Does it make cents?
Max Weber’s work, Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, gives some insight into the influence of the Reformation, especially Calvin’s thoughts on predestination, on the development of capitalism. More exactly, Weber’s thesis is that Calvinistic predestination created an anxiety amongst Christians that found its resolution in the doctrine of providence. That providence was believed to be seen in the accumulation of wealth through the working of one’s vocational calling and further grown by living an acetic lifestyle and investing as morally good.[1] His take was contrary to that of Marx’s materialistic view that Capitalism arose to meet material needs. Weber postulates that “economic acquisition is no longer subordinated to man as the means for the satisfaction of his material needs.”[2] Man wanted to make and accumulate money, not to meet physical needs, but perhaps because it was the “faithful” thing to do. Jason Clark’s dissertation, “Evangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogeneses in the Relationship” was helpful in detailing some assumptions that Weber makes that were both helpful (like Clark’s mention of Weber’s use of Ideal Types)[3] and unhelpful (Weber’s heavy reliance on Benjamin Franklin as an archetypal protestant)[4].
The church I attend recently discussed hiring a worship pastor. Part of the elders’ process was to decide what we could afford; a conversation that brought up an interesting question. What does the relationship between good stewardship of monetary resources and making actions in faith look like? Some felt that we needed to be good stewards by making sure our offer left us with at least two years of monetary “burn” at our current income/expense rates. Others felt that if God was calling us to hire a candidate, we should extend an offer to them at whatever the candidate deemed they needed. There was, to some degree, a tension between the two. We decided to follow a process of asking for monetary faith commitments and using the two year “burn” measure to decide what we could offer. Prefacing that I have no idea what the “right” approach is, the readings this week lead me to wonder how much our view of monetary stewardship is influenced by our dependence on providence for assurance of God’s working and leading. Even in the establishment of a process by which God could lead us to an offer, were we acting out a manifestation of Weber’s hypothesis?
I’m convinced there isn’t an answer, but it has been fascinating to continue to examine and question the reasons we do what we do. Perhaps the best way forward to is to mine the past for insights into how we got to where we are now. In a way, it helps to ensure that we operate with a sense of integrity. And as Friedman says in A Failure of Nerve, “it is the integrity of the leader that promotes the integrity or prevents the ‘disintegration’ of the system he or she is leading.”[5] (26)
[1] Jason Clark, “Evangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogeneses in the Relationship” (Faculty Publications, Portland Seminary, 2018). 82
[2] Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (London: Routledge, 2001). 18.
[3] Clark, “Evangelicalism and Capitalism”. 86.
[4] Ibid, 93
[5] Friedman, A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix (10th Anniversary, Revised Edition) (Church Publishing, Inc., 2017). 26.
About the Author
Caleb Lu
7 responses to “Does it make cents?”
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Great post. I do not think there is a definitive “right” way or answer here. Any financial decision could upset someone in an organization. I think you handled it well with a compromise but does that mean the focus was more on appeasing man instead of following God? I struggle with this too and think we bend the rules and/or compromise to avoid arguments and be polite. Overall I think our hearts and intentions are the main factors that need to be considered.
Thanks, Caleb. This is an insight into a very real situation for all of us and relates well to the readings.
Caleb,
I think you’re right in looking to the past for answers going forward. There are always insights there to be found, and they’re often overlooked. Integrity is definitely the key. Great post.
Hi Caleb,
Your post made my reflect on the plethora of decisions I have been involved in (or upper leadership decisions I have not been involved in) that reflects the consiliation of Weber and Clark’s assessment of capitalistic thinking in decision making. What I can’t get past is the need for wise stewardship of resources. I don’t think throwing out this stewardship of resources mentality is the way to go when detangling capitalism from Evangelicalism, but I don’t know what the solution is. Thank you for your thoughts!
Caleb,
Great ending with Friedman.
I hope and pray things work out with the new worship leader. Thanks for sharing the process your leadership team took in figuring out his/her wages. I wonder what approach has been used in hiring other staff at your church? Was this approach not suitable in this case, in hiring a new worship leader?
Caleb,
Thank you for sharing this example from your church. Did the group look at comparable salaries and “market forces” for this position? While it is helpful, it does not answer the question you are asking around how things are determined. In my experience hiring, people validate their perspective with rather odd appeals to their own salary, career field, what other churches pay, etc without considering how they can best compensate the person they feel is right for their community. You have me thinking how the market should be set for our paid positions in church. What do you think is the best approach to compensation and staffing for the local church?
Great post Caleb. Financial decisions in the church are never easy. Where is the line between good stewardship and faith in God to provide? As with you, I have no easy answer. I also wonder about the 2 year time frame for monetary “burn” as you put it. I have often heard of having six months worth of expenses in savings. It makes me wonder if Covid had any influence on those who felt the need to keep that amount as a safety net.
I am not very familiar with the way that you decide to pay your clergy. I am use to a pastor having a salary in our church determined by the board of trustees. Is this process similar.