremost lousy theology.
Ironically, criticism from a theological perspective might not mean much to a lot of people. As a rule, those on both the left and the right don’t view their calling through a theological lens anymore. Oh, we will attack one another over differences in doctrinal conviction and especially social applications. But this is not the same thing as thinking deeply about Creation, Fall, and Redemption through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Recently, a regional board of The United Methodist Church invested much energy in coming up with criteria for evaluating campus ministry. The notes from the meeting stated that this work was about more than “just theology” (meaning, merely theology). Game over. The criteria were almost entirely sociological in nature. These values may have something to contribute, but I did not see much that explored the profound purposes of God in Christ and our communal vocation.
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