Conservative Protestants and Wealth

 

In a recent segment on the Albert Mohler show, Dr. Mohler of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, briefly discussed an article recently written by Lisa Keister of Duke University and published in the American Journal of Sociology entitled, Conservative Protestants and Wealth: How Religion Perpetuates Asset Poverty.  The gist of Keister’s research is that religious affiliation and beliefs affect wealth ownership for conservative protestants (CP’s).   Based on Dr. Mohler’s summary and discussion of this article, I had to find it and read it.  So I found the journal, paid my $10 to download the article, and read it with interest.  What I found was, as Dr. Mohler also found, shocking and at the same time refreshing. 

Keister’s states, “The results demonstrate that religion affects wealth indirectly through educational attainment, fertility, and female labor force participation. The results also provide evidence of a direct effect of religion on wealth. Low rates of asset accumulation and unique economic values combine to reduce CP wealth beyond the effects of demographics.”  Let me explain what she found out, then I will throw in some comments of my own.

CP’s typically have a net worth much lower than the rest of the country.  She found that in 2000, a CP’s median net worth was $26,000, vs. a full sample median of $66,200.  The mean net worth for the full sample was $200,000, while the mean for the CP’s was only $85,000.  In other words, CP’s make much less, save much less, and have an asset value of much less, almost one-third less, than the average American.  Why is that?  Keister’s research attributes this discrepancy to the religious beliefs of CP’s.  She states that the central defining trait of a CP “is their interpretation of the Bible as the inerrant word of God. A key assumption that follows and that figures prominently in CP financial values is that money belongs to God, and people are managers of God’s money.”  Conservative Protestants interpret such passages as Lev 25:23, Deut 10:14, Psalm 24:1, and Psalm 50:10-12 to mean that “people are not the true owners of worldly possessions. Rather, God has entrusted people with the objects they possess, including both real and financial objects.”   Because CP’s hold to this truth, it affects the way they view and manage money, thus causing them to accumulate and build wealth differently than most Americans.  This is an incredible observation from a secular researcher. 

What are the effects of this central trait on wealth accumulation?  There are several that Keister found out.  She concluded that indirectly, these values affect the educational levels of CP’s, causing them to have a lower level of educational attainment than other people, and educational level is a strong predictor of wealth.  Why is that?  She discovered that CP’s tend to marry earlier, have children relatively early in marriage, and have more children than the typical American family.  She very specifically states that family size reduces asset and wealth accumulation, and early fertility exacerbates the effect because it limits opportunities for further education, career development, and savings.  Moreover, most CP families are one-income families, because the wife/mother usually stays home to raise the kids.  Additionally, because CP children get their values from their parents rather than from a daycare or other source, these religious values and lifestyles are perpetuated generationally. 

She also notes several other effects of the CP’s central trait of holding the Bible as the inerrant Word of God.  One is that “divine advice, advice from clergy, and other religiously oriented advice about money and work have important merit. Given that God owns all worldly possessions, it is prudent to seek his advice when making decisions about how to accumulate and handle those possessions,” especially from ministers.  Secondly, another value that follows the Biblical text is “that excess accumulation is undesirable.” She gives several reasons for this, with Scriptural examples, such as the danger of becoming overly focused on material well-being at the expense of spiritual well-being, excess accumulation is a bad investment compared to a spiritual investment, and it is unnecessary to accumulate worldly possessions because God will take care of believers.  A third value associated with the Biblical text “that follows from the assumption that God owns all material goods is that it is necessary to give some money back to God and to otherwise use money to do God’s works.”  This is tithing and sacrificial giving and generosity. 

In the article she provides here research methodology, tables and charts, and data to support her findings. 

