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WEALTHCREATIONANDJUSTICE
Global Consultation on Wealth Creation for
Transformation
March 2017
lausanne.org • bamglobal.org
WEALTHCREATIONANDJUSTICE
ApaperfromtheGlobalConsultationon
WealthCreationforTransformation
organizedbytheLausanneMovementandBAMGlobal
inChiangMai,Thailand,inMarch2017.
© LausanneMovement&BAMGlobal
Permissionisgrantedtodistributethispaperforpersonalandeducationaluse,
freeofcharge.Commercialuseisprohibited.
Pleaseincludethisacknowledgementwhensharingandquoting:
2017GlobalConsultationonWealthCreationforTransformation;Lausanne
Movement&BAMGlobal.
Weencouragethedisseminationofthispaperandalsothevarious
translationsoftheWealthCreationManifesto.
GlobalConsultationonWealthCreationforTransformationSeries:
• WealthCreationandthePoor
• RoleoftheChurchinWealthCreation
• WealthCreation:BiblicalViewsandPerspectives
• WealthCreationandtheStewardshipofCreation
• WealthCreationwithinGlobalCulturalPerspectives
• WealthCreators'ContributiontoHolisticTransformation
• WealthCreationandJustice
Formoreinformationcontact:[email protected]•[email protected]
4
TABLEOFCONTENTS
Foreword...................................................................................................................................5
WealthCreationManifesto.......................................................................................................7
ExecutiveSummary:WealthCreationandJustice....................................................................9
WealthCreationandJustice....................................................................................................11
1.0Identifyingjustice..........................................................................................................11
2.0Righteousbusiness........................................................................................................20
3.0Justiceandhumantrafficking........................................................................................24
Appendix..................................................................................................................................32
Endnotes..................................................................................................................................36
5
Foreword
‘RemembertheLORDyourGod,foritishewhogivesyoutheabilitytoproducewealth’(Deut
8:18).
TheBibletalksaboutwealthinthreeways;oneisbadandtwoaregood.Hoardingofwealth
iscondemned.Sharingofwealthisencouraged.Creationofwealthisbothagodlygiftanda
command,andthereisnowealthtobesharedunlessithasfirstbeencreated.Butalltoooftentheissueofwealthcreationismisunderstood,neglected,orevenrejected.Thesame
thingappliestowealthcreators.
TheGlobalConsultationonTheRoleofWealthCreationforHolisticTransformationaimed
ataddressingthat.Wewereabout30peoplefrom20nations,primarilyfromthebusiness
world,andalsofromchurch,missionsandacademia.DuringtheConsultationprocess2016–
2017wediscussedvariousaspectsofwealthcreation,includingjustice,poverty,biblical
foundations,culture,wealthcreators,stewardshipofcreationandtheroleofthechurch.
ThefindingshavebeensummarizedintheWealthCreationManifesto,andwillalsobe
publishedinseveralreportsandabook,aswellasaneducationalvideo.
Allthesecontainawealthofknowledgeandinsights,basedontheScriptures,rootedin
historyandinformedbypresent-dayconversationsandexamples.
Goldinthegroundhasnoparticularvalueuntilitisdiscovered,extracted,andtraded.Using
themetaphorofminingletmementionthree‘goldmines’thatwehavesoughttodiginto
duringourConsultationprocess.
ThebiblicalgoldmineFromtheManifesto:‘WealthcreationisrootedinGodtheCreator,whocreatedaworldthat
flourisheswithabundanceanddiversity.WearecreatedinGod’simage,toco-createwith
himandforhim,tocreateproductsandservicesforthecommongood.Wealthcreationisa
holycalling,andaGod-givengift,whichiscommendedintheBible.’Thereisalotmoregold
tobefoundinthebiblicalgoldmine.
Thehistoricalgoldmine
Wealthcreationleadingtotransformationisnotnew.FromtheManifesto:‘Wealthcreation
throughbusinesshasprovenpowertoliftpeopleandnationsoutofpoverty.’Therearemany
storiesofholistictransformationthroughwealthcreationthroughouthistory,andsomeare
stilluntold.Wealthcreationhasahistoryandweneedtoexploreitfurther.Throughour
reportsyoucandigintohistoricalgoldmines.
6
TheglobalgoldmineWealthcreationisnotaWesternorrich-worldphenomenon.Manymenandwomenare
makingadifferencethroughbusinessesonallcontinents.FromtheManifesto:‘Wealth
creatorsshouldbeaffirmedbytheChurch,andequippedanddeployedtoserveinthe
marketplaceamongallpeoplesandnations.’Weneedtolearnfromthemandothersandto
extracttheglobalgold,alsofoundinthesereports.
DiscoverandextracttheintellectualwealthintheManifesto,thereportsandbooksaswellasthevideo,andletthemaddvaluetoyourlifeandwork.Sharewithothers.
PleasestartbyreadingtheWealthCreationManifesto.Itwillgiveyouacontextanda
frameworktobetterunderstandeachreport.PleasealsoseetheappendixConsultationon
WealthCreation:BackgroundandContext.
MatsTunehag
ChairmanoftheConveningTeam
7
WealthCreationManifesto
Background
TheLausanneMovementandBAMGlobalorganizedaGlobalConsultationonTheRoleof
WealthCreationforHolisticTransformation,inChiangMai,Thailand,inMarch2017.About
30peoplefrom20nationsparticipated,primarilyfromthebusinessworld,andalsofrom
church,missionsandacademia.Thefindingswillbepublishedinseveralpapersandabook,
aswellasaneducationalvideo.ThisManifestoconveystheessentialsofourdeliberations
beforeandduringtheConsultation.
Affirmations
1. WealthcreationisrootedinGodtheCreator,whocreatedaworldthatflourishes
withabundanceanddiversity.
2. WearecreatedinGod’simage,toco-createwithhimandforhim,tocreateproducts
andservicesforthecommongood.
3. Wealthcreationisaholycalling,andaGod-givengift,whichiscommendedinthe
Bible.
4. WealthcreatorsshouldbeaffirmedbytheChurch,andequippedanddeployedto
serveinthemarketplaceamongallpeoplesandnations.
5. Wealthhoardingiswrong,andwealthsharingshouldbeencouraged,butthereisno
wealthtobesharedunlessithasbeencreated.
6. Thereisauniversalcalltogenerosity,andcontentmentisavirtue,butmaterial
simplicityisapersonalchoice,andinvoluntarypovertyshouldbealleviated.
7. Thepurposeofwealthcreationthroughbusinessgoesbeyondgivinggenerously,
althoughthatistobecommended;goodbusinesshasintrinsicvalueasameansof
materialprovisionandcanbeanagentofpositivetransformationinsociety.
8. Businesshasaspecialcapacitytocreatefinancialwealth,butalsohasthepotential
tocreatedifferentkindsofwealthformanystakeholders,includingsocial,
intellectual,physicalandspiritualwealth.
9. Wealthcreationthroughbusinesshasprovenpowertoliftpeopleandnationsoutof
poverty.
10. Wealthcreationmustalwaysbepursuedwithjusticeandaconcernforthepoor,and
shouldbesensitivetoeachuniqueculturalcontext.
8
11. Creationcareisnotoptional.Stewardshipofcreationandbusinesssolutionstoenvironmentalchallengesshouldbeanintegralpartofwealthcreationthrough
business.
Appeal
WepresenttheseaffirmationstotheChurchworldwide,andespeciallytoleadersin
business,church,government,andacademia.1
• Wecallthechurchtoembracewealthcreationascentraltoourmissionofholistic
transformationofpeoplesandsocieties.
• Wecallforfresh,ongoingeffortstoequipandlaunchwealthcreatorstothatvery
end.
• Wecallwealthcreatorstoperseverance,diligentlyusingtheirGod-givengiftsto
serveGodandpeople.
AdmaioremDeigloriam—ForthegreatergloryofGod
9
ExecutiveSummary:WealthCreationandJustice
[Quotesinitalicsareexcerptsfromthereport,unlessotherwisestated.]
Thispaperexamines‘wealthcreationandjustice’throughthreedifferentlenses.Insection
one,PaulMillerinvestigatestheclaimthatthebasisfortheChristian’sdutyofhelpingthe
poor,thewidow,andtheoppressed,isadutyrootedinjusticeratherthaninmercy/charity.
Sectiontwo,byTimWeinhold,examinesthebiblicalmandatestoemployersandbusiness
owners:whatitmeanstoactbothjustlyandrighteouslyintheeconomicrealm.Section
three,byMatsTunehag,2thenexamineshowbiblicalwealthcreationisessentialfor
effectivestrategiestocombathumantrafficking.Businessesarekeytobothpreventionand
restorationofhumantraffickingsurvivors.
Insectionone,Millerclaimstoseeadangeroustendencytodaydismissing‘charity’—mercy-
basedactions—assub-biblical,withjustice-basedactionurgedastheproperreplacement.
Thepapercritiquestheallegedbiblicalbasisforthistendencyasarguedinselectedwritings
ofJimWallis,TimKeller,andGregForster,anditcritiquesitchieflyforits
‘interchangeability’argument.
Thatis,Wallis,Keller,andForsterarguethathelpingtheweakandvulnerableisnot‘charity’
butalwaysanactof‘justice’,basingtheirargumentonthefactthattwochiefHebrewwords
for‘justice’(mishpat)and‘righteousness’(tsedekah)—termsoftenconnectedwiththe
biblicalcommandstohelpthevulnerable—aresoconstantly‘associated’and‘brought
together’thatthisshowstheyareactually‘interchangeable’,interchangeabletothedegree
thatwhatis‘just’andwhatis‘right’areessentiallythesame.Thedangerhereisthat
includedin‘whatisright’—tsedekah,‘righteousness’—arealltheactsofkindness,
generosity,andmercy,whichareusuallycategorizedas‘charity’.Butiftheseactsare
‘essentiallythesame’asjustice,thenthelinebetweenmercy/graceandjusticehasbeen
obliterated,andmercyswallowedupbyjustice.Indeed,KellercommentsthatMicah6:8’s
commandto‘‘dojusticeandlovemercy,’whichseematfirstglancetobetwodifferent
things…arenot.’Thisisdangerous.
ItisdangerousbothinourrelationshipwithGodandman:WithGod,becausethe
distinctionbetweenjusticeandmercy/graceisabsolutelyfundamental(grace,notjustice,is
theentirebasisofourrelationship).Withman,subsumingmercyintojusticeisequally
destructiveasitencouragesavictimizationmentality—ourneedsbecomeothers’problems
thatthey,injustice,mustmeet.Ourownresponsibilityisobliterated.Wallis,Keller,and
ForsterarerighttoinsistontheChristian’sdutytohelpthevulnerable,buttoturnthatinto
adutyofjusticeisnotthewayforward.
TimWeinhold’ssecondsectionfocusesonthreeareas.First,helaysoutGod’sjustice
requirementswhichcondemnbusinesspeoplewhotakeadvantageoftheirworkers,
particularlythroughexploitivecompensation.Second,hemovesbeyondsimplejusticeto
spelloutanevenhigherbiblicaldutylaiduponemployers—thedutyofsharedrewards.
Extrapolatingfromthebiblicalcommandof‘donotmuzzletheox’,WeinholdnotesthatGod
10
wantssomethingmoreevenbeyondthe‘livablewage’foremployees—thattheyshouldbe
allowedtoenjoybonusfeedingsoverandabovethenormalfeedings(wages)providedby
thefarmer.Theyaretoenjoythesharedrewardsofthebusiness’success.
Third,WeinholdunpacksGod’sOldTestamentcommandsconcerning‘gleanings’—farmers
allowingthepoortopick‘gleanings’fromtheirfield.Heexplainsitsintentiontoforgea
directconnectionbetweentheneedsofthepoorandthepredominantwealth-generating
businessesoftheday,thenpuzzlingoutthereasonGodleftthespecificsofthisgleaning
commandsovague—toeffectatransformationoftheheartofthebusinesspersoninthe
process.Itwasmeanttosolvebothparties’mutualpoverty—boththerichbusinessperson’s
propensitytoselfishnessandthelargercommunity’sphysicallack.
Insectionthree,MatsTunehagexamineshowbiblicalwealthcreationiscriticalforliberation
ofthosecrushedbyeconomicinjustice.Asanexample,itconsidersbusinesssolutionsto
humantrafficking.Arootcausetothismodern-dayslaveryisunemployment.Thismakes
peoplevulnerabletotraffickersandcreateshigh-riskareaswherepeoplearetrickedand
trapped.
Millionsofpeopleareheldasslavestoday;morethanwereshippedacrosstheAtlantic
duringthelegalslavetrade.Todayhuman-traffickingisillegal.Whilethereisroomfor
improvementsoflawsandlawenforcement,werecognizethattoday,thesystemicissueis
lackofjobs.Thuswealthcreators—businesspeople—areneeded.Thissectionshowshow
businessesarecomingtotheforefronttobringhopeandrestorationthroughjobswith
dignity.Itdescribesbusinessesthatexisttofighthuman-trafficking,calledfreedom
businesses.ThissectionhighlightstheFreedomBusinessAlliance,aglobaltradeassociation,
whichexiststohelpfreedombusinesssucceed.
