Lecture: Will the Poor Always Be With Us?
Wednesday, March 11 at 7 p.m.
Winants Auditorium, Graves Hall, Hope College
Christ’s statement in Matthew 26:11, “the poor you will always have with you,” is disconcerting. Christians have a long history of seeking to relieve poverty among fellow human beings. What are the different ways in which Christians have responded to the words of Jesus?
How can we truly pursue the common good in the light of poverty and inequality? This lecture will reflect upon this question and argue the moral case for the market in the relief of poverty and that freedom in economic life is an essential prerequisite for the common good. We will consider the dignity of work and the way in which the market encourages the flourishing of creativity, enterprise, and risk-taking for the benefit of all. We will consider the moral framework of the market, the nature and dignity of the human person, and the role of the voluntary principle in social welfare.
Rev. Dr. Richard Turnbull is the Director of the Centre for Enterprise, Markets and Ethics, based in Oxford, UK. The Centre seeks to integrate economics, business, history and theology to argue the case for an enterprise economy. Dr. Turnbull is an experienced accountant, pastor, and academic. He is the author of several books, monographs and articles and visiting Professor at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham, UK.
For more information, please contact Dr. Sarah Estelle.
