The life of the godly is justly compared to trading, for they ought naturally to exchange and barter with one another in order to maintain intercourse; and the industry with which every man discharges the office assigned him, the calling itself, the power of acting properly, and other gifts, are reckoned to be so many kinds merchandise; because the use or object which they have in view is, to promote mutual intercourse among men.
Donald McGilchrist observes: "It is important, from time to time to refresh our thinking about the importance of Work because, unless we are convinced that Work matters, our opinions about the exercise of Commerce will be built upon sand.
Donald McGilchrist reflects on leadership, train schedules, product design, beer and moral purpose in business.
Donald McGilchrist tackles the foundational nature of developing a robust biblical worldview.
Donald McGilchrist discovers a familiar thread of commerce and faith in the writings of William Carey, circa 1792.
Last year the C.E.O. of my company made 592 times more than I did. I wonder if that makes me underpaid or the C.E.O. overpaid. Recently management told hourly employees at my mill to make concessions or risk losing our jobs. We made the concessions last autumn, but last spring the C. [...]
Robert Hemsley
Buy this book from Amazon.com
The universe is God's sanctuary. Every work day is a day of the Lord, every supper a Lord's supper, every work the fulfillment of a divine task, every joy a joy in God. In all preliminary concerns, ultimate concern is present, consecrating them. Essentially the religious and the secular are not separated realms. [...]
Paul Tillich
Buy this book from Amazon.com
For those whose sense of time is defined by Greenwich, it is almost impossible to conceive the sense of time innate to those who lived before such an innovation. For workers whose existence is punctuated only by the time clock or by meeting the schedule of appointments, time becomes a [...]
Paul Sevier Minear
Of all detestable things, I think hypocrisy is the greatest. The man who joins the church or joins a lodge to help him in business is nothing short of a skunk. To use such an institution to help him socially or to aid him in selling goods is almost an unpardonable sin. [...]
Roger W Babson
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Attempting to codify its ethical practices, Levi Strauss & Co. first adopted a ‘compliance–based program.’...However clear and comprehensive, the list did not work. )Chairman and CEO, Robert) Haas explains: ‘First, rules beget rules. And regulations beget regulations. We became buried in paperwork, and any time we faced a unique ethical issue, [...]
John Dalla Costa
The relationship between religion and business represents a paradoxical situation. What appear to be contradictory factors characterize CEOs who always apply the teachings of their religion. How can a group of CEOs who set dramatically lower financial goals, focus less on profit as a goal, and profess to be more relaxed and worry less; earn more than those who focus more intently on wealth, [...]
Merrill Oster and Frank Toney
The Christian profile of virtuous man or woman has little in common with the dominant image of the successful corporate executive as one who is “on top of things” and confidently issues orders which galvanize a worldwide array of actors into efficient action. Consequently, one needs to be skeptical [...]
Denis Goulet
Buy this book from Amazon.com
...we have come to the point in our society that we can scarcely image how clergy might be able to guide us more effectively in our work...Moreover, the most explicit counsel we may receive (from them) is to pray for a good attitude about our work. But attitudes are only one dimension of our existence. [...]
Robert Wuthnow
Buy this book from Amazon.com
What, then, is required of people today? Essentially four things. Their first and chief duty is to work well, painstakingly, and punctually. The second is not to be bothered about collective matters, not to become involved, not to meddle, to leave things to those who are qualified to see them. [...]
Jacques Ellul
Buy this book from Amazon.com
The reflective executive is in short a hero and a saint, dressed in the ordinary garb of the marketplace. This executive is one who lives not only by getting things done but by getting the right things done because she lives in the sight of the Lord all the days of her life. [...]
Emilie Griffin
Buy this book from Amazon.com
Commerce is a cure for the most destructive prejudices; for it is almost a general rule that wherever we find agreeable manners, there commerce flourishes; and that wherever there is commerce, there we meet with agreeable manners. Let us not be astonished, then, if our manners are now less savage than formerly. [...]
Charles Baron de Montesquieu
Twitter
Facebook
FriendFeed
Delicious
YouTube
