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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A true epiphany,
By nomoslogos (Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Inherit the Earth: Biblical Principles for Economics (Biblical Blueprints Series) (Paperback)
When this book was published in '87, it opened my eyes to the liberating truth that God's word is immeasurably more reliable than that of man. This is not written eisegetically as suggested, it is a matter starting from the presupposition that God has something to say about economics, and then opening the word and seeing what it states, what it implies, and how it applies. That doesn't mean taking North's word for, it means taking his words back to the Word and see if it is sustained by. I find the answer to that that question to be largely yes.
12 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
I don't believe this is intellectually honest work,
This review is from: Inherit the Earth: Biblical Principles for Economics (Biblical Blueprints Series) (Paperback)
Gary North is very much a fan of free market capitalism, as am I (in the libertarian sense, even), but clearly presents ideas as scriptural that aren't clearly found in scripture, namely that God has ordained a certain economic system which we (every institution in our lives) best follow if we desire God's bounty of material gifts. It's a practice of eisogesis, whereby ideas not clearly espoused in scripture are set parallel to biblical ideas in order to give the former ideas the appearance and feel of being sound. If we are to as a society set up a system as is prescribed in scripture, the command to do so would be explicit and would be the subject of discussion by church leaders prior to the recent times when the scriptures have been used pervertedly to defend secularly defined ideas like free market capitalism, minarchy, and the like. I don't deny that scripture would permit a system of purely free markets, but it doesn't demand it, inasmuch as it marks earthly prosperity as a moral virtue worthy of reward.
Clearly, since the industrial revolution, with mankind's first ever improvements in standard of living, it can be said that we are "figuring out our way down here a little better" (not quoting Gary North here). What is best for mankind here on earth isn't necessarily what's best for his eternal wellbeing. Material prosperity is something we can praise God for, but the lack of prosperity is something we can praise him for as well, since all happens under his watch and is according to his design. If a socialist government prevents this type of prosperity from coming to fruition, it is not men's fault who have lacked intellectual virtue in not convincing the masses to abhor socialism. Those who support socialism aren't supporting the antiChrist. While sometimes a person's praise of the state parallels worship of a deity, it isn't the norm for the state to receive that kind of adoration as would a golden idol (adoration in any sense of the word). Certainly envy and malice are in someone's heart when they desire the possessions of their neighbor, but where in scripture are we commanded to rise against the state (for instance, by not paying our taxes) to put to rest this injustice. We should instead alert citizens to this injustice, that a state may be changed which would better serve its people as a whole, not merely favored groups. But this isn't a biblical calling... it's a natural calling. To call advocating capitalism a Christian calling is to use Christianity, much as the religious right uses it to fulfill its collective ambitions, as a tool for one's own devices. While the idea of Christians inheriting Christ's kingdom is an important one to teach and learn, it must be said in the same statement that the kingdom is in men's hearts until the return of Christ and that prosperity can be achieved in the multiplying of his children (fishing of men), but not in behaving so as to economically advantage yourself (even in completely honest and productive work).
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