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| When we sat down to plan this special issue on faith and money, the tune buzzing in the back of our heads was from that catchy Sunday school song, “This Little Light of Mine”—specifically the line, “Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine.” When you substitute “money” for “light,” you have the theme of this issue: We shouldn’t hide our money, but let it shine—not for ourselves, but for others.
So how do we do that? Issues that involve money raise a lot of questions—and no small amount of anxiety. How do we organize our finances so that they’re in line with our biblical values? Should we invest in stocks? How do we make sure our money works for good? Are there ways we can lessen the impact of bad corporate behavior? And what are the particular challenges around money in difficult economic times?
In this issue, Marva Dawn looks at why money has so much control over us, and Peg Rosenkrands and Rebecca Adamson show how even a tiny bit of money invested in the right place can yield tremendous benefits for local and Indigenous communities. Susan Taylor helps us teach our kids about money, and Matthew Colwell—a board member of Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries, a community that’s done significant work on economic discipleship—demonstrates how we can structure our households so that our economic and spiritual values are better integrated. Chances are your questions are covered here—they’re the same questions we ask ourselves.
—The Editors |
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Cover
Where the Heart Is
Socially responsible investing has morphed into a $2 trillion mainstream industry. by G. Jeffrey MacDonald
Features
SPECIAL WEB EXTRA: Serving God with Our Money, in Boom Times and Bust
How can we turn our money toward service to God and others? Get started with this guide to dozens of Web sites with nuts-and-bolts advice.
'The Bread You Possess Belongs to the Hungry'
by St. Basil
Whom Do You Serve?
A biblical framework for understanding money's grip on us -- and how to break free. by Marva J. Dawn
Practicing Sabbath Economics
How to live in the light of God's abundance and provision. by Matthew Colwell
Extreme Charity
For members of the philanthropic group Bolder Giving, generosity pays. by Julie Polter
Detoothing the Loan Sharks
Five ways to put the brakes on predatory lending. by Alexis Vaughan
A Gesture of Overcoming
From Dorothy Day's letter to the treasurer of New York City, 1960. by Dorothy Day
Seeking the 'Fair Balance'
How putting our money into community investments -- such as specific banks, credit unions, or microcredit funds -- can help create social change. by Peg Rosenkrands
Indigenous Economics
New investment strategies among native people help create holistic and sustainable communities. by Rebecca Adamson
Piggy Banks and God's Abundance
Teaching our kids (and ourselves) to be smart -- and generous -- about money. by Susan Taylor
Wall Street and Christian Conscience
Why I'm a shareholder activist. by Susan Wennemyr
Editorials
Fiscal Spirituality
Serving God with your money, in boom times and bust. by Julie Polter
Columns
H'rumphs: Investing for the Future
Here at Sojourners, we neither toil nor spin. by Ed Spivey Jr.
Eyes & Ears: A Culture of Debt
Does economic growth depend on consumer spending? by Danny Duncan Collum
Hearts & Minds: Healing the Wounds of Race
Sadly, many white Americans are still in denial about black frustration and anger. by Jim Wallis
Departments
Living the Word: The Creator of Life
by Laurel A. Dykstra
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