11
WealthCreationandJustice
PaulMiller,TimWeinhold&MatsTunehag
1.0Identifyingjustice 1.1Introduction
Morethanever,justiceisahotbuttonitem.Whetherinthesecularworldorinthechurch,if
youwanttoengagethepassionsofyoungpeople,thentieyourcausetoaperceived
injustice.ThisinstinctisrootedinourCreator.Godhimselfisoutragedatinjustice.TheBible
remindsusthat‘theangeroftheLord...[is]kindledagainsthispeople’whenthey‘callevil
goodandgoodevil...acquittheguiltyforabribe,anddeprivetheinnocentofhisright’(Isa
5:20,23,25)—notsurprising,giventhat‘theLordisaGodofjustice’(Isa30:18).
JusticeiscentraltotheBible.Referencestoitaresprinkledfrombeginningtoend—whether
inthebooksofthelaw(onlyseeLeviticus6:1-6’sconcernnotonlyforheavenlyatonement
butequallyforearthlyrestitution),theprophets(seeHosea5whereinGod‘despises’his
people’sreligious‘solemnassemblies’,callinginsteadfor‘justicetorolldownlikewaters’),
orintheNewTestament(whereJesuscondemnsthePhariseesforhaving‘neglectedthe
weightiermattersofthelaws’,whichheidentifiesas‘justiceandmercy,andfaithfulness’).
Thecentralityofjustice,then,istheassumedfoundationforallthatfollowsinthispaper.
Andwhatfollowsisanattempttodistinguishproperjusticeclaims—whichneedtobe
pursuedvigorously—fromitsimproperimitators,whichneedtobeabandoned.Such
discernmentisnecessaryinordertosecurethat‘truejustice’thatZechariah7:9exhortsus
toadminister.
So,justiceiscentral,butitisalsoproblematic.Ifthefactofjusticeisclear,itsexactcontents
arenotalwaysso.Whilemanyofjustice’sdemandsarestraightforwardandclear,3inthe
economicsphereparticularlyevangelicalshavelongwrestledwithwhatjusticedemands.
Thiswasalltooevidentinthethree-partOxfordConferenceonChristianFaithand
Economics(1987–1993),aninternationalgatheringsparkedbytheemergenceoftheso-
called‘radicalevangelicals’4outoftheBillyGraham-sponsoredLausanneCongressof1974.
RonaldSiderdescribedthisconferenceashaving‘gatheredtogetheranenormouslydiverse
groupofover100evangelicalleadersfromallthecontinentsandbackgrounds—bankers,
theologians,economists,ethicists,businessleaders,anddevelopmentpractitioners.’5
Focusinguniquelyoneconomicsubjects,itfoundagreementonmanypointsexceptforone:
On‘economicjustice’itstutteredtoadead-end.6
Oneparticipant,E.CalvinBeisner,AssociateProfessorofSocialEthicsatKnoxTheological
Seminary(Florida),summarizedthedisagreement:
TheOxfordDeclaration...tellsusthat‘Biblicaljusticemeansimpartiallyrendering
toeveryonetheirdueinconformitywiththestandardsofGod’smorallaw’....
Immediatelyfollowing...theDeclarationoffersanotherviewofjustice...[that]
12
thereisasenseinwhich‘justiceispartial’becauseit‘requiresspecialattentionto
theweakmembersofthecommunitybecauseoftheirgreatervulnerability’....The
thesisofthischapteristhattheDeclarationthuspresentstwomutuallyinconsistent
viewsofjusticeandthattheformerisbiblicalandthelatterunbiblical.7
Justice—partialorimpartial—herewastheissue.Or,puttingitlessabstractly,theissueas
expressedbyTimKellerwaswhetherjusticeshouldbe‘generous’,with‘generous’meaning
giving‘somethingmorethanisstrictlynecessary’.8Kellersays,
SomeChristiansbelievethatjusticeisstrictlymishpat....Thisdoesnotmeanthey
thinkbelieversshouldbeindifferenttotheplightofthepoor,buttheywouldinsist
thathelpingtheneedythroughgenerousgivingshouldbecalledmercy,compassion
orcharity—notjustice....Justiceincludesgenerosity....Tonot‘sharehisbread’
[herereferencingJob31:23,28]andhisassetswiththepoorwouldbeunrighteous,a
sinagainstGod,andthereforebydefinitionaviolationofGod’sjustice.9
RelatingthissomewhatabstractdiscussiononlinguisticsandtheprecisemeaningofOld
Testamenttermstocurrenthot-topicdiscussionson‘justice’,weactuallyseeitbeingplayed
outinthegeneralretreatallaroundusfrom‘charity’asabasisforaction,withaidtoAfrica
beingatypicalexample.Asfarbackas1976,Dr.JuliusNyerere,whenPresidentofTanzania,
rejected‘charity’forAfrica,callingitamatterof‘justice’instead.Itwassomething‘owed’
them,their‘right’:
Inoneworld,asinonestate,whenIamrichbecauseyouarepoor,andIampoor
becauseyouarerich,thetransferofwealthfromtherichtothepoorisamatterof
right;itisnotanappropriatematterforcharity....Iftherichnationsgoongetting
richerandricherattheexpenseofthepoor,thepoormustdemandachange.10
This‘justice-not-charity’motifalsomotivatedthedebtcancellationmovementsin2004–
2005whichledtothecancellationofUSD116billionofAfricancountries’debt.11
Everywhere,charityhasbeenassailedas,atbest,insufficientand,atworst,morally
undignifiedanddegrading.Itisanassaultresonatingwithmany.
TimKeller,JimWallis,andGregForster—allhighlyseriousandweightyfigureswithin
evangelicalism12—haverevivedtheOxfordConsultation’sdebate,advocatingthat‘justiceis
biggerthanyouthink,’or,inTimKeller’sphrase,more‘generous’thanyouthink.13Helping
thepoor,theweak,andthehelplessisnotforthemanexpressionofgraceandcharity;
rather,itisarequirementofstrictjustice.Thisisthedebatethisfirstsectionwillengage,
withthiswriterchallengingtheviewofWallis,Keller,andForster.
1.2Thecentralargument:mishpatandtsedekahinterchangeable
WallisandKellerbasetheircentralargument14onthemeaningsoftwokeyOldTestament
Hebrewwords,mishpat(justice)andtsedekah(righteousness).Theyarguethatthesehave
beenmisunderstood,withespeciallythetermmishpatbeingbadlyserved—toooften
13
restrictedinitsmeaningtoaverynarrow,constricted,andalmostlegalisticconceptof
‘justice’.Wallisassertsthat,‘Ourunderstandingofbiblicaljusticehasbeendiminishedby
howtheGreekandHebrewwords[mishpatandtsedeq]thatwereoriginallyusedhavebeen
translated,’15andKellerfollowssuit,devotingtheentirefirstchapterofhisbookGenerous
Justicetoawordstudyofthesetwoterms,mishpatandtsedekah.Essentially,their
argumentscanbesummarizedintofourmainpoints,detailedbelow.
First,istheir‘interchangeability’argument,Wallisstates:
Thebiblicalwordsfor‘justice’areinterchangeablewithandinterrelatedwiththewords
for‘righteousness’.Whatis‘just’andwhatis‘right’areessentiallythesame....Andin
abouthalfthecasesinwhere‘just’or‘justice’areusedintheKingJamesVersionandthe
AmericanStandardRevisedVersion,thewordshavebeenchangedto‘right’,‘righteous’,
or‘righteousness’inlaterversions.16
Hispointisthatifmishpatandtsedekah(ortsedeq)areinfact‘interchangeable’,then
restrictingmishpattoasortof‘strictjustice’whichonlypunishesevilandrepaysanarrow
setofrights,completelymissesitswidersenseofageneral‘righteousness’thatrequires
generoushelptotheweak.Kellerdoesnotusetheword‘interchangeable’butmakes
exactlythesamepointwhen,citingMicah6:8,hethenwrites,‘Thetextsaysto‘dojustice
andlovemercy,’whichseematfirstglancetobetwodifferentthings,buttheyarenot.’17
Secondistheir‘obligatory’argument:torestrictgenerousgivingandmercifulservicetothe
realmof‘charity’or‘compassion’islessthanbiblicalbecausewhere‘justice’isobligatory,
‘charity’conveysasenseofvoluntariness,ofgoodnessaboveandbeyondthecallofduty.
Thisisfartooweak,theyassert,giventhathelpingtheoppressed,thewidow,andthe
orphanisactuallyabiblicalobligation,somethingrequired.
Thirdistheir‘internality’argument:theyarguethattsedekah—‘righteousness’—islimitedto
internalpietyonly.Biblicalrighteousnessisalsosocial;itinvolvesexternalrelationships,the
waywedealwithpeople.Andthissocialrealmistherealmofjusticeparexcellence.
Fourthistheir‘inseparability’argument:theysumuptheirargumentsbyconcludingthat
tsedekah(righteousness)cannotbeseparatedfrommishpat(justice).Kellersaystheyare
‘broughttogether’,whileForstersaystheyare‘associated’,andWallissaystheyare
‘interrelated’.Thefactthatmishpatisassociatedwithtsedekahmeans,theyargue,‘Any
neglectshowntotheneedsofthemembersofthisquartet[ofwidows,orphans,
immigrants,andthepoor]isnotcalledmerelyalackofmercyorcharitybutaviolationof
justice,ofmishpat.’18Inotherwords,thesortofrighteousnessthatformerlywasconsidered
actsofmercyandgraciouscharity(attentiontotheweak)isactuallyalwaysactsofjustice;it
isasubsetofjusticeratherthanavirtuealtogetherseparateanddistinct.19Inessence,their
‘inseparability’argumentisavariationoftheir‘interchangeability’argument.
14
1.3AgreementwithWallis,Keller,andForster Thereareimportantpointstheymakewithwhichweagree:
1.Tsedekah(righteousness)concernsnotjustourprivateacts,ourinnerpiety,butour
outwardsocialbehavioraswell.Absolutely!Godisconcernednotjustwithourthoughtsbut
withouractionsintheconcreteworldandhowweimpactothers.
2.Mishpat(justice)includesbothanegativesense(judgingandpunishingwrongdoing)anda
positivesense(givingpeopletheirdue).Absolutely.
3.Generosityisnotmerelyoptional;itisrequiredofusbyGod.MuchisagreeableofWallis,
Keller,andForster’sexhortationtothechurchtoidentifywithGod’sheart,aheartreaching
outtothepoorandneedy.Kellerisabsolutelycorrectwhenhewrites,‘He[theGodofthe
Bible]identifieswiththepowerless,hetakesuptheircause.Itishardforusto
understandhowrevolutionarythiswasintheancientworld...[where]thegods...
identifiedwiththeelites.’20Thedisagreementissimplywithcategorizingtheseasinevitably
actsof‘justice’.
1.4Disagreement
Thenthereareimportantpointswithwhichwedisagree21:
1.4.1TheassociationargumentWallis,Keller,andForsterarerighttoclaimthatthesetwotermsmishpatandtsedekahare
‘broughttogetherscoresoftimes’22andoften‘associated’
23withoneanother.Whatthey
havenotsuccessfullydemonstratedisthenatureofthisassociation.Aretheybrought
togetherasequivalents—twowaysofsayingthesamething—orasdifferentthough
inseparablepartners?Wallis,Keller,andForsterargue,essentially,thattheir‘association’is
inthenatureofidenticaltwins;theyareinterchangeable,suchthat‘generosity’and‘charity’
(allaspectsoftsedekah)canbeequatedwith‘justice’.Theyarguethatwhenmishpatand
tsedekaharecontinuallylinked—Scripturerepeatedlyusingthephrase‘mishpatandtsedekah’—thatScriptureisthusshowingthatthesearetwodifferenttermsforexactlythe
sameconcept—theconceptof‘justice’.
Herewedisagree.Thatthesetermsarerepeatedlyjoinedtogethersimplyshows—notthat
theymeanthesamething—that,biblically,theybelongtogetherandshouldneverbe
separated.ItisratherlikeJesuspointingoutondivorcethat,‘Haveyounotreadthathewho
createdthemfromthebeginningmadethemmaleandfemale....WhatthereforeGodhas
joinedtogether,letnomanseparate’(Matt19:4-6).Themarriedcouplewerenevertobe
separated,buttheywerealwaysdistinct—alwaysmaleandfemale.Viveladifférence!The
facttheywerealwaystogether,or‘associated’,neverimpliedtheywereanythingbuttwo
separatepartnerswiththeirownindependent,distinctrealities.
