The struggle of conscience at the heart of the financial crisis
Bankers should behave at work as they do at home, urges Archbishop
Bankers and businessmen leave their sense of right and wrong at home when they go to work, according to the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.
“Too many people in big business are living a divided life, ignoring the moral values that they uphold when with their families… As a result, the business world is in danger of losing its sense of “common good”, putting the pursuit of profit before the interests of society…
According to the Archbishop working in business is a "noble calling" which has had a profound effect on the development of human civilisation.
But, an "unhealthy" focus on power and money has crept into some companies, harming society rather than helping it.
Businessmen themselves have admitted privately that they behave differently at work than they do at home with their families, says the Archbishop.When businesses see themselves as set apart in some way, free to create their own value system divided from the rest of life, then they are liable to do most harm", and then there appears, for instance, an unhealthy focus on power or reward, or an expectation of overwork to the cost of family or spiritual life. This fosters a sense of living an unhealthily 'divided life', in which we leave the better part of our values and ideals at home when we go to work, says the Archbishop.
He then, once more, reminds us that, wealth creation is a "noble calling" and a "lifetime vocation" which has fuelled "the progress of human civilisation".
But he adds: "It is widely accepted, however, that a market economy driven purely by the pursuit of profit does not necessarily serve the common good but may actually harm it."
Pointing to the success of the London 2012 games he says it is time to "bring the open-hearted and competitive Olympic spirit into the workplace".
"That would create a business culture .... Where serving the wider common good was part of the aim of business; where long term aims prevailed over short-term self-interest – where people trusted each other again.” And "It would be a culture where the pursuit of excellence was good in itself, not just a route to profit" Archbishop concludes.
Read more:
Bankers should behave at work as they do at home, says Archbishop Vincent Nichols
The struggle of conscience at the heart of the financial crisis
Creating wealth is a noble calling but many businessmen feel pressurised to adopt different moral values at work and home
For further readings and reflection:
"Caritas in veritate"(Charity in Truth): Economics and Theology Together Again
http://gcgi.info/news/192-qcaritas-in-veritateqcharity-in-trutheconomics-and-theology-together-again
Theology, Philosophy, Ethics, Spirituality and Economics: A Call to Dialogue
Overcoming Greed, Dishonesty and Delusion: Reclaiming the Moral and Spiritual Roots of Economics
http://gcgi.info/news/199-theology-philosophy-ethics-spirituality-and-economics-a-call-to-dialogue
Oxford Declaration
Sharing the Wisdom, Shaping the Dream: Reclaiming the Moral and Spiritual Roots of Economics and Capitalism"
http://gcgi.info/news/296-oxford-declaration