Now, this is an incredible research project.  The underlying assumption, though, of the whole project is that asset and wealth accumulation is good, and asset poverty is bad.  It is better to be well-off now and even better to prepare for the future through investments, savings, and relative selfishness in terms of wealth.  However, her findings indicate that conservative protestants tend to live according to different values that what is typically put forth by the world.  This is a tremendous witness to the power of the Word of God and the gospel of Christ.  Even when the author tries to be unbiased, her contempt comes through.  Note the title of the paper.  However, 1 Peter 3 states, ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵ but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶ having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.  Note my underlined passage.  Even when Christians are slandered for their obedience to God, they may have a good conscience and those that slander us may be put to shame.  I think this research project is a huge witness for Christ and a statement against the worldly attitudes that prevail in our culture. 

It is also interesting how Keister relates children and families with asset building.  No children = good asset growth.  Many children = asset poverty.  Therefore the underlying conclusion is that one should think long and hard about having children, because they are a drain on your ability to build wealth for the future.  One can almost sense the self-centered presuppositions that permeate our culture today.  When our entire existence is about the accumulation of wealth for our own comfort and security, then children will ultimately get in the way.  Hence the abortion culture, and the increasingly low birth rates in many Western countries. 

Low CP wealth is not a bad thing; in fact, it is a Biblical thing.  Luke 16:10-13, 1 Timothy 6:9-10, and Luke 12:15 are all warnings of the dangers of trusting in wealth and not trusting in God.  We live in a society and culture that puts a premium value on money and wealth, as well as comfort, entertainment, and security.  Wealth accumulation provides all of those, or so it seems in America.  However, Christians are called to live differently.  We are to value children as gifts from God and integral parts of the covenant of God, not as asset drains on our ability to build future wealth.  We are to trust in God for our provisions, and not our selves.  We are called to fully understand that every material thing belongs to God, and we are simply mangers and stewards of what God has allowed us to have.  Not only are we to understand this, but are to live like it is true.  So many times I have seen, even in my own life, how Christians profess to trust God yet live like atheists.  We say we trust God for our provisions and our future, yet we store up wealth like there is no one else to provide for us or take care of us. 

This research is encouraging from a Biblical perspective because it shows that there are Christians who are a big witness for the countercultural values of Christ.  We should all become more aware of what it really means to live for Christ in every area of our lives, especially material possessions.  We need to teach our kids what it means to trust God for our provision, both in our words as well as our deeds.  There are more important things than wealth.  And yes, investment in the Kingdom of God is a much better decision and provides much better yields than an investment in this world. 

Love and Marriage….

My wife and I just returned from a vacation where we were celebrating our 20^th wedding anniversary.  We were high school sweethearts, stayed together through college, and were married after we both graduated.  This may be a bit personal, but we have only known each other, so to speak.  We are living examples that, yes, it is possible to remain true and faithful before and during marriage, and we are striving to teach both of our daughters this same lesson.  We certainly have no regrets about anything, and in fact, our long courtship and celibacy before marriage have only made us stronger in our relationship.  We are looking forward to at least another 40 more years! 

Marriage seems to have fallen on hard times in this country and across the globe lately.  With the world’s preoccupation, actually worship, of sex, marriage seems to have lost its meaning and given way to unbridled pleasure, self-gratification, and self-centeredness.  Why is marriage such a big deal anyway?  I mean, why can’t two people, regardless of gender or some piece of legal paper, enjoy an intimate relationship in whatever manner they wish?  Shouldn’t our own desires and pleasures govern the way we love and relate to one another? 

In a word, no.  The Bible has a lot to say about love and marriage, but let me say something that is obvious first.  True relationship cannot exist between two people who are self-centered and live life only for self-gratification.  How can two people care about each other if all they care about is themselves? That is why marriage and even real relationship today is becoming an endangered species.  People nowadays are consummate consumers, and live life to fulfill their own desires, whatever those may be.  Self-fulfillment, more money, wealth-building, a better life, self-improvement, etc.  All of these goals and more are focused on the self.  Real relationship is focused on someone else.  The reason very few people have strong and long-lasting relationships today is because in our consumer-driven and self-focused modern world, devoting yourself to someone else, subordinating your desires temporarily or permanently for someone else’s, is heresy.  Relationships, even in the church, are usually built on what the other person can do for me to help me in my quest for self-improvement or fulfillment.  Even many Christians see God not as the Almighty Creator of the universe, Lord over all of heaven and earth, the object of my worship and sacrifice, but a means to get what I want out of life, be it happiness, a good marriage, well-behaved kids, financial security, good health, or job security.  The focus on the self does not make for good relationships and certainly does not breed strong marriages. 

