Volume 12.1

Irresponsible companies are in the news at the moment, and the controversial company Monsanto is the subject of our opening article. Richard Higginson cites what appear to be several alarming instances of their business practice, but also develops a theology of seeds to question the whole basis of their patenting seed technology.

We follow this, appropriately, with a book review on Dirty Work, jobs which for various reasons are considered socially stigmatised. Although the book is written from a secular viewpoint, Sally Orwin points out that such areas of work should be the particular concern of Christians.

Loneliness and being cut off from a community are features of homeworking and frequent business travelling, and bring their own tempatations. Liz Paxton compares the long Christian tradition of isolation to find God, and asks if there are lessons for us today.

To the surprise of many, the Church of England recently went so far as to debate Faith and Work in a General Synod. We carry a report of the debate, and one of the background papers to the event.

Nehemiah as a business leader is a model Faith in Business authors have often recommended. Herta von Stiegel draws out some memorably inspiring aspects of Nehemiah’s leadership, particularly on strategic planning and handling criticism.

As our secularism as a society deepens, employers are becoming anxious as to how to conform to the law, as well as do right by their employees, with respect to different religious traditions and ethics within their organisation. A new initiative (FiLE) has been started in London to address this problem. Jonathan Evens explains.

We follow this with a book review appropriate to this multi-faith subject, on theological critiques of Capitalism which appeal to non-Christians.

Finally, or firstly for those readers who like to read journals starting at the back page, we have another very topical article by Peter Heslam on the place of thrift as a Christian virtue in these times of austerity.