Cancerous growth

As I continue to hear pundits talking about recession, Lesslie Newbigin's words ring in my ears:

. . . Increased production has become an end in itself; products are designed to become rapidly obsolete so as to make room for more production; a minority is ceaselessly urged to multiply its wants in order to keep the process going while the majority lacks the basic necessities for existence; and the whole ecosystem upon which human life depends is threatened with destruction. Growth is for the sake of growth and is not determined by any overarching social purpose. And that, of course, is an exact account of the phenomenon which, when it occurs in the human body, is called cancer. (Foolishness to the Greeks p114, emphasis mine)

I think there can be no question that at this time in history, growth is for the sake of growth, and is not determined by any overarching social purpose - except perhaps the rebuilding of Babel. So dire is our condition that our 'prophets' (those on the television, who tell us what is to come) mourn that the growth might abate.

I cannot think of a better description of our economic system than cancerous. It is therefore incumbent upon Christians not to engage mindlessly in a terminally ill system, but through purposeful businesses to function as a sign, instrument and foretaste of the Kingdom of God.