The Biblical Jubilee, and the work of the Spirit liberate individuals and societies form oppression. Similarly individual, societal and political freedoms reflect the Spirit's work and Biblical economic principles and hence from the basis for efficient, innovative, productive societies. Amartya Sen expands on dealing with unfreedoms and creating freedoms. These philosophies imply limits on government and bureaucratic interventions, yet governmental encouragement of innovation and restrictions on greed and anticompetitive behaviors, balanced with governmental responsibilities to provide a safety net for the poor.

1. Development as Freedom
The work of the Spirit of
Liberty in creating multiple
seeds of creativity and
productivity in a free
economy.
.

2. Humankind ought to be left to follow its inborn inclinations,
which are to sustain life and to acquire goods.
Human interests are best served by a government that
abstains from interference in free enterprise, putting checks
only on undue strife and competition.
Attracted by their own interests, individuals will do what
serves the common good, for in that all will gain and
prosper.
Reflections from Adam Smith:
The Wealth of Nations, 1776

3. • Genesis: Am I my brother’s keeper?
• We are to manage creation but we are to be equals of out brother and sister, not
rulers, though we do need leaders, but they are our equals.
• Exodus: How a Slave People Became the People of God
• Leviticus: Structural & National liberation: Jubilee
• Slaves set free
• Wealth Redistributed
• Means of Production Equally Distirbuted
• Personal & National: Where the Spirit is there is freedom (2 Cor 3:17)
• What happens when the teaching of the scriptures and revival (The Word & te
Spirit) infiltrate every part of society?
• Biblical Basis
•The Biblical Basis for Freedom as Goal

4. • Leviticus: Structural & National liberation: Jubilee
• Slaves set free
• Wealth Redistributed
• Means of Production Equally Distributed
• Biblical Basis
•The Biblical Basis for Freedom as Goal

5. • National/ Global: At Creation it was the Spirit who moved
freely over the waters creating structures that enabled life.
• Luke 4:18; Jesus Declared Goal to set people free from
oppression. Referring to national and global liberation
through an eternal Jubilee
• Personal & Communal: Where the Spirit is there is
freedom (2 Cor 3:17)
• What happens when the teaching of the scriptures and
revival (The Word & te Spirit) infiltrate every part of
society?
• Biblical Basis
•The Holy Spirit as Author of Freedom

6. • Samuel’s unwillingness to appoint a King because of the
centralization of Power (1 Sam 8).
• Kings will oppress
• Kings will centralize power and wealth
• God does not wish it, but allow it
• Biblical Basis
•The Limits to Government

7. Development as Freedom
Freedom for Individuals
Freedom for Communities
Freedom for Nations
.
Amartya Sen

8. • Amartya Sen: Development as Freedom
• Take away the barriers to freedom: oppression, tyranny, racism,
civil war
• Open the way to freedoms e.g. education, health care as
foundational.
At the Grassroots and Governmental Level
The Capability Approach

9. • Amartya Sen: Development as Freedom
• Open the way to freedoms e.g. education, health care as
foundational.
• Overcome political oppressions; develop political freedoms
• Overcome widespread hunger and deprivation
• Identify and support basic freedoms
• Create sustainable environmental policies
At the Grassroots and Governmental Level
Overcoming Unfreedoms

10. • Personal Freedom
• Economic opportunities
• Political Freedoms
• Social Facilities
• Transparency Guarantees
• Protective Security.
Contrasting Domains of Freedom

11. Transparency of Government = Accountability to the People
can be measured
• Rule of Law – property rights, freedom from corruption
• Limited Government - Government size, % of GDP
• Regulatory Efficiency - Business freedom, labour freedom,
monetary freedom
• Open Markets – Freedom to trade, investment freedom,
freedom of the banking system from political interference
• Index of Economic Freedom, Heritage Foundation
• (Others might identify other freedoms as more important)
Freedom => Limits to Government

12. • What businessman wants the Government to take his
hard-earned money and give it away?
Biblical Basis
• Yet Psalms tells us it is the responsibility of rulers to care
for the poor.
• That involves the principle of redistribution but at a
national level.
• The Jubilee gives us a principle of redistribution. Each
nation has to work out that principle with different methods.
Liberty Governmental
Redistribution

13. Historical Basis
• In European Christendom, The church cared fr the poor in
each city and province
• During the progression from feudalism and the industrial
revolution, the church became largely disempowered and
the Government began to take more responsibility for
migrant populations
• But the great depression fostered a new concept of a
social net, a basic provision for the poor.
• The ongoing political debate has been how much can
productive businesses give to government to then give to
the non-working poor through the Ministry of Social
Services.
Liberty Governmental
Redistribution

14. Neoclassical Theory challenges statist Models where the government
controls freedoms
• Adam Smith, in The Wealth of the Nations, talked about the invisible
hand.
• Neoclassical Theory seeks to:
• Minimize government controls
• Minimize bureaucracy
• Free businesses from unnecessary red tape
• Expand public choices
• Assist business growth
Is this a good application of Biblical concepts of
Freedom?
Neoclassical Theories: Free Markets,
Public Choice and Market Friendly
Approaches

15. Consider example levels of Government:
• Broken Government: In Somalia, conflict
means infrastructure does not exist for
economic takeoff
• Limited Government: Among the Yezidis,
80 invasions mean entrepreneurship is
impossible because infrastructures do not
exist.
• Take-off Stage: Adam Smith was writing
from England with centuries of
development, and expanding government
roles
• Developed governments: ongoing success
includes 30-60% taxation to the common
good. This has worked to advance these
nations generally.
• Centralized bureaucratic control of
economic decisions by Marxist countries
has not produced high levels of productivity.
Conclusion: Limited
but extensive
governmental
frameworks of
economic involvement
in free countries have
worked positively to
bring about economic
growth and increases
in equitable
distribution.
Limited Government? Freedom does not
Mean No Structure, No Government

16. Biblical
• The