The primary Biblical picture of a marriage is that of a covenant.  God’s covenant relations with his people are described in the language of marriage.  We get our meaning and models for relationship from the covenantal relationship of God and his people.  There are three main elements of the marriage covenant that we can derive from the Bible: 1) the promise of committed love between the husband and the wife; 2) the public declaration of the covenant by which a new family is created; and 3) the personal communion between a husband and a wife in the relationship.  God’s covenant with his people is permanent, and the marriage covenant between a man and a woman is also permanent.  When we think of marriage as a model of God’s relationship with His people, we have a solid foundation on which to build our own marriage.

Marriage is a creation ordinance of God, and affected the total life of man.  God ordered the ordinance of marriage when He states in Genesis 2:18, “it is not good that man should be alone.”  So God created a helper.  O. Palmer Robertson states that, “The creational origin of the marriage relationship has far-reaching implications.  By tracing this ordinance to the sovereign creative act of God himself, Scripture removes all doubt with respect to the sanctity of marriage.  The Lord-Creator ordained marriage from the time of man’s creation.”  Robertson reaches several conclusions, which should be fairly obvious from the Biblical texts concerning marriage.

1.  There is an interpersonal fusion between a man and a woman, a husband and a wife.  God created woman from man, and Genesis 2:22-24 describes how a man should leave his parents and cleave to his wife to form one flesh.  This oneness is to be consummated only in the marriage bond and union.  Implicit in this union is the fact that only two can enter into it.  By the ordering of creation, marriage unites two persons. 

2.  Creation’s ordering determines the internal structure that characterizes God’s institution of marriage.  This will clearly not be politically correct, but Paul states in 1 Corinthians 11:9 that the man was not created for the woman, but the woman was created for the man.  A significant balancing element must be noted in the scriptural presentation of the role of the woman in marriage.  The woman is to be man’s helper, but is to be a helper corresponding to him.  The woman is no less significant than the man with respect to the person.  The roles are different, but the equality before God is the same. 

3.  The effect of the creation ordinance of marriage on various sexual aberrations should be noticed.  Because an order has been established for the relation of men and women by creation, this order cannot be ignored or supplanted.  Polygamy contradicts the creational order of marriage.  Divorce contradicts the creational order of marriage.  Homosexuality contradicts the creational order of marriage. 

A sexual relationship between a man and a woman has been designed by God to be exercised only within the marriage relationship.  Today, we have made sex as strictly a fulfillment of stimulation and pleasure, with little to no deep commitment or relationship.  It has become a superficial act of pure stimulation in which we attempt to selfishly satisfy our own desires and urges.  What modern man and woman has made sex is much to the contrary of what God designed sex to be.  God intended sex to be the consummation of a close and personal relationship within the marriage covenant. 

Marriage should therefore be regarded as a significant and supremely important component of God’s creation and created order.  It is through marriage that reproduction occurs (or should occur), and the Christian’s reproduction of children is a primary way God works his redemption and plan through generations in His covenant.  Today marriage is seen as merely a social construct that can and must change to keep up with the changing times and changing cultural contexts.  However, as part of God’s created order, marriage is a lasting ordinance that can never be changed, and was designed and created by God himself as part of His ordering of His creation.  A proper study of marriage is in order for Christians, because most Christians don’t understand the importance of marriage.  When Christians understand the supreme significance of this ordinance and covenant, then perhaps marriage will be revived in America.