A caring economy?

2010-08-19

The Old Town Hall is a wonderfully restored building in the middle of Gravesend and, last week, it was the setting for a discussion evening on the theme of A Caring Economy.

What we mean by a caring economy depends on who you are.  For me, it's an economy which is concerned for all members of our society and not just those who are more fortunate ... it's an ethical economy.  From a Christian point of view, it's important to remember the Bible's teaching that all people are made in the image of God and that human dignity is not an optional extra.  Jesus made the point, of course, that we are to love our neighbour, and he memorably told what has come to be known as the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  He also reminded his followers that whatever they do for 'the least' is like doing it for Jesus himself. 

The main contributions to the discussion embraced, first of all, education and the need for people of faith to work with the state and with the private sector to provide appropriately for the educational needs of coming generations.  We also heard about the impact that the credit crunch has had on banking, and how money needs to be used responsibly to benefit local communities and wider society.  Finally, we faced up to the options facing us as more of us live to a greater age - with a focus on pensions.  How can we best adapt to this major change in demographics over the coming years?

It was a thought-provoking evening, with more questions than answers but they're questions that will not go away.  How can we discover the paths to a more caring economy? 

Interestingly, I'd been reading a new book in the weeks before - it's called Good Value, written by Stephen Green who is chairman of HSBC and an ordained Anglican.  I recommend it.