Time has reviewed a book called, The 3 Big Questions For a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable (3rd book reviewed in the link).
Our culture is infatuated with the business process, and this book lends supposed helpful hints on business practices for the family. But, the books actual contents aside (since I haven't read it), I am fascinated by the role business influences all of our institutions: government, churches, and now the family. I am particularly fascinated with the perception that business practices bring to how these institutions function. For instance, we think a government is considered well-run if it follows a business model- balances budgets, doesn't waste money, and is efficient in its meetings. Churches are well-run if they are productive in all their capacities, even if they are noble ones- meeting all the sick, preparing for sermons, raising the money for the budget, raising money for missions, and having succinct and efficient worship. And now the family. A family supposedly should have goals, meetings, and demonstrate efficiency in its task (laudry, food, transporting children).
But are all these things values? Churches do not exist for profits, and neither for that matter do governments. Families especially don't exist for profits. Productivity is not an inherent value, but it often affects the way most of us view our lives. For example, I had a good day if little time was wasted, I spent time in the Bible, worked efficiently at the church, managed my relationships, and worked enough on all of my homework. I don't think that these are unreasonable goals, but they are sensitive to the culture in which I live. I wouldn't have near as much to do or worry about (of course my "worries" are small, relatively meaningless things) if I lived in a non-Western culture.
But families, in their essence, are inherently relational first. Families do not exist for goals or productivity. Families do not need to function efficiently. Families are moral entities, designed to show God's common grace in the world, and can help extend God's mission to people and the rest of creation.
I suppose the lesson is that we must always engage theological reflection on the cultural influences that insidiously invade our thinking. What is the good or the bad? What can be kept and what can be discarded? What is a matter of cultural relativity and what is a matter of moral necessity? These are crucial questions.
8/31/08
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3 comments:
Interesting, I never thought of business effecting other aspects of social systems. Claire tells me that from a political science perspective, politics works in other aspects of life, including economics, religion, family, etc.
I would argue that theology also does, or at least it should. But I also take more of an anabaptist stance on the relationship between the Church and Culture.... against the world for the sake of the world. So for me, I would hesitate in interweaving theology with other disciplines in a formal manner. We should influence the world by being completely different from the world. I think you might disagree with that, but it is a large topic to cover in a blog!
By the way, are you going to the upcoming launch of the V. Grounds Ethics thing at Den Sem? I'll be working during the day of course but Tony and I are planning on going to the Ron Sider talk the first evening. Should be cool.
Oh I should add regarding my first sentence that it does not surprise me though. Having been a Business Admin. major in college, we focused more on indirect influences of these other social systems rather than direct influence or purposeful influence which I take this book to be saying what happens?
Daniel,
I don't know if you've quite represented the anabaptist tradition precisely. And if you have, then I certainly do not prescribe to it. The anabaptist tradition is certainly for the separation of church and state, and for that matter church and most societal/secular functions. But they reach these conclusions on a robust theology of what the church in the world is.
It's not that I think theology should be sanctified for all occasions, but that it should inform all things. That is the essence of theological reflection. But perhaps that's what you meant by "theology in a formal manner" vs. theology in an informing manner?
Yeah, this idea fascinated me at first as well. I knew business affected the church- one need only look at suburban megachurches. But it had never dawned upon me that business principles affect almost everything we do and are, including the family.
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