In Breaking the Power of Money (3 min, 45 sec), Dr. Lendol Calder (Professor of History, Augustana College) talks about the power of money, the monetization of daily life, and one of the best ways to undo money’s power.
Breaking the Power of Money – Dr. Lendol Calder from InterVarsity twentyonehundred on Vimeo.
To stimulate reflection: As you return to campus after the holiday push and take some stock in your financial footing for the new year, invite some friends to check out this video in order to discuss:
- “allegiance(s)”
- ability to “profane” money
- responses to and possible applications of Calder’s suggestion of how to “break the power of money”.
About the author:
Tom enjoys daily conversations regarding living out the Biblical Story with his wife Theresa and their four girls, around the block, at Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ Church (where he teaches adult electives and co-leads a small group), among healthcare professionals as the Northeast Regional Director for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), and in higher ed as a volunteer with the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN). For a number of years, the Christian Medical Society / CMDA at Penn State College of Medicine was the hub of his ministry with CMDA. Note: Tom served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA for 20+ years, including 6+ years as the Associate Director of ESN. He has written for the ESN blog from its launch in August 2008. He has studied Biology (B.S.), Higher Education (M.A.), Spiritual Direction (Certificate), Spiritual Formation (M.A.R.), Ministry to Emerging Generations (D.Min.). To God be the glory!
That’s a fascinating idea. However, I’d be much more likely to give that dollar bill away than to tear it in half. I think that perhaps this is not because Christians are bound by the power of money, but because we are called to be good stewards of our resources. Tearing a bill apart is like burying our talents in the ground: taking something that can be used for good, and depriving it of all possibilities for that use.
Money is a tool, not a god. It is a gift, not a “right” that God is bound to give us.
Thanks for the thought-provoking article!
You’re welcome. Thank-you for offering this excellent point and by doing such providing an opportunity for us to sharpen/refine our consideration of the topic. . . .
On the ESN Facebook Wall a commenter posted a link regarding “Title 18 U.S. Code § 333 – Mutilation of national bank obligations”. A quick internet search of my own brought up:
– http://www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws/rules/8000-1200.html
– http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2010-title18/html/USCODE-2010-title18-partI-chap17-sec333.htm.
In addition to sharing the above links, I replied, “No doubt the $100 fine (and possible imprisonment of not more than six months, or both) underscores the power of money, those who manage it, and the proper treatment/use of it (Dr. Lendol Calder’s final point). Education is a dangerous art, one in which the question of intent and freedom of the exploration of ideas is significant. I’ll try to contact him for a response.”