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Richard Goetz Lecturer in Theology, TCA College, Singapore.

ABSTRACT

Christian consumers and investors who live in capitalist societies face an inherent paradox: their society’s free-market economic structure has given them unprecedented economic prosperity and an historically high standard of living, yet the very success of that free-market capitalism depends in part on on-going and ever-increasing materialistic consumer consumption. What is a Christian consumer or investor to do? 

In order to be faithful consistent Christians, we should be economically reserved in our endorsement of free-market capitalism because of our awareness of, in addition to its creative and productive powers, capitalism’s promotion of and dependence on envy and attachment to material goods for its success. This becomes evident as we investigate the ideals of free market capitalism, consider the current state of free market capitalism, explore the consumption values promoted in and by capitalism, examine the biblical perspective on consumption, and compare these biblical values with those advocated by contemporary capitalism.

撮要

活在資本主義社會中的基督徒消費者和投資者，均面對一個固有的矛盾： 社會上的自由市場經濟結構讓民眾享受前所未有的豐裕，和歷史上的高生活水 平，然而自由市場資本主義的空前成功部分靠賴於持續加劇的物質消費。基督 徒消費者和投資者應如何自處？

作為忠誠信實的基督徒，我們必須對自由市場資本主義有所保留，因為我們意識到在此經濟體系的創造和生產力背後，資本主義實際在鼓吹和靠賴人們的妒嫉心理，並對物質的依附，才得以成功。當我們探討自由市場資本主義的理念，考慮目前的經濟情況，並檢視資本主義所鼓吹的消費價值，再查考聖經有關消費的教導，與現代的資本主義比較，以上提及的評論就更形明顯。

原載於《建道學刊》41期（2014年1月），頁 325-342。