15
Similarly,mishpatandtsedekaharenot—changingherethemetaphorslightly—identical
twinsbutrathersiblingsinthesamefamily.Theyareclearlyrelatedandcloselyconnected;
atthesametimetheyareasindependentanddifferentfromoneanotherasareactual
siblingsinanaturalfamily.Takingyetanotherangle,theyare‘associated’andconnectedin
thesamewaythefruitsoftheSpiritare—theyarepartofafamilyofdistinctvirtueswhich
neverthelessbelongtogether.Galatians5:22’s‘joy’,forinstance,iscertainly‘associated’
withtheothervirtuesof‘peace,patience’etc.,butitmakesnosensetoarguethat‘joy’is
thesamethingas‘peace’etc.SimilarlyJeremiah9:24associatesthreevirtues,‘kindness,
justiceandrighteousness,’24butthatdoesnotmeanthat‘justice’isthesamethingas
‘kindness’.Indeed,sodifferentaretheythatnotinfrequentlyjusticeactuallyrequiresthe
stiflingofkindness;itisoneortheother.25
SoindividualanddistinctarethesevirtuesthatPeterwrites,‘makeeveryefforttoaddto
yourfaithgoodness,andtogoodness,knowledge...’(2Pet1:3f).Hisclearassumptionis
thatonevirtue,whilegood,isinsufficient;itlacksanothervirtuewhichneedsadding.But
thismakesnosenseifeachvirtueisinfactidenticalwiththenext,justwithanothername.
Yes,thevirtuesarealways‘broughttogether’and‘associated’buttheyalwaysretaintheir
individualandspecialcharacteristics.
Soitiswithmishpatandtsedekah.Wallis,Keller,andForsterhavesuccessfullyarguedthat
thesetwoarealwaysassociated,thatGodisalwaysconcernedwithbothgeneral
‘righteousness’andwithoneofrighteousness’subsets,thatof‘justice’.Agreed!However,
regardingWallis,Keller,andForster’sadditional(andcentral)argumentthatthisconstant
‘association’provestheirinterchangeability(iekindnessandgenerosityequaljustice),this
runsthemintobothanexegeticalproblemandatheologicalproblem.Exegetically,as
arguedabove,thecontinuallistingofcertainvirtuestogetheronlyshowstheybelong
together;itdoesnotshowtheyareidentical.Moreover,assertingtheyareidenticalrenders
non-sensicalahostofbiblicalstatements,someofwhicharelistedabove.Thereinisthe
exegeticalproblem.Thetheologicalproblemisequallysignificant:claimingmishpatand
tsedekahareidenticalcompromisesourgrace-basedsalvation.
1.4.2Theinterchangeabilityargument:ConfusinggracewithjusticeWerewetoacceptWallis,Keller,andForster’spositiononthestrictinterchangeabilityof
mishpatandtsedekahandonthe‘broader’meaningof‘justice’—suchthatgraciousgiving,
helpingtheweak,goingtheextramileallbecomenecessarilyactsof‘justice’—thenGod’s
owngraciousacts(hisrighteousactsoftsedekah)wouldbeequallyactsofjustice.Afterall,
ourvirtuesareonlypaleimitationsofhis.Whatistrueforusiseventruerforhim.Hisown
righteousactswouldalsobecategorizedas‘justice’.
Butinthiscase—iftheyaretruly‘interchangeable’—thenmercyandgracewouldlosetheir
uniquestatus,beingsubsumedinto‘justice’.Justiceismercyandmercyisjustice.Butthis
cannotbe;itwouldcontradictacentralbiblicalthemeregardingthegrace-basednatureof
oursalvation.AChristian’sfoundationisnotjustice.Oursalvation-basisgoesfarbeyond
strictjusticeinitsrootednessinbothmercy(notgettingwhatwedeserve)andgrace
(gettingwhatweilldeserve).Thisisthepolaroppositeofjustice(oritiswaybeyondjustice),
16
which,asKellercorrectlyobserves,entails‘givingpeoplewhattheyaredue’.26Christgaveus
farmorethanwhatwearedue(assurelyWallis,Keller,andForsterwouldagree).Blurring
theimportantdistinctionbetweenmercy/graceandjusticeisfatal.Thisblurring(atthe
salvationlevel)isnotwhattheyintend,butitisinevitableintheirapproach.Thisisnot
helpful.
1.4.3‘Mere’charity?‘Charity’isoutoffavorwiththenon-Christianworld.Itisseenasdemeaning.Justice-rooted
benefits—thoseclaimsseenas‘myright’—aredeemedmoredignifying.Nomerebeggars,
cominghumblycapinhand;rather,wefight,demonstrate,anddemandwithheadslifted
highthatwhichisrightfullyours.27Playingintothissentimentmighthavebeenaccidental
forRonSiderwhenhewrote,‘Godwillsjustice,notmerecharity’,28butperhapsnot.
Perhapshemeant‘merely’inthesenseof‘only/alone’ratherthan‘mere’inthesenseof
‘insignificant/paltry’.Butthetoneisdangerous.FortheChristian,charitycanneverbe
‘mere’.ItisthebasisforallGoddoes.Admittedly,mercyandgracecanneverdismissjustice
asunimportant;nevertheless,theverybasisallGod’sactionsinbothcreationand
redemptionisgrace.Nobody‘deserved’eithertheircreationortheirredemptionasanact
ofjustice.Noneofthiswasourright;allofitisanundeservedgift.Thisisneitherdemeaning
norundignified;itissimplyafactofourdependentnatures.Receivinghelp,then,when
rootedintruecharitywhichisgraciouslyexpressed,canneverbedemeaning.
1.4.4Charityoptional—yes/noKelleriscorrectinarguingthatcharityisnotoptional,
29butheerrsinidentifyingthenature
ofitsrequirement.Whileneithercharitynorjusticeareoptional—botharecommandedby
God—theydifferradicallyonacrucialpoint:inthesortsof‘claim-rights’eachtrigger.Witha
justiceclaim,adutyistriggeredwhichcanbecalleduponbythewrongedpartyashisorher
‘right’.Hehasanactual‘claim’.Thewrongedpartynotonly‘requests’satisfaction,but
legitimatelycan‘demand’it—eitherforapieceofproperty(oritsequivalent),somemoney,
anactrestoringarelationshiporcarryingoutapromise—whichtheotherpartymusthonor.
Itisotherwisewithgrace/charity/generosity.Charity/kindness/generositymayberequested
bythereceivingpartybutthespecificthingrequested—whetherproperty,money,some
restorativeact—cannotitselfbeclaimedordemandedasa‘right’;itisa‘wish’ora‘request’.
Thisisveryunlikejustice-claims.
Thisisperhapsclearestintherealmof‘forgiveness’.Wecannotclaimforgivenessasa‘right’
fromanyone—whetherGodorhuman—whenwehavewrongedthem.Wecanask,request,
pleadandhopeforit,butitisnotoursbyright.Justice-styleclaimsforour‘rights’aresimply
irrelevantatthispoint.OnlythinkoftheChristian’sredemption-relationshipwithChrist:Itis
afreely-given,grace-basedforgivenesswhichisthepolaroppositeof‘justiceright’whichwe
candemandassomething‘owed’.
Andyet,Wallis,Keller,andForsterarerightinpointingoutthatfortheChristianacting
beyondjustice—whetherforgiving,beinggenerous,andcharitable—isnotjustoptional;itis
aduty.TheChristianphilosopherNicholasWolterstorffpuzzledoverthisduty-that-triggers-
no-rightsaspectofforgivenessinhisbookJustice.Thisaspectofforgivenesswasespecially
17
puzzlingtoWolterstorffgivenhisbook’sgeneralthesisthat‘toeveryclaim-rightthereisa
correlativeduty’;30thatis,thatyoucannothaveobjective‘rights’ifyoudonotequallyhave
objective‘duties’fromwhichtherightssteminthefirstplace.31Theybelonginseparably
together.Accordingly,Wolterstorffconfessedhimselfpuzzledbytheactofforgiveness.Here
thereseemedtobeadutyontheoneside(theforgiver’s)unattendedbythereciprocating
rightontheother(theforgiven’s).Wolterstorffwrites:
Itappearsthatourtheorycommitsustodenyingtheexistenceofdutiesofcharity,
paradigmaticofsuchdutiesbeingthedutytoforgive.Amalefactordoesnothavea
rightagainsthisvictimtobeingforgivenbythevictim.Thevictimwouldnotwrong
themalefactorif,insteadofforgivinghim,hesubjectedhimtoanger,blame,and
appropriatehardtreatment.Itappearstofollowthattherecanbenodutytoforgive
and,moregenerally,nodutiesofcharity—adutyofcharitybeingadutytotreat
someoneacertainwaywhenthatpersondoesnothavearightagainstonetoone’s
treatinghimthatway.32
ThispuzzlesWolterstorffbecause,hisbasicthesisbeingtheinseparabilityofrightsand
duties,ifthereisnoactualrighttoforgiveness—asheconcedes—thenequallytherecanbe
nodutytoforgive.But,theproblemis,WolterstorffknowsthatthereissuchaChristian
duty;bothadutyofforgivenessinparticularandcharityingeneral.Hereishowhesolveshis
dilemma:
Thesolutiontothepuzzleisrightinfrontofus.Thedutytoforgive,whenonehas
suchaduty,isathird-partyduty.Whensomeonevalidlycommandsmetoforgive
someonewhohaswrongedme,itisnotthemalefactorbuttheoneissuingthe
commandwhohasarightagainstmetomyforgivingthemalefactor;
correspondingly,mydutytoforgiveisnotadutytowardthemalefactorbutaduty
towardtheonewhovalidlycommandedmetoforgive.Neitherbeforenorafterthe
commanddoesthemalefactorhavearightagainstmetomyforgiveness;neither
beforenorafterdoIhaveadutytowardhimtoforgivehim.Ontheassumptionthat
JesuswasspeakingonbehalfofGod,itistowardGodthathisdiscipleshaveadutyto
forgivethosewhowrongthem,nottowardthosewhowrongthem.AnditisGod
whohasarightagainstthem,notthemalefactors,totheirforgivingthemalefactors.
Isuggestthatdutiesofcharityingeneralarethird-partyduties.33
IncontrasttoWolstertorff,Wallis,Keller,andForsterseemtothinkthatonlyifanactcanbe
categorizedas‘justice’—dutiestowhichtheotherpartieshavearight—thenonlyisitaduty
forChristians.Thisisoneofthereasonstheyseektocategorizehelpingactivitiesforthe
weakandvulnerableas‘justice’.Butsurelythisistoallowjusticetoswallowupalltheother
virtues.Christianshavemanyotherdutiesofequalweightbesidesthoseofjustice:charity,
generousgiving,forgiving—allaredutiesweoweGod,evenifourfellowmancannotclaim
themastheirjust‘right’.
ThisisevidentintheparableoftheGoodSamaritan.Theparabledoescertainlyencompass
justiceissuesandjusticeclaims,buttherelevantpointhereisthatthedutyJesusfocuseson
18
isnotajusticeduty.Jesustellsthisparabletoillustrateourdutyto‘Loveyourneighboras
yourself’(Luke9:27).Itisanon-optionalcommandofthelaw:‘Dothisandyouwilllive,’
Jesussays(v28).Butitisfarmorethanajusticecommand.Therobbedmandidindeedhave
ajusticeclaim,butonlyagainsthisrobbers.TheSamaritanwasnotconstrainedbyjustice;
ratheritwas‘pity’—‘whenhesawhim,hetookpityonhim’(v34).Theinjusticeremained:
neitherweretheSamaritan’sgoodsreturnednorwerehispersecutorspunished.Butthe
consequencesoftheinjustice—thepainandsufferingheendured—werealleviated.This
wasnotjusticeatwork;thiswasGod’scompassionondisplay.‘Goanddolikewise’,weare
told(v37).
1.4.5The‘sowhat’question:VictimizationandlegalismProperlycategorizingthebiblicalcalltohelptheweakaseitherjusticeormercyisnomere
theoreticalandacademicargumentaboutarcanedictionarydefinitionsofwords.Itmakesa
practicaldifference.Thereisatemptationtodaytoturnall‘needs’into‘justicerights’,rights
whichare‘owed’totheneedy.Butthebiblicalpictureofjusticeclaimsseemsquite
different,involvingnotallneedsbutonlycertainkindsofneeds.
So,forinstance,inDeuteronomy16:18-20and17:8-9,alongwithLeviticus19:15,weread:
YoushallappointjudgesandofficersinallyourtownsthattheLordyourGodis
givingyou,accordingtoyourtribes,andtheyshalljudgethepeoplewithrighteous
judgment.Youshallnotpervertjustice.Youshallnotshowpartiality,andyoushall
notacceptabribe,forabribeblindstheeyesofthewiseandsubvertsthecauseof
therighteous.Justice,andonlyjustice,youshallfollow,thatyoumayliveandinherit
thelandthattheLordyourGodisgivingyou(Deut16:18-20).
