Flourishing

Institute for Faith, Work, & Economics has good article about what is enough for human society to "flourish" economically in the sense of the biblical word "shalom:" "a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed."

It requires that economic choices of customers and businesses be free and un-coerced. And then more is required:

• a culture of creativity - because that's how wealth is created and it's a joy to develop the potential God puts into every one of us
• a culture of voluntary generosity - un-coerced giving that employs human creativity to figure out how to give effectively & wisely to the poor
• a culture of virtue - because goodness and good choices are vital to every human endeavor

(the Ten Commandments series will resume on April 17)