Jubilee Economics

The bible’s jubilee message about economic justice, redistribution, and restoration is at the heart of spirituality for daily life.  Jubilee economics can be expressed in our financial decisions, financial planning, our work life, all social relationships, and personal and social spirituality.  In our world, economics and its spiritual power, the market, function as a religion which turns the creation into a marketable commodity.  The question for all is how to live and affect society so that true religious economic values are expressed.

The new millennium is an opportunity to take up the jubilee vision for society.

God created the earth and its peoples and instituted a structure in which all people have a right to the earth’s resources to meet their needs for life.  The Jubilee redistribution structure was implemented to ensure that no one would accumulate more than she/he needed so that everyone would have sufficient for life. 

The Jubilee answers the core economic questions ‘who should own what?’ and ‘who should get what?’.  Contemporary economic, social, political, and religious analysis largely ignores these questions as it is assumed that the market will correctly reward people for their abilities and contributions.   The market, of course, rewards the rich and powerful, those who most actively promote the religion of the market.

The core response is to recognize that we are spiritual beings.  The question is which spirit holds our allegiance. There are various spiritual powers. The scriptures illuminate the life-giving spirit of the Creator who works with people in unfolding life for all people and other living things in the creation.  Simultaneously, other spiritual powers are recognized which also claim faith allegiance. But these other powers work through people to deny and destroy life and the creation. 

As there is very little information or discussion of the religious nature of economics or of jubilee economic justice, distribution, and restoration, this website has been developed to provide the information which can lead to discussion and guide people in living jubilee economic values. (Personal Jubilee Economics) (Articles) 

This site is maintained by John Brouwer.  John lives in Waterloo, Canada and has 25 years experience in developing the Canadian co-op economy.  The site will be a continuous `work in progress' as new material becomes available.  If you have comments, suggestions, or additions contact John at  jbrouwer@jubileeeconomics.net. 

Feel free to copy and use the material.  Just acknowledge this website as the source.