Ifanycasearisesrequiringdecisionbetweenonekindofhomicideandanother,one
kindoflegalrightandanother,oronekindofassaultandanother,anycasewithin
yourtownsthatistoodifficultforyou,thenyoushallariseandgouptotheplace
thattheLordyourGodwillchoose.AndyoushallcometotheLeviticalpriestsandto
thejudgewhoisinofficeinthosedays,andyoushallconsultthem,andtheyshall
declaretoyouthedecision(Deut17:8-9).
Youshalldonoinjusticeincourt.Youshallnotbepartialtothepoorordefertothe
great,butinrighteousnessshallyoujudgeyourneighbor(Lev19:15).
Quiteclearly,general‘needs’—howeverreal—donotautomaticallyequaljusticeclaims.The
Scripturehereactuallyrejectsaperson’spoverty—whichbydefinitionisthestateofbeingin
need—asbeingthecentralissueofajusticeclaim.Itevenforbidsajudgetotakethatinto
consideration.Justiceclaimswerefarnarrowerthangeneralneeds;theyinvolvedissues
suchashomicide.AnIsraelitecouldnotgotoajudgeanddemandthathisneighborhand
overacoworagoatasajustice-right.
Thepracticalproblemwithinflatingjusticebyturningallourneedsinto‘rights’,istwo-fold:
spreading‘victimization’inothersandlegalisminourselves.Whenallourneedsbecome
19
others’responsibilitywhichwemustdemandinjustice,thenwehaveturnedourselvesinto
victims.Victimsaredominatedbythesenseofpowerlessness,helplessness,andtheview
thatothersareboththefaultandthesolution.34Personalresponsibilityisabandoned;
society‘outthere’isresponsible.Andwhenandifsocietyresponds,ratherthanitbeingmet
withprofoundgratefulness,itisinsteaddismissedwithashrugoftheshoulderswhichsays,
‘Ofcourse,thisisonlymydue.’Thisispoisonous.
Moreover,theproblemisnotsimplywhatarights-mentalityproducesinsociety,butwhatit
triggersinourselves:legalism.Thegrace-natureofGod—whichgladlygiveswherethereare
norights—isobscured.OurrelationshipbothwithGodandoneanotherbecomesatit-for-
tatjusticeequation,ratherthanoneofgenerousgivingandthankfulreceiving.Inour
relationshipwitheachother,allourclaimsbecome‘demands’ratherthan‘appeals’.Thistoo
ispoisonous.Ajustice-orientationisawonderfulthing.Butletitoverrunitsbounds—
whethergenerallyinlifeormoreparticularlyintheeconomicrealm(Wallis,Keller,and
Forster’sfocus)—anditdistortsamoreholisticviewoflife.
AmoreholisticviewislaidoutbyJesusinMatthew20:1-16,aparabledescribingwhat‘the
kingdomofheavenislike’.Itsentirepointisthatthekingdomconcernsfarmorethan
justice,generosityplayingaleadingrole.Now,fromajustice-viewpoint,onecanhavemuch
sympathywiththelaborersintheircomplaint:Theyhadworkedsince9:00inthemorning,
had‘bornetheburdenoftheworkandtheheatoftheday’(v12)andyethadreceived
exactlythesamepayasthosehiredmuchlaterat5:00intheevening.Thatdoesnotsound
just,atfirstglance.Jesusanswerwasthree-fold:first,thatfromajustice-viewpointhewas
‘notbeingunfair’becausehewasactinginstrictaccordwiththeiragreement(v13).
Secondly,hewarnedthemtobeware,onviewingtheinequalityofGod’sdistributionof
largesse,ofmistakingtheirapparentlyrighteousindignationfortheenvyitreallywas(v15).
Lastly—andherewastheheartofhisanswer—herespondedthathe‘hadarighttodowhat
Iwant’,andthatwhathewantedwastoactgenerously(v15).Generosity,goingbeyondthe
limitsofstrictjustice,waswhatthekingdomofheavenwasallabout.Thisiswhatthe
kingdom‘islike’.
Generosity,notmerelystrictjustice,markshowGoddealswithusandhowweshoulddeal
withoneanother.WhenWallis,Keller,andForsterseek,albeitwiththebestofmotives,to
replacethisgrace-basedgenerositywithanemphasisonjusticeasthebasicdriverinsocial
ethics,theyendupinadvertentlydistortingakingdom-of-heavenethic.Theyareright,of
course,ininsistingthatGodisaGodofjusticeandthatjusticemustplayahugepartinthe
waywedealwithpeople.Theyarealsorighttoinsistontheimportanceofhelpingtheweak
andonthisbeinganactualdutyforChristians.However,itisadutyfoundnotsimplyinstrict
justice,butinthebroadersortofrighteousnessthatmakesupthekingdomofGod.
Christiansneed,inouracts,topursuebothrighteousness-as-justiceandrighteousness-as-
grace/generositywhile,inourtheology,resistingconfusingtheonewiththeother.
20
2.0Righteousbusiness
2.1Introduction
Justice.Righteousness.Scriptureoftentreatstheseassynonyms.Yeteachisdistinct.Tobe
justmeansonehasavoidedbreakingthelaw,andhasfulfilledthelaw.Itconveysan
absenceofculpability.Righteousness,bycontrast,impliesalarger,fullerstandardof
behavior.Itsubsumesjustice,butaddsthelove-motivatedbehaviorsthatrepresentthevery
heartofGod’skingdom.Righteousnessisahigherstandardthanjustice,applicabletothose
with‘earstohear’.WeseethisdistinctionplayoutquiteclearlyinScripture’sguidanceto
businesspeople.
TheBiblehasquiteseriousthingstosaytoemployersregardingjustcompensationof
workers.Godfrequentlyandemphaticallycondemnsbusinesspeoplewhotakeadvantageof
theirworkers,particularlythroughexploitivecompensation:
‘Whyhavewefasted’,theysay,‘andyouhavenotseenit?Whyhavewe
humbledourselves,andyouhavenotnoticed?’Yetonthedayofyourfasting,
youdoasyoupleaseandexploitallyourworkers(Isa58:3,NIV;emphasis
added).
Look!Thewagesyoufailedtopaytheworkerswhomowedyourfieldsare
cryingoutagainstyou.Thecriesoftheharvestershavereachedtheearsof
theLordAlmighty(James5:4,NIV;emphasisadded).
ThenIwilldrawneartoyouforjudgment.Iwillbeaswiftwitnessagainstthe
sorcerers,againsttheadulterers,againstthosewhoswearfalsely,against
thosewhooppressthehiredworkerinhiswages,thewidowandthe
fatherless,againstthosewhothrustasidethesojourner,anddonotfearme,
saystheLordofhosts’(Mal3:5,ESV;emphasisadded).
Godplainlyconsidersoppressivelylowwagesanegregiousviolationofhismoralorder,right
uptherewithsorceryandadultery.Infact,theversesthatfollowMalachi3:5makeclear
thatemployerspayinginadequatewagesare,inGod’sview,stealingfromtheirworkersjust
asmuchasthosewhodon’tfulfilltheirtitherequirementsarestealingfromhim.Thismeans
thatpayingone’sworkerspoorlyissomethingGodtakesveryseriously—asamatterof
justice.Itisworthnoting,aswell,thatinalltheplaceswhereGodexcoriatesbusinesspeople
forexploitivewagesthereisnottheslightesthintthatheconsiders‘butthat’swhatthe
marketallows’anexculpatoryexcuse.
Thatallsaid,nowhereinScripturedoesGodofferclearguidanceastowhatheconsidersan
appropriate‘minimumwage’.Why?Inparttheansweristhatasking‘Whatistheminimum
wageIcanpayandnotbeguiltyofexploitation?’issimplythewrongquestion.It’slike
asking‘HowlittlecanIdoandstillhaveagoodmarriage?’or‘WhatistheleastIcandoand
stillgetintoheaven?’Alltheseimplythatonehasmissedtheunderlyingmessage.
21
2.2Sharedrewards
Butthereisanotherreason,anditisherethatwemovefromthearenaofjustice—
applyingtoallemployers—intothatofrighteousnessforthosewith‘earstohear’.In1
Corinthians9:9-10,theApostlePaulspeaks(inpart)directlytobusinessowners:
ForitiswrittenintheLawofMoses:‘Donotmuzzleanoxwhileitistreading
outthegrain.’IsitaboutoxenthatGodisconcerned?Surelyhesaysthisfor
us,doesn’the?Yes,thiswaswrittenforus,becausewhoeverplowsand
threshesshouldbeabletodosointhehopeofsharingintheharvest.
Forpurposesofthispassage,itishelpfultounderstandthatoxenwereviewedassimplya
particularkindoffarmworker.Oxenperformedavarietyoftasksonbehalfoftheir
owner/employerwho,inturn,madesuretheywerefedandwatereddaily.Whichmeans
thedefaultcompensationforoxenfarmworkerswasa‘livablewage’inexchangefortheir
labor.
ButGodconsidersthisinsufficient.Instead,hecommandsthatwhenoxenaretreadingout
thegrainatharvest,theybeallowedtoeatwhateversupplementalgraintheywant.Inother
words,Godsaystheymustbeallowedtoenjoy‘bonus’feedingsoverandabovethenormal
feedings(wages)providedbythefarmer.PaulthenmakesclearthatGod’srealreasonfor
thiscommandistoinstructemployers—employersofoxen,yes,butprimarilyofhuman
workers,thosehiredtoplowandthresh—thatallwhohelpproduceaharvestaremeantto
shareintheupsiderewardsofthatharvest.InfactthethrustofPaul’steachingisthatGod
considersthisshared-rewardsprinciplesoimportant,andmeansitsapplicationtobeso
pervasive,thatforemphasisheextendsitsreacheventolowlyoxen.
Andbecausefarmingwastheprimarybusinessactivityoftheday,GodandPaulwerenot
instructingfarmersuniquely.Rather,theywereprovidingafoundationalprincipleforevery
businessowner:Allthosewhocontributetobusinesssuccessshouldshareinitsrewards,ie,
theyshouldshareintheupsideofbusinesswealthcreation.
ToGod,itissimplejusticethatemployersavoidthelowwagesthatexploitworkers.But
righteousnessrequiresmore.Righteousness—thetruebehavioralstandardforGod’s
kingdom—requiresthatallwholaborshareappropriatelyintheupsiderewardsoftheir
work,meaningthatgenerousprofitand/orequity-sharingisthestandardforallthose
employerswith‘earstohear’.
2.3Gleanings
GleaningsisasecondarenainwhichGodcounselsbusinessownersinrighteousness,not
merejustice.AttheestablishmentofthenationofIsrael,Godgavethiscommandtothe
agriculturalbusinessownersoftheday:
22
Whenyoureaptheharvestofyourland,donotreaptotheveryedgesof
yourfieldorgatherthegleaningsofyourharvest.Donotgooveryour
vineyardasecondtimeorpickupthegrapesthathavefallen.Leavethemfor
thepoorandtheforeigner.IamtheLordyourGod(Lev19:9-10,NIV).
Thenforemphasis,GodrepeatsthesamecommandinLeviticus22.
Butunlockingthefullersignificanceofgleaningsrequirestwofurtherunderstandings.First,
commercialfarmswerethechiefmeansofwealthcreationinancientIsrael.Landedfarmers
werenotmerelyfarmers,theywereprivilegedownersoftheprimarybusiness(wealth-
creation)enginesoftheirday.Understoodmorebroadly,therefore,Godbroughtthe
gleaningsmandatenotsimplytofarmers,buttothosewhocontrolledtheenginesofwealth
creation.Hewasforgingadirectconnectionbetweentheneedsofthepoorandthe
predominantwealth-generatingbusinessesoftheday.
Secondly,andmostimportantly,thereisagiantloopholeatthecenterofgleanings.Inboth
placeswhereGodestablishesgleanings,hecarefullyrequiresfarmerstoleavetheedgesof
theirfieldsunharvested—andneverspecifiesthesizeoftheunharvestedborder.Shoulditbe
sixinches?Sixfeet?Sixtyfeet?ThismostcriticaldetailseemstohaveentirelyescapedGod’s
attention.
ItisasifGodwenttoallthetroubleofestablishingtithingforhispeople,butforgotto
specifyapercentage.OrestablishedtheSabbath,butfailedtomentionthatworkwas
forbidden.Thosewouldbeequivalentoversights.Sowhythisparticularomission?Whatis
goingonhere?Let’stakeacloserlook.
Gleaningswasnotsimplyaboutredistribution.Itwasn’tsimplyabouttaxingbusinesses,or
businesspeople,toprovideforthepoor.Rather,withgleaningsGodforgedadirect,
experientialconnectionbetweenbusinesspeopleandthepoor.Letuspicturehowthis
playedout:
Afarmer/businesspersonstandsinoneofhisfields,overseeingtheharvestingeffortofhis
employees.Hethinksbacktotheriskandeffortinacquiringthisfield,plowing,planting,
tending,allthewhilenotknowingwhethertherainswouldcomeorthelocustswouldstay
away,nowthougharichharvestisbeinggathered.
