584 - Public Theology and Political Economy: Christian Stewardship in Modem Society

Public Theology and Political Economy: Christian Stewardship in Modern Society
By Max L. Stackhouse
Lanham, MD, University Press of America, 1991. 177 pp. $16.50.

Max Stackhouse of Andover Newton Theological Seminary presents in this modest volume a case for public theology-namely, to have Christian convictions influence issues in the marketplace. The author is persuaded that believers have a stewardship responsibility to relate the Word to the world. To do less is to belittle our beliefs and impoverish ourselves as well as a society searching for direction. Theology for Stackhouse is at once both ethical and incarnational.

The author also recognizes that Christian stewardship must be sensitive to the political and economic realities of our global society. This calls for a fresh look at Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, which are the roots behind a "Christian sociology" that informs and nurtures Christian social responsibility in an economically-oriented world. Stackhouse challenges the church to reach a more constructive understanding of the corporation; "Christian sociology" must inform and assist the corporation to fulfill its public trust through a process of political democratization. Furthermore, he also sees in our technological advances a sacramental dimension that further humanizes our lives through the corporation.

The bottom line for Stackhouse is a call to re-examine our stereotypical views, which oscillate between individualism and collectivism, and to reassert our sense of stewardship to the Word, thereby expanding our limited perspective on the complexity and pluralism of modern society. The author urges us to have a new appraisal of the theological and moral significance of the corporation in today's global society.

Each chapter of the book ends with useful questions for study groups and classroom discussions. Stackhouse's style of writing is complex at times, but he succeeds in delivering his message. The book is recommended for its sophisticated understanding and exercise of Christian stewardship in modern society.

Carnegie Samuel Calian
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA.