Kudos to Robert Parham at Ethics Daily for his thought provoking essay on "Baptist Leaders Ignore Ebbers $11 Billion Scandal, Act as Character Witnesses." Bernie Ebbers, the perpetrator of "the worst business fraud in history" -- in excess of $11 billion dollars -- was a well-respected Baptist who donated generously to Baptist causes and served on the boards of Baptist institutions. Several Mississippi Baptist leaders wrote letters and testified as character witnesses on his behalf at his trial after he was convicted.
No one expects Baptist leaders to heap coals of condemnation upon Ebbers head. We could expect some laments at the failure of the Baptist denomination to provide guidance on business ethics for our membership. We might even expect that someone in a Baptist building somewhere would decide that it was imperative to get serious about addressing the need for faith to be openly related to the business practices and systemic pressures of the capitalist marketplace.
Lately, Baptists have spent an inordinate amount of time talking about putting religious values into politics and culture. Except for the value of the "work ethic," Baptists have been virtually silent about putting religious values into the economic system.
Someone needs to fill that void with a voice that resonates with the Word of God.
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