Thisisapregnantmoment.Thebusinessengineisproducingitsrewards,andthereisan
invisiblequestiononthetable:Whoshouldrightfullyshareintheserewards?Tothe
businessperson,alltoooften,thequestionisimplicitbecausetheanswerisobvious:the
rewardsaremine!Ihadthevision.Itooktherisk.Ilaboredlongandhard.Ofcourse,Inow
deservetherewards.
Andthenthefarmerglancesovertotheedgeofthefieldandseesseveralofthepoorest
membersofthecommunitygatheringthegleanings.Hethinkstohimself,withoutthe
23
gleaningsfrommyfield,thesepeoplewouldprobablybeforcedtobeg.Theymighteven
starve.Andveryoften,aheartsofteningandevenaheartandvisionrecalibrationbegins.
Thefarmer/businesspersonthinks:youknow,thatmakesmefeelgood.Infact,itmakesme
feelproudtoseethatalltheriskandeffortofrunningmybusinessisdoingmorethan
fatteningmypurse.Viagleanings,mybusinessisdoingsomethingimportantandgoodfor
theneediestmembersofmycommunity.Asaresult,myentirecommunityisstrengthened
andblessed.
IbegintoseethatthisbusinessengineIrun,andthisbusinessvocationIpursue,iscapableof
morethanmerelygivingmeandmyfamilyagoodlife.Itiscapableofgivingagoodlifeto
mycommunity,evenmysociety.And,asIthinkaboutit,thatisthewayitshouldbe.
Afterall,Ididnotcausetherainstocome,thelocuststostayaway,ortheseedstobearfruit.
Goddidallthat.Sothisharvestisreallythefruitofapartnershipbetweenmyeffortsandthe
goodnessofGod.Itisonlyright,therefore,thatthoseGodwantstobless—thepoorand
marginalizedespecially,andmycommunitygenerally—shareintherewardsofhisandmy
partnership.
ThistransformationofheartforthebusinesspersongivesinsightintoGod’sdeeperwisdom
andintentforgleanings.Godwasaddressingtwoverydifferentpovertyproblemsfortwo
verydifferentgroupsofpeople.Onegroupwastheeconomicallyimpoverished—thosewho
hadbeenpushedtothemarginsofthesocio-economicsystem.Theyneededanopportunity
toprovideforthemselves,anopportunitynotavailablethroughthenormalworkingsofthe
economicsystem.Gleaningsconnectedtheirneeddirectlytothebusinessenginesofthe
day.Indoingso,gleaningseffectedaresourceandopportunityreallocationthatwas
considerablymorepotentandscalable,anddignity-preserving,thanpersonalcharity.
ButthatwasnottheonlypovertyGodtargeted.Businesspeoplefaceadifferentpoverty
problem.Theveryriskandhardworkinherentinstartingandrunningabusinessincline
themtowardselfishnessregardingitsrewards.AndGodknowsthatselfishness,left
unchecked,inevitablyimpoverishesthesoul.Likeacancer,itchokesthelifeoutof
relationships,andeventuallychokestheverylifeoutoflife.
ButGodalsoknewthatmanybusinesspeople,seeingfirsthandthepoorbeingblessed
throughthefruitsoftheirbusiness,wouldbegintoexperienceatransformationofheartand
vision.Theywouldlearnjusthowgooditfeelstohavetheirhardworkserveapurpose
greaterthanself-interest.Ideally,theywouldbegintoseetheirbusinessesascapableof
bringingaboutnotmerelythegoodlifeforthemselves,butthegoodsociety.
But—andthisiscritical—ifGodhadspecifiedthesizeoftheunharvestedportionofone’s
fields,mostbusinesspeoplewouldhavesimplytreatedgleaningslikeatax.Itwouldhavefelt
likesimplyonemoreonerouslevy—a‘costofdoingbusiness’bestpaidandforgotten.
Instead,bymakingeachlandownerdecidewhatportionofhisharvesttoallocatetothe
poor,Godmadeexplicitthechoicetobegenerous(ornot).Eachbusinesspersonhadto
24
cometogripswithjusthowmuch,orhowlittle,oftherewardsofhisbusinesswouldhelp
careforthemostvulnerablemembersofthecommunity.
Nodoubtforsome,eachyeartheamountleftforthepoorwastrivial—amerefootortwo
attheedgeofthefield.Greedhadalreadyworkeditshardeningeffect.Butforothers,the
yearlygleaningsdecisionplayedoutdifferently.Itmayalsohavestartedsmall,justacouple
offeet.Butastheysawthemostvulnerablemembersoftheircommunityhelped,their
heartsexpanded.Nextyeartheborderwaslarger,andlargeragainthefollowingyear.
Eventually,astheygainedavisionfortheirbusinessblessingmany,thebordermayhave
beentwenty,orthirty,orevenfiftyfeetwide.
Oneformofpovertyrequiredresourcereallocation;theotherrequiredheartrealignment.
Gleaningstargetedboth.Itwas,andremains,God’sradicalplantobringtherich(andtheir
businessengines)andthepoortogethertosolveeachother’smutualpoverty—andprosper
thehumancommunityintheprocess.
Godintentionallyforgedadirectconnectionbetweenbusinessenginesandthepoor.
Businessesarethecreatorsofeconomicwealthandopportunity—preciselytheresourcesof
whichthepoorareindesperateneed.Viagleanings,Godmadebusinessenginesthe
primarymeans(economicandopportunity)ofprovisionforthepoor.
Itiseasytomisstheessencehere.Goddidnotsaytothebusinessowners,‘Onceyouhave
harvestedtheeconomicrewardsofyourbusinessefforts,Iwantyoutopassaportionof
thoserewardsalongtothepoor.’Rather,Goddidsomethingmorepointed,moreradical.He
saysinsteadtothefarmer/businesspeopleofIsrael,‘Iwanttomakeadirectlinkbetween
yourbusinessengineitself—yourcommercialfarmingoperation—andmeetingthe
economicandopportunityneedinessofthepoor.’
Note,again,thatGodcouldeasilyhavefoundalessdirectwaytoleveragethewealth
generationofbusinessestoassistthepoor.Buthedidnot.Rather,viagleanings,God
broughtthepoorandthebusinesspersonintodirectcontact.
3.0Justiceandhumantrafficking
‘Charity’isthegenerositythatalleviatesneedsthatareimmediate.‘Justice’isthe
processbywhichgenerosityconfiguresourwaysofprovidingeducation,delivering
healthcare,doingbusiness,andcreatinglawsthatlessentheneedforcharity.There
willalwaysbeimmediateneedseveninthemostjustofworlds.Charityisthemore
attractivegenerosity.Weseeimmediateresultsforthebetterandweenjoy—here
andnow—thegratificationthatcomesfromdoinggood.Justiceislessattractive
becauseitusuallycallsforpersonalandcommunalchange,andwearecreaturesof
habit.35
25
3.1Wilberforceandtheabolitionists
Inthe1700stheslavetradewaswidelyacceptedandlegal.Itwas,infact,amajorbackbone
oftheeconomyoftheBritishEmpire.Itwasbig,organized,andtransnational.
Indeed,‘ThisSlaveTradewastherichestpartofBritain'stradeinthe18thcentury....
Between1750and1780,about70%ofthegovernment'stotalincomecamefromtaxeson
goodsfromitscolonies.’36Everyonewasatthetrough,profiting—theshipowners,the
plantationowners,thefactoryownerswhohadamarketfortheirgoods,andtheWest
Africanleaderswhowereinvolvedinthetrade.
WilliamWilberforceandtheClaphamgroupdecidedtofightthiseviltrade.Theychoseto
attackthesystemicissue—thelegalityoftheslavetradeandslavery.Tothatendthey
organizedadecades-longcampaignfocusingonjustice,aimingatarootcause.Theyworked
politicallytochangeunjustandungodlylawsthatpermittedthedehumanizingtrade.
Theycouldhavechosenaneasierrouteofawarenesscampaignsandaboycottofsugarfrom
plantationsinJamaica,buttheyknewsuchinitiativesinthemselveswouldnotfreethe
slavesorbringaboutlastingchange.Thefeel-goodfactormayhavebeenhigher,butthe
long-termoutcomeswouldhavebeenmeager.
Todaytheslavetradeandslaveryareillegal,butnotdead.Humantraffickingismodern-day
slavery,anditisalucrativeandevilbusiness.JustlikeWilberforceandhiscolleagues,we
needtoaskwhatthesystemicissueistoday—andweneedtofightforjusticeforthose
caughtwithinthiseviltrade.Butfirst,whatishumantrafficking?
3.2Whatishumantrafficking? HumantraffickingfindsitslegaldefinitionintheUNProtocoltoPrevent,Suppress,and
PunishTraffickinginPersons(2000).37Thisdefinitionhighlightsthreeprimarycharacteristics
ofthecrime:act,means,andpurpose.The‘act’oftraffickingmayincluderecruiting,
transporting,orharboringpeople,bycoercionorinappropriatemeans,forthepurposeof
exploitation(gainingandkeepingthemoneyfortheirlabor).
Althoughthemostprevalentformofhumantraffickingissexualexploitation,humanbeings
arealsotraffickedfortheirlaborandfortheirorgans.Womenandchildrenaremost
vulnerabletoeverytypeofexploitation.Althoughthephenomenonofexploitationsees
regionalvariations,poverty,sexism,andracismcreatevulnerabilityacrosstheglobe.
TheGlobalSlaveryIndexestimatesthat45.8millionpeoplewereenslavedgloballyin2016.
Accordingtothereport:
Thosecountrieswiththehighestabsolutenumbersofpeopleinmodernslaveryare
India,China,Pakistan,Bangladesh,andUzbekistan.Severalofthesecountries
26
providethelow-costlabourthatproducesconsumergoodsformarketsinWestern
Europe,Japan,NorthAmericaandAustralia.38
Sextraffickinginparticularrakesinenormousprofits.TheInstituteforFaith,Work,and
Economicspointsout:
Thereasonwhysextraffickingpersistsisstraightforward:immenseprofitabilitywith
minimalrisk.Anetprofitmarginofover70percentmakessextraffickingoneofthe
mostprofitablebusinessesintheworld.Itisbecomingincreasinglyeasyand
inexpensivetoprocure,moveandexploitvulnerablegirls.39
Indeed,sextrafficking‘isoneofthemostflourishingandprofitablebusinessesworldwide,
oftenquotedasthethirdmostprofitablebusinessfororganizedcrimeafterdrugsandthe
armstrade.’40
Thisisawrongthatcannotbeignored.Godcommandshispeopleto‘seekjustice,rescue
theoppressed,defendtheorphan,pleadforthewidow’(Isa1:17-18),callingustobehis
agents,empoweredbytheHolySpirit,todemonstrateChrist'slovefortheentireworld.
3.3Fightinghumantrafficking—therootsandthegap
HumanTraffickingiscomplexandsurvivorsneedabridgetofreedom.Thatentails
governments,NGOs,andbusinessworkingtogether.
Formanyyearstheanti-traffickingmovementhasprimarilyengagedpolicymakers,
legislators,advocacygroups,andNGOs,includingChristiannon-profits.Weacknowledge
thattherearestillsomeissuesoflegislationandlawenforcementthatmustbeimproved.
Butthatisnotthesystemicissue,northemajormissingpiecetoday.
Weneedtoidentifyrootcausestohumantrafficking.Oneanswerisunemployment.Places
withhighunemploymentandunder-employmentbecomehigh-riskareas,wheretraffickers
trickandtrapvulnerablepeoplelookingforjobs.Thustherecanbenoadequateprevention
ofhumantraffickingunlessjobswithdignityarecreated.
Likewise,nosustainablesolutionwithdignityhasbeenachievedunlessjobswithdignitycan
beprovidedforsurvivorsofhumantrafficking.Effectivepreventionandrestorationrequire
jobs.Whocancreatejobswithdignity?Businesspeople.Thuswemustengagethebusiness
communitytodevelopallkindsofbusinesssolutiontofightthisinjustice.
Thatunemploymentandpovertycreatesthevulnerabilitytosextraffickingisclearfromthe
truestoriesdocumentedontheUSStateDepartment’ssiteonsex-trafficking:
[KUWAIT]:NicoleleftherimpoverishedfamilytoworkasamaidinKuwaitwiththe
intentionofsendingherearningsbackhome.Forninemonthssheworked
constantly,sufferedphysicalandverbalabuse,andreceivednopay.Whenherwork
27
visaexpired,heremployertookNicoletothepoliceandfalselyaccusedherofapetty
crime.Nicoletriedtoexplainherinnocenceandreportedthatshehadnotbeenpaid
andhadbeenabusedoverthepastninemonths.Thepolicedidnotlistenand
insteadjailedNicoleforsixmonths.Afterhertimeinjail,Nicolewasdeportedand
returnedhomewithoutanycompensation.
[VENEZUELA—TRINIDADANDTOBAGO]:WorkingwitharecruiterinVenezuela,
SarahacceptedajobinanursinghomeinTrinidadandTobago.Shewasthrilledby
thechancetoearnmoremoney,yetnervousthatshehadtoleaveherhomeanddid
nothaveenoughexperienceineldercare.WhenMariaarrivedinTrinidadand
Tobago,sherealizedshehadbeendeceived.Therecruiterinformedhersheoweda
largedebt,andinsteadofworkingatanursinghome,shewasforcedinto
prostitutionatalocalhotelbar.Herrecruiterconfiscatedmostofherearningseach
night.
[CAMBODIA]:AfterLai’sfamilyfellintodebttoloansharks,hermotheraskedherto
helpthefamilyearnmoremoney.Lai,just12yearsold,wasexaminedbyadoctor
andissuedacertificateofvirginity.Hermotherthendeliveredhertoahotelwherea
manrapedherrepeatedly.Fornearlytwoyears,Lai’smothercontinuedtosellherto
makemoneytopayofftheirdebts.Afterlearninghermotherwasplanningtosell
heragain,thistimeforasix-monthstretch,Laifledherhomeandfoundsanctuaryin
aresidenceforsextraffickingvictims.41
Bothsex-traffickingandthepovertywhichcreatesavulnerabilitytoitneedtoconcern
ChristiansbecauseGodisconcernedwithbothaspectsoftheinjustice.
Astotheinjusticeofsex-trafficking,theBibleisclear.Itprohibitsthesaleofhumanbeings
andoffersseverepunishmenttothosewhooffendinthisway.People-stealing,theclosest
modernequivalenttohumantrafficking,wasprohibitedinExodus20andDeuteronomy24,
andconstitutesoneofthethirteencapitalcrimesinDeuteronomy12-26.42
ThestoryofMaya—soldforUSD55byherimpoverishedparentsinNepal,thinkingshewas
goingtodocarpetwork—illustrateswhytheBibletakesthissoseriously.Maya,here,tells
herownstory:
OnceIcametoMumbai,thedalal[trafficker]soldmetoamalik[brothelboss]in
Kamathipura.ThemaliktoldmeIowedhimthirty-fivethousandrupees[USD780],
andImusthavesexwithanymanwhochoosesmeuntilthisdebtisrepaid.Irefused,
andhismenrapedmeanddidnotfeedme.WhenIagreedtodosex,theygaveme
medicinesbecauseIhadaurineinfection.Iwasinthatbungalowtwoyearsand
madesextotwentymeneachday.Therewerehundredsofgirlsinthisbungalow,
manyfromNepal.OnetimeItriedtoescape.Icomplainedtothepolice,buttheydid
nothing.Afewdayslaterthemalik’smenfoundmeonthestreetsandtookmeback
tothebrothel.Themalikputchilipasteonabroomstickandpusheditinsideme.
Thenhebrokemyribswithhisfist.Thegharwali[housemanager,madam]tended
28
mywoundsforashorttime,andafterthistimeIwentwithclientsagain....[After
fouryears]whenIwasstrongIranaway.IwenttoashelternearFalklandRoad.They
toldmeIhaveHIV.Theyhelpedmecontactmyfather,buthetoldmenottocome
home.HesaidIcanneverbemarriedandbecauseIhaveHIV,Icanonlybring
shame.43
Maya’sstoryillustratesascenariotypicaltotraffickingworldwide—whatcreatedtheon-
ramptothisinjusticewasafamily’spoverty.
Afterdecadescombatingexploitationandtrafficking,JenniferRoemhildtTunehagobserves,
‘Legislationisnolongerthebarriertofreedom....Asfarasrescue,theNGOcommunityis
hardatworkonthispart.TheassistancethatNGOsstruggletoprovideislivelihood,jobs
thatcreateoptionsforthefutureandreintegrationintotheworkplaceandcommunity.
That’swhybusinesshassuchacrucialroleinfightingexploitation.’44
3.4Useyourbusiness
Whybusinessandnotanon-profitresponse?Businessrespondstoarootcause(joblessness)thatcreatesvulnerability,anditisabletotakesurvivorsastepbeyondrestorationtoassistintheessentialtaskofreintegration.RebeccaBender,traffickingsurvivor,saysthat‘beingtraffickedwashard.Survivingexploitationwashard.ButfacinganunknownfuturewithnoresourcesorskillswasthehardestthingI’veeverdone.’45
Whybusiness?
1. Jobshelptorestoredignity—charitydoesnot.DrRichardMollicahasdone
extensiveworkwithvictimsoftrauma.Hisexperienceindicatesthat‘workisthe
compassthatshowsthesurvivorthedirectionheorshemusttaketogetoutofa
psychologicaldeadend.Worknotonlygivessurvivorsanopportunitytoearn
moneyandbeproductive,but[provides]anoverallsenseofpurposeand
value.’46
2. Jobsofferanexcellentcontextfordeepandnecessaryhealingthatcontributesto
restoration.
3. Jobsofferhope,andafuture.Providingforone’sownneeds,family,andeven
contributingtocommunitywellbeinglaysthefoundationforanewlife—the
essenceofreintegration.
Twoexamplesoutofmany,OutlandDenimandNightlightDesign,illustratesbusiness’
potential.
3.4.1OutlandDenimOutlandDenimfounderJamesBartletraveledtoCambodiaandThailandwiththeChristian
rescueoperation,DestinyRescue,toseetheissuefirst-hand.Bartlerecounts:
29
There...Iwitnessedayounggirlwhereitlookedlikeitmayhavebeenherfirst
night;shewasscaredandintimidated.Thatwastheturningpointforme.Iaskedthe
guysthatIwaswithwhatwecoulddoforher,andtherewasnothing.Everywhere
therewereunderagegirlsworkingforsex;itwasprettyconfrontingknowingthatthe
littlegirl’slifewaschangedforever.IhavetwolittlegirlsandIthought,forwhatever
reason,herfatherwasn’ttheretotrytosaveher.ItwasdeepinsidethatIknewIwas
meanttofightforthesegirls.47
Hedecidedthatcreatingworkwasthemostpracticalsolutionhecouldofferfortrafficked
women.48Offeringemploymentthroughmakingjeanswastheplan—eventhoughheandhis
wifeknewlittleaboutthedenimbusinessatthetime!Theystartedoffasanot-for-profit,
buthesaystheydiscoveredthat‘thatwasnotworking;itwasnevergoingtobesustainable.
Wetooktheformtoa“forprofit”businessandwecallit“profitforpurpose”,andit’sbeen
thebestthingwe’veeverdone.’49
OutlandDenimbeganin2011andnowemploys31Cambodianwomen.50Anditischanging
women’slives:
Justbypayingalivingwage,evenwithouttheeducationelement,wasenoughfor
womentobuildhousesfortheirfamily....Byempoweringthem,theydon’tbecome
reliantonus,theyactuallyjustbecomestaffwithgreatworkethicandamazingskills
inlotsofareas,notjustasaseamstress.Thatbringsrealchange.We’veonlyhadtwo
girlsleavesincewefounded,andthey’vebeenabletogetjobsinfacilitieswith
supervisorsbecausethey’vebeenupskilled.
Onegirlboughtricefieldsandboughtasisterbackwhowaspurchasedbyaman.
Anotherstorythatwarmsmyhearteverytimeisthatoneofthegirlshelpedset
someoneelseupinabusinessbybuyingherinitialfabricandthingslikethat.So,to
me,thatsayswearewinning.It’sapayitforwardmentalitythesegirlsaregetting.51
3.4.2NightlightDesignNightlightDesignisanotherbusinesscreatedtohelpwomenescapethesextrade.Annie
DieselbergwenttoBangkokin1994withherhusbandandfourchildrentoworkwiththe
urbanpoor.Listeningtoexploitedwomenturnedhertoanewdirectionin2005—business
asmission.Sheexplains:
Itstartedwithconversationswithwomeninbarswhotoldmetheydidn’twanttobe
thereandiftherewasanythingelsetheycoulddotheywouldhavechosenthat....I
startedwiththeideathatNightlightwouldbejustvocationaltraining.ButwhenI
listenedtothewomen’sstoriesIrealizedthatwhattheyreallywantedwasasecure
job.52
Anniefoundthatanotherkeycomponentofcreatingemploymentforthesewomenwasnot
thesecurityitprovided,butalsothedignity:
30
OneofmyheartstoriesthatdrivesmeisawomanImetwhenshewasstillin
prostitution.Shetoldmethatsometimesshedidnotknowifshewasstillahuman
beingsoshecutherself.Shesaidifshesawbloodandfeltpainsheknewshewasstill
alive,stillhuman.WhenshestartedmakingjewelryatNightLightshesaidtome,
‘Annie,IusedtocatchmyselfwithmyheadlowbecauseIwassoashamedofwhoI
wasandwhatIwasdoing.NowIcatchmyselfwithmyheaduphighbecauseIam
proudofwhatIamdoing.’53
Herethenisthechallenge.Itisnotenoughtotakeapositionagainsthumantrafficking.
Entrepreneurswithaheartareneeded.Jobsareessentialintheprocessoffreeingslaves
andrestoringhumandignity.AccordingtotheTrustConferenceAction,‘Withoutsafe
employment,80%ofsurvivorswillgetre-trafficked.’54
3.5FreedomBusinessAllianceHumantraffickingisahugeandhugelyprofitablecrime,connectingcriminalorganizations
aroundtheworld.Itisbig,organized,andtransnational.Ontheotherside,mostofthose
combattingtraffickingareinthenon-profitsector;andthegroupsrespondingareoften
small,localandpoorlyconnected.Weneedtodevelopstrategiesandinitiativesfocusedon
businesssolutionstohumantrafficking,andtheymusthavethecapacitytobe(orbecome)
big,organized,andtransnational.
In2012,theBusinessasMission(BAM)GlobalThinkTankassignedaworkinggroupto
explorebusinesssolutionstohumantrafficking.Thegroup’sreportnotesthat:
Traditionally,businesseshavebeenrelegatedtoparticipatinginanti-traffickingwork
asthefundingsourcefortheworkofnon-profits.However,businessasmission
(BAM)entrustsbusinesswithmuchmorethansimplyfundingnon-profitwork;the
businessitselfbecomesthevehicleofchange.Assuch,bothnonprofitandfor-profit
strategiesareintegraltosuccessinanti-traffickingwork.Bycombiningthenecessary
componentsofeconomicproductivityandholisticministry,thestaggeringnumbers
ofpeoplecaughtinthetradecanbereducedthroughthepowerfulresponseof
freedombusiness.55
Thegroupidentifiedbusinessesthataimatprovidingsolutionstohumantrafficking,
particularlybyprovidingjobsforpreventionandrestoration.56In2015thethinktank’s
deliberationsledtothelaunchingoftheFreedomBusinessAlliance(FBA),aglobaltrade
associationthatbelievesbusinesscanbeapowerfultoolintheholisticrestorationof
individualsandthetransformationoftheircommunities.
FBA’schieffocusishelpingfreedombusinessestosucceedbyprovidingbusinesstraining
andmentoring,industryresearch,networkingopportunities,information,resources,and
marketplaceconnections.Italsoengageslargercorporations.InJanuary2016,theFreedom
BusinessAlliancewasinvitedtoaddressbusinessleaders(fromcompanieslikeCocaCola,
LifeShape,Oracle,Anthem,Randstad,Deloitte,SalesForce,DeltaAirlines,andInfosys)who
31
wantedtousetheirbusinessexperienceandcorporateinfrastructuretocombathuman
trafficking.FBApresentedthecorporationswithon-rampsforengagement,including:
• allowingemployeestodopro-bonoconsultationwithfreedombusinesses;
• employingvulnerablepeopleineveryplacetheydobusiness;
• trainingfreedombusinessesinbusinessskills;and
• becomingfinancialsupportersoftheFreedomBusinessAlliance
3.6FreedomBusinessForum2017
BusinesseslikeNightlightandOutlandDenim(bothFBAmembers)existbecausejobswith
dignityareaprimaryneedforpreventionofhumantrafficking.Theyarealsonecessaryto
bringrestorationtosurvivorsofmodern-dayslavery.TheFreedomBusinessAllianceexists
tohelpfreedombusinesses—theseandothers—tosucceed.
TothatendtheFreedomBusinessForumwasheldinChiangMai,ThailandinlateAugust
2017.FBAhosted138peoplefrom28countriestonetworkwithotherfreedombusiness
leadersandaccessbusinesstrainingandexpertconsultants.Theeventwasdesignedasa
‘onestopshop’forstrategicsolutionstothechallengesfacingfreedombusiness,andan
opportunitytobuildcommunityforthefreedomjourney.
3.7Movementsofsocietaltransformation57
Fightinghumantraffickingthroughbusinesssolutionsisnecessarybutitisnotaquickfix.
