The Protestant Work Ethic, Prosperity Theology and Cape Town’s Response

Paul Miller
The Global Consultation on Prosperity Theology addresses poverty through the Cape Town Commitment’s rebuttal of the Prosperity Gospel and through “Calling the Church of Christ back to humility, integrity and simplicity.” This is highly commendable, when viewed broadly; when viewed more critically, however, it raises five fundamental questions or issues.

1. The issue is not whether the “prosperity gospel” as presented by the Consultation is objectionable; the issue is whether the Consultation fairly presents the prosperity gospel – i.e., whether other more biblically congenial forms of the prosperity gospel are possible.
2. The issue is whether the Consultation/Cape Town has overly narrowed the biblical responses possible to the prosperity gospel by implicitly suggesting that only two options exist: either “simplicity” or an exaggerated “prosperity gospel.”
3. The issue is whether Cape Town has confused “simplicity” – a vocation to which some Christians are called – with “generosity” – a virtue universally required of all Christians; and whether, as a result, an unhelpful legalism is thereby being introduced.
4. The issue is whether this Cape Town statement actually undercuts what it wants to achieve – effective solutions to poverty – both by its silence on the necessity for pragmatic, profit-driven business and by its undermining a chief engine of such pragmatic business: self-interest.
5. The issue is whether the four questions above are being driven not by theology “as such” (if there is such a thing!) but rather by ideological/factual assumptions about the nature and role of “justice” in our world – assumptions which again may detract from an effective response to poverty.

As there is not sufficient time to tackle all five issues adequately in the time allotted, my oral presentation shall tackle the first four issues; my written submission will additionally address the fifth issue concerning justice.
Appendix – Yves Simon on the Common Good & Self-interest
1982 Grand Rapids (LC & WEF)
1983 Wheaton Statement (WEF)
2001 Rene Padilla’s Micah Network Address
Oxford Meetings
Illustration: Why the wealth creation debate of practical importance
For more information go to The Protestant Work Ethic, Prosperity Theology and Cape Town’s Response on the Lausanne Movement website.
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