Level Seven - Challenging Christian Thinking

FAITH AND BUSINESS - DO THEY MIX
Date: 30/6/2008

FAITH AND HEALTH - IS THERE A LINK
Date: 8/4/2008

Is Religion Good For Women?
Date: 31/1/2008

Is God “Green”?
Date: 27/11/2007

Nobody Knows
Date: 5, 6 & 7 Oct 2007

“Faith and Politics - do they mix?”
Date: 5/7/2007

“LET MY PEOPLE GO”
Date: 3/4/2007

How to avoid another Enron
Date: 30/1/2007

DISCRIMINATION: How Do We Fight It? Is Litigation the Answer?
Date: 17/10/2006

The Terminally Ill Life - What Value?
Date: 27/9/2006

Da Vinci Deed
Date: 28/6/2006

FAITH AND BUSINESS - DO THEY MIX

On the 30th June 2008 Level Seven welcomed a record audience to the beautiful St. Bride’s Church in Fleet Street, to discuss and debate whether Faith and Business can mix. Introduced by Reverend George Pitcher, the eminent panel of four speakers came from a broadly Christian background.

Randall Roberts is Senior Pastor of the Loma Linda University Church of Seventh-day Adventists. He concluded that faith and work are inextricably intertwined. He presented two aspects of the theology of faith and work -that work is a calling and something we are given to do to productively enrich the lives of others, and that faith is to do with character and living up to certain standards in our life. Recalling Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 about being a positive influence in the world, he said that we need to live out our faith in all aspects of our lives.

Our second speaker, Philip Richards, is Chief Executive of RAB Capital, who puts his faith into practice by his behaviour and actions. He listed six key reasons why faith and business do mix, before suggesting how we might put our faith into practice at work. God has a plan for the whole of our lives and we should follow him in whatever situation he places us, including the workplace. It is acceptable for Christians to be in a wealth creation environment. What is important is how we lead our lives and what we do with the money. There are many needs in the world and as Christian business people we can help to provide finance. As well as this, Christian business people need to be seen as role models and inspirational leaders at a time when Christianity has low public esteem. Christians in senior positions can help to prevent hostility. But Christians need to be ethical and wise in what they invest in, providing both a return for investors and making the world a better place.

Douglas Murray, Director of the Centre for Social Cohesion and a best-selling author and commentator, reluctantly agreed that faith and business did mix but suggested that sometimes it was not in the best interests of the workplace. He raised concerns about some of the constraints of different faiths requiring special dispensation at work, such as different holidays. This has led to a certain schizophrenia in UK society and he advocated imposing tough secularist principles in the workplace and keeping religion a private matter between ourselves and our God.

Herta von Stiegel, Executive Chairman of Stargate Capital Investment Group, and founder of Level Seven, said that business reveals our character and tests our effectiveness. Whilst she does not feel called to draw attention to her faith at work, Christian values permeate how she does business, who she works with and how she works. She said that God has given her strength to get her through some of the challenges which business has confronted her with.

As usual question time was lively and challenging. On the whole the meeting did agree that faith and business did mix, although some of the views differed radically. In the end how you stand on the issue and how you live out your faith is a personal choice.