GroupssuchastheFreedomBusinessAllianceareseekingagoodandlastingchange,a
holistictransformationonamacroscale.
Throughouthistorytherehasbeenmovementsofsocietaltransformation.Wecanmention
theProtestantreformation,Wilberforceandtheabolitionists,thesuffragettes,andtheCivil
RightsMovementintheUS.
Lookingatthesemovements,onecanobservesomecommonthemes.Thegroupsoften
startedasasmallminoritywithasharedvisionandcommonvalues.Theyconnectedwith
oneanother,builtacriticalmass,andhadacommendabletenacity.
Thefreedombusinessmovementhasthepotentialtobecomeamovementofsocietal
transformation.Thevisionisclearandthevaluesareshared.
Pursuingjusticethroughbusinessandwealthcreation,andgrowingfreedombusinessesto
bringfreedomandachievesocietaltransformationisnotinstantcoffee:takeafewbitsof
BAMthinkingandadesireforfreedom,stirintoabusinessandvoilà—transformation.No,
societaltransformationtakestime.Wewanttosetastageandserveourgenerationinsuch
awaythatitwillbeablessingformanygenerationstocome.
32
Appendix
ConsultationonWealthCreation(CWC):BackgroundandContextTheCWCwasnotjustanevent.TheConsultationheldinThailand,inMarch2017,wasapart
ofaconsultativeprocess,whichinturnispartofbroader,longer,andon-going
conversationsrelatedtoissueslikethechurch,business,poverty,wealthcreation,and
missions.
Therefore,itisimportanttounderstandthebackgroundandcontextofeachCWCreport.
Theyareimportantpiecesofabiggerpuzzle.Tounderstandthepicturethatisemerging,as
weputthepiecestogether,oneneedstoseesomeoftheotherkeypieces.
TheCWCisyetanotheroutcomeofthehistoriccommitmentsadoptedintheLausanne
Covenantof1974.Here,whilecommittingthemselvestotheimportanceofevangelism,
evangelicalsalsoexpressedrepentancefor‘havingsometimesregardedevangelismand
socialconcernasmutuallyexclusive’.Wealthcreationfortheeconomicbettermentofour
worldisoneofthoseneglectedsocialconcerns;anditisthisthattheCWCaddresses.
AllCWCparticipantswerepresentedwithalistofrequiredreading.Thesereadingsall
relatedtotheCWCassignmentofexploringtheRoleofWealthCreationinHolistic
TransformationofPeopleandSocieties.
TheCWCwaspartlyafollowupoftheLausanneGlobalConsultationonProsperityTheology,
PovertyandtheGospelheldinApril2014.Thus,allneededtobefamiliarwiththeAtibaiaStatement:https://www.lausanne.org/content/statement/atibaia-statement(more
informationbelow).
TheLausanneGlobalConsultationonWealthCreationwasincollaborationwithBAMGlobal,andthussomeofitsworkandreportswereincludedintherequiredreading.
‘WhyBotherwithBusinessasMission’,byMatsTunehaghttp://matstunehag.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Why-Bother-with-Business-as-
Mission-v-18-April-2017.pdf
TheexecutivesummariesofthreeBAMThinkTankReports
• BiblicalFoundationsforBusinessasMission
http://bamglobal.org/report-biblical/
• BusinessasMissionandtheendofPoverty
http://bamglobal.org/report-bop/
• BusinessasMissioninHaiti
http://bamglobal.org/report-haiti/
33
CWCislinkedwiththreeotherglobalconsultationsthatdealtwithsimilarissues,held2004,
2009,and2014.
TheLausanneBAMIssueGroup
ThefirstBAMGlobalThinkTankwasheldundertheauspicesofLausanne.TheBusinessas
MissionIssueGroupworkedforayear,addressingissuesrelatingtoGod’spurposesforwork
andbusiness,theroleofbusinesspeopleinchurchandmissions,theneedsoftheworldand
thepotentialresponseofbusiness.ItsummarizeditsfindingsintheBAMManifesto(2004).Hereareafewexcerpts,toillustrateagrowingconsensusamongleadersthatwealth
creatorsarecalledbyGodtoserveinbusiness.
• WebelievethatGodhascreatedallmenandwomeninHisimagewiththeabilityto
becreative,creatinggoodthingsforthemselvesandforothers—thisincludes
business.
• WebelieveinfollowinginthefootstepsofJesus,whoconstantlyandconsistentlymet
theneedsofthepeopleheencountered,thusdemonstratingtheloveofGodandthe
ruleofHiskingdom.
• WebelievethattheHolySpiritempowersallmembersoftheBodyofChristtoserve,
tomeettherealspiritualandphysicalneedsofothers,demonstratingthekingdomof
God.
• WebelievethatGodhascalledandequippedbusinesspeopletomake
aKingdomdifferenceinandthroughtheirbusinesses.
• WebelievethattheGospelhasthepowertotransformindividuals,communitiesand
societies.Christiansinbusinessshouldthereforebeapartofthisholistic
transformationthroughbusiness.
• Werecognisethefactthatpovertyandunemploymentareoftenrampantinareas
wherethenameofJesusisrarelyheardandunderstood.
• Werecognisethatthereisaneedforjobcreationandformultiplicationof
businessesallovertheworld,aimingatthequadruplebottomline:spiritual,
economical,socialandenvironmentaltransformation.
• Werecognisethefactthatthechurchhasahugeandlargelyuntappedresourcein
theChristianbusinesscommunitytomeetneedsoftheworld—inandthrough
business—andbringglorytoGodinthemarketplaceandbeyond.
• SeealsoBAMManifesto:http://matstunehag.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/BAM-MANIFESTO-2.pdf
WheatonConsultation
AglobalconsultationonBusinessasIntegralCallingwasheldinWheaton,IllinoisinOctober
2009.Itbroughttogetherleadersfromtherealmsofbusiness,non-profitorganizations,and
Christianministrywiththeologiansandacademicleadersinbusiness,economics,and
missions.ExcerptsfromtheDeclaration:
34
• Lamentations
• Welamentthatthechurchandbusinessitselfhaveundervaluedbusinessasavehicle
forlivingoutChrist’scalling,andhavereliedexcessivelyonnon-profitapproaches
thathaveresultedindependence,waste,andanunnecessarylossofhumandignity.
• CelebrationofFaithandHope
• WecelebratethegrowingmovementofpeopleseekingtobeusedbyGodandto
deploybusinesseconomicactivityforGod’sKingdom.
• Businesscancreatevalue,providethedignityofwork,andtransformcommunitiesby
improvinglivelihoods.
• BusinesscanbeanintegralcallingtoproclaimanddemonstratetheKingdomofGod
byhonoringGod,lovingpeople,andservingtheworld.
• Businesscanalsoprovideapowerfulopportunityforthetransformationofindividuals
toachievetheirfullpotentialforcreativityandproductivityandtoflourishand
experiencealifeofabundanceasenvisionedbytheKingdomofGod.
• BusinesscanbeusedtohelprestoreGod’screationfromitsdegradedstate.
• Itisourdeepconvictionthatbusinessesthatfunctioninalignmentwiththecore
valuesoftheKingdomofGodareplayingandincreasinglyshouldplayan
importantroleinholistictransformationofindividuals,communitiesandsocieties.
• SeealsoWheatonDeclaration:http://matstunehag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Wheaton-Declaration.pdf
AtibaiaConsultation
WealthcreationanddistributionwerediscussedaspartoftheLausanneGlobal
ConsultationonProsperityTheology,PovertyandtheGospelheldinAtibaia,Brazilin2014.
Theconsultationaffirmedthatsharingwealthisgoodandbiblical,butwealthdistributionis
toooftenourmainresponsetomeetingpeoples’needs.Itidentifiedtheneedtoseek
increasinglytounderstandhowbusinessescanbringsolutionstoglobalissues,including
povertyandhumantrafficking.Thenotionofsimplicityasauniversalvaluewasalso
challenged,andneededtobeaddressedfurther.
TheAtibaiaStatementisquitelong,buthereareafewexcerptsrelatedtowealthcreation,businessandthepoor.
• Christiansarecallednotonlytogiveandsharegenerously,buttoworkforthe
alleviationofpoverty.Thisshouldincludeofferingalternative,ethicalways,forthe
creationofwealthandthemaintenanceofsocially-responsiblebusinessesthat
empowerthepoorandprovidematerialbenefit,andindividualandcommunal
dignity.Thismustalwaysbedonewiththeunderstandingthatallwealthandall
creationbelongfirstandforemosttoGod.
35
• Weacknowledgethat,intheglobalmarketeconomy,oneofthemosteffectivetools
fortheeliminationofpovertyiseconomicdevelopment,andyetevangelicalshave
oftenfailedtopromotevalue-drivenbusinesssolutionstopoverty.
• Howcanwemoreeffectivelyworkfortheestablishmentofcreative,ethical,and
sustainablebusinessendeavorsinthefightagainstpoverty?
• SeealsoAtibaiaStatement:https://www.lausanne.org/content/statement/atibaia-
statement
36
Endnotes
1Editor’sNote:IntheManifesto,‘Church’(withuppercase)and‘church’(withlowercase)areused
intentionally,theformerdenotingtheglobalChurchandthelatterthelocalchurch.2WithsignificantinputfromJenniferRoemhildtTunehag.
3TimWeinholdandMatsTunehagaddresssomeoftheselaterinthischapter.
4Theywerecalledthe‘radicalevangelicals’because...thatiswhattheycalledthemselves.Evenatthe
LausanneCongressitselfin1974,therewasagroupcallingitselfthe‘RadicalDiscipleshipGroup’concernedto
overcomethedualismbetweenpreachingandservice—or,astheysaid,‘divorcebetweenthekerygmaandthe
diakonia’—andthe‘superficialequationoftheChristianmissionwiththemultiplicationofChristiansand
churches’,thus‘gettingoverthe“ChurchGrowth’syndrome”’RenePadilla,ed.,TheNewFaceof
Evangelicalism(London:Hodder&Stoughton,1976),12.PuertoRico-bornevangelicaltheologianOrlando
Costascapturessomethingofthespiritofthismovementwhenhedescribed‘radicalevangelicals’asthose
who‘callintoquestiontheaccommodationoftoday’scultureandchurchestoaffluence,militarism,andunjust
socialandeconomicstructures.’AlTizon,TransformationafterLausanne:RadicalEvangelicalMissioninGlobal-
LocalPerspective(Oxford:Regnum,2008),3.5HerbertSchlossberg,VinaySamuel,andRonaldSider,ChristianityandEconomicsinthePost-ColdWarEra:
TheOxfordDeclarationandBeyond(GrandRapids:Eerdmans,1994),3.AmongtheparticipantswereMiroslav
Volf,HerbertSchlossberg,RenePadilla,DougBandow,MichaelCromartie,allwhoaddedtothecontributions
madeinthefirst1987gatheringbyNicholasWolterstorffandSamuelEscobaramongothers.6Oneparticipant,P.J.Hill,aUniversityofChicago-trainedeconomistteachingatWheatonCollege,
commented,‘ItbecameclearatOxfordIIthattherewerefundamentaldifferencesamongtheparticipantsas
towhatjusticeis,andthesedifferenceswereleftlargelyunresolved.’Schlossberg,etal,Christianityand
Economics,102,andn.1.7Schlossberg,etal,ChristianityandEconomics,57-58.Emphasisintheoriginal.
8SeetheOxfordLivingDictionary,https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/generous.
9TimothyKeller,GenerousJustice:HowGod’sGraceMakesUsJust(London:PenguinBooks,2012),15-16.
10'RoyalCommonwealthSocietySpeech,21 November1975—TheEconomicChallenge:Dialogueor
Confrontation',JuliusNyerere,SpeechesandStatements,
http://www.juliusnyerere.org/resources/view/the_economic_challenge_1975.Ofcourse,Nyerere’swhole
argumentrestsonhiszero-sumviewofeconomicswherewealthisnotsomuch‘produced’andincreased;
rather,itisafixedgivenwhichsimplymustbedividedup,withthewinners’sharesreducingthelosers’share.
Ashesays,‘Thereisacertainamountofwealthproducedintheworld.Ifonegroupofpeoplegrabanunfair
shareofit,thereislessfortheothers.’SeeNyerere,‘TheEconomicChallenge’.Theescapeinthelastdecades
oflargesegmentsofIndiaandChinafromsubsidenceandpovertywouldseemtodemonstratethefalsityof
Nyerere’sfoundationalassumption.11SeeR.Dixon,‘CancelIraqiDebt?WhatAboutAfrica?’,L.A.Times(26January2004).Availableat
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jan/26/world/fg-africadebt26;A.Forrest,‘DidLive8Work?10YearsOn,the
DebtBurdenReturns,’Forbes(13July2015).Availableat
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamforrest/2015/07/13/did-live-8-work-10-years-on-the-debt-burden-
returns/#7558a9d837cb.12JimWallisisfounderoftheSojournersmagazine,long-timecritic(fromanevangelicalbasis)oftheReligious
Right,andenergeticadvocateofsocialjustice.TimKeller,afterservingwithInterVarsity,foundedthe
RedeemerPresbyterianChurchinNewYorkCityandisauthorofseveralNewYorkTimesbest-sellingbooks.
GregForsteristhedirectoroftheOikonomiaNetworkandvisitingassistantprofessoroffaithandcultureat
TrinityInternationalUniversity.13GregForster,‘HowShouldWeTalkaboutJusticeandtheGospel?’,TheGospelCoalition,accessed30July
2017,https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-should-we-talk-about-justice-and-the-gospel.The
disagreementwithWallis,Keller,andForsterreflectsafarmoreancientdebatewithinthechurch.Fourth
centurychurchleaderssuchasBasil,BishopofCaesarea,andChrysostom,BishopofConstantinople,struck
stancesverysimilartoWallis,Keller,andForsterwhentheyportrayedtherichholdingontotheirpropertyas
violatingjusticeandtherebyactually‘stealing’fromthepoor.SoBasil,preachingtohiscongregationfromLuke
37
12:16-21onthedutyofalms-giving,imaginestherich’sobjectionof‘TowhomamIdoinganinjustice...by
keepingwhatismine?’justbecausetheyhappenedtopossesstheirgoodsbeforethepoormandid.Basil
responds:‘That’stherichforyou.Theygetfirsthandsoncommonpropertyandmakeittheirsbecausethey
gotitfirst....Ifeachpersonwouldonlytakeforthemselveswhatwouldmeettheirownneedsandthen
relinquishwhatislefttosomeoneinneed,noonewouldberich,noonepoor,nooneinneed....Wheredo
yourpresentbelongingscomefrom?Sayitisanaccidentoffateandyouareanatheist....Admit...itcomes
fromGod,tellusthereasonwhyyougotthem....Aren’tyouarobber?Makingyourownprivateproperty
whatyoutooktoadminister?...Anddoesthemanwhorefusestoclothethenaked,whenheiscapableof
doingso,deserveanyothername?Thebreadyouholdbelongstothehungryperson.’PeterGarnsey,Thinking
AboutProperty:FromAntiquitytotheAgeofRevolution(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,2007),217.
Chrysostomtookasimilarline;sodidGratian,thetwelfth-centurycompilerofCatholicEurope’sdeveloping
newlawcode,theDecretum:‘Amanwhokeepsmoreforhimselfthanheneedsisguiltyoftheft.’Gratian,
DecretumDist.C.21;47c.8,citedinGarnsey,ThinkingaboutProperty,217.Inwhatbecamethemajorityview,
however,ThomasAquinaswroteuphismagisterialSummaTheologiae(thirteenthcentury)which‘qualifiedthe
radicallineinearlierChurchthinkingwhich,inthewritingofSt.Basil...haddeniedthatitwaslegitimateto
precludeothersfromtheuseofcommonproperty.’IstvanHont,JealousyofTrade:InternationalCompetition
andtheNation-StateinHistoricalPerspective(Cambridge,Mass:HarvardUniversityPress,2005),420.The
earlierviewshadlargelybeenbasedontheviewthatGod,increation,hadgivenallmencommonproperty
andthat,therefore,privatepropertywasillegitimate.Aquinas,ontheotherhand,arguedthatwhile‘natural
law’hadindeedgranted‘commonproperty’toallatcreation,subsequenthuman‘positivelaw’,in‘decreeing
privatepropertyownershipofpossessionsisnotcontrarytothenaturallaw,butanadditiontheretodevised
byhumanreason.’ThomasAcquinas,Question66ofSummaTheologiae,2a2a,
http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3066.htm.14SeeJimWallis,The(Un)CommonGood:HowtheGospelBringsHopetoaWorldDivided(GrandRapids,MI:
BrazosPress,2014),243-46;seealsoTimothyKeller,GenerousJustice:HowGod’sGraceMakesUsJust
(London:PenguinBooks,2012),1-15.15Wallis,The(Un)CommonGood,243.
16Wallis,The(Un)CommonGood,244.
17Keller,GenerousJustice,3.
18Keller,GenerousJustice,5.
19Inarguingthatmercyisinterchangeablewithjusticeandisasubsetofjustice,thisisnottoassertthatthey
arguethatjusticealwaysrequiresmercy.Justiceisthelargersetofwhichmercyisitssubset,notviceversa.
Thus,therearetimes,eveninWallis,Keller,andForster’sthinking,whenjusticemaydispensewithmercyand
findthatjudgmentandpunishmentareappropriate.Thisisnotwheremydisagreementwiththeirpositionlies.
Mydisagreementmerelylieswiththeirmakingmercyjustice’ssubset.20Keller,GenerousJustice,6.
21I,PaulMiller,donotdeal,inthemaintextabove,withKeller’sclaimthat,‘SomeChristiansbelievethat
justiceisstrictlymishpat—thepunishmentofwrongdoing,period’(Keller,GenerousJustice,10),becauseI
believeittobeamerestraw-manargumentnotdeservingdetailedtreatment.Thatis,Idonotknowanywho
contendforthispurelynegativemeaning.Therearemany,ontheotherhand,whoadvocateafarnarrower,
indeedalmostlegalistic,definitionofjustice,buteventhisfarnarrowerversionalwaysincludesnumerous
positivedutiessuchashonoringyourpromises,payingyourdebts,faithfulnesstoyourfamily,safekeepingof
mattersentrustedtoyou,honestweights,etc.22Keller,GenerousJustice,10
23Forsterwrites,‘Scripture...associatesjusticewithabroadersetofduties,includinggenerosity.’Forster,
‘HowShouldWeTalkaboutJusticeandtheGospel?’24‘IamtheLord,whoexerciseskindness,justiceandrighteousnessontheearth’(Jer9:24),
25SeeDeuteronomy19:21(Godcommands,‘Youreyeshallnotpity.Itshallbelifeforlife’),orExodus10:2
(judgingPharaoh,GodtellsMoses,‘thatyoumaytell...howIhavedealtharshlywiththeEgyptians’),or
Jeremiah13:14(describinghiscomingjudgmentofIsrael,Goddeclares,‘Iwillnotpitynorsparenorhave
compassion’).26Keller,GenerousJustice,4.
38
27SeeK.Lynch,‘CharityNoSubstituteforAction’,IrishTimes,24November2012,
http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/charity-no-substitute-for-action-on-inequality-1.556405;andseeE.Gibbs,
‘WeWantRightsandRespect,NotCharityorPity’,Junkee,15September2015,http://junkee.com/disability-
activists-are-calling-for-an-end-to-steptember-2/64306.28RonSider,RichChristiansinanAgeofHunger(Nashville:WPublishingGroup,1997),81.
29Godcommandsweloveourfellowman.Loveisnotoptional.InMatthew25:25-30Jesusobservesthe
greatestcommandments,uponwhichalltheothershang,aretoloveGodandloveoneanother.Andwhile
loveincludesjustice,itgoesbeyondstrictjustice.30NicholasWolterstorff,Justice:RightsandWrongs(Princeton,NJ:PrincetonUniversityPress,2008),252.
31Wolterstorffwouldnotsaythatrights‘stemfrom’dutiesashispositionisthattheyarebothprimary,being
simplytheflip-sideofeachother:‘Neither...doesitfollowthatrightshavebeengroundedinobligations....
Inusingthelanguageofrights,webringtospeechthepatient-orrecipient-dimension....Inusingthelanguage
ofobligation,webringtospeechtheagent-dimension.’Wolterstorff,Justice,382.32Wolterstorff,Justice,383.
33Wolterstorff,Justice,384.
34HéctorTobar,sonofimmigrantparents,tellsoftheshockofa‘well-meaningliberal’photographerwhomhe
accusedofpanderingin‘Immigrationasapopulartypeofporn’throughhisstockphotographshittingthe
‘samepatheticandmelodramaticnoteoverandover’byhispicturesof‘detainedimmigrants’and‘brown-
skinnedinnocentsbeingledawaywithcuffs’with‘thestartledexpressionsofchildrencaughtmisbehaving’.Far
toomuchvictimizationforTobar’staste:Itdeniedtheirproudand‘fullhumanity’.‘“Dude,thisisn’twhothey
are,”Isaid.’Tobarwouldfarratherseedepictionsofthe‘Tenacityandstubbornness[that]arethedefining
qualitiesofundocumentedAmerica....Hisdignityandhisburdenswouldbeplaintosee,butperhapsalsoa
certainraffishquality—thelivelybrowneyesofamanwhohasfoundhiswaythroughadversitywithwitand
wiles.’HéctorTobar,‘ImmigrationasaPopularTypeofPorn’,NewYorkTimes(InternationalEdition,9August
2017),3:13.35MatsTunehag,'BusinessSolutionstoHumanTrafficking',TheBAMReview,December8,2017,
http://businessasmission.com/business-solutions-to-human-trafficking/.36TheAbolitionProject,http://abolition.e2bn.org/slavery_45.html
37TheUNProtocoltoPrevent,Suppress,andPunishTraffickinginPersons(2000)definessextraffickingas:
‘recruitment,transportation,transfer,harbouringorreceiptofpersons,bymeansofthethreatoruseofforce
orotherformsofcoercion,ofabduction,offraud,ofdeception,oftheabuseofpowerorofapositionof
vulnerabilityorofthegivingorreceivingofpaymentsorbenefitstoachievetheconsentofapersonhaving
controloveranotherperson,forthepurposeofexploitation.’ProtocoltoPrevent,SuppressandPunish
TraffickinginPersons,EspeciallyWomenandChildren,SupplementingtheUnitedNationsConventionagainst
TransnationalOrganizedCrime,UnitedNationsTreatySeries(15November2000),2237:319;availablefrom
https://www.osce.org/odihr/19223?download=true.38Seehttps://www.globalslaveryindex.org/findings/.
39Seehttps://tifwe.org/the-economics-of-human-trafficking/.
40UnitedNationsRegionalInformationCentreforWesternEurope,‘HumanTrafficking’,
http://www.unric.org/en/human-trafficking.41USDepartmentofState,Victims’Stories/TraffickinginPersonsReport2017,accessed18November2017,
https://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2017/271107.htm.42MyrtoTheocharous,‘StealingSouls:HumanTraffickingandDeuteronomy24:7’,inForOurGoodAlways,
StudiesontheMessageandInfluenceofDeuteronomy,edsJasonS.DeRouchie,JasonGile,andKennethJ.
Turner(WinonaLake,Indiana:Eisenbrauns,2013).43Kara,SexTrafficking,2.
44JenniferRoemhildtTunehag,emailof14November2017.
45EuropeanFreedomNetworkconference,http://www.rebeccabender.org/,accessed16–20October2017.
46QuotedinKristinBrown,‘TheMarketProject:HealingforTraffickedandTraumatizedPeoplethroughWork’,
InstituteforFaith,Work,&Economics(26September2017),https://tifwe.org/the-market-project-healing-for-
trafficked-and-traumatized-people-through-work/.47TeresaMillerArcher,‘The“ZeroExploitation”CompanyYouNeedtoHearAbout’,Darling,21November
2017,http://darlingmagazine.org/outland-denim-interview/.
39
48BrittanySteward,‘TheAussieDenimBrandMakingaDifference’,Mamamia(28September2016),
https://www.mamamia.com.au/outland-denim/,and‘DestinyRescue:WhoWeare’,accessed27November
2017,https://www.destinyrescue.org/aus/who-we-are/about-us/.49Archer,‘ZeroExploitation’.
50Steward,‘TheAussieDenimBrand’.
51Archer,‘ZeroExploitation’.
52‘OurStory’,NightLight,http://store.nightlightinternational.com/ourstory_s/135.htm,video48secondtothe
1:08minutemark.53AnnieDieselberg,‘HoldFasttoYourDream’,KeynoteaddressattheFreedomBusinessForum,ChiangMai,
Thailand,23August2017,http://matstunehag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Keynote-address-Freedom-
Business-Forum-2017-Annie-Dieselberg.pdf.54‘2016TrustConference’,ThomsonReutersFoundation,
http://www.trustconference.com/actions/i/?id=0598c1c2-c724-410d-a5e0-ac60fa9d7b8c.Herethe
conferencewasspeakingnotjustofsex-traffickingbuteveryvarietyofmodern-dayslavery.55BAMandHumanTraffickingIssueGroupReport:‘ABusinessTake-over:CombatingthebusinessoftheSex
TradewithBusinessasMission’,ExecutiveSummary.http://businessasmission.com/resources/bam-human-
trafficking-report/.56JenniferTunehagdescribesthedevelopmentoftheFreedomBusinessAllianceinaninterview;see
http://businessasmission.com/fba-interview/.57SeealsoMatsTunehag’sarticleonBAM,theolivetree,andmovementsofsocietaltransformationfrom
2013:http://matstunehag.com/2013/05/08/bam-the-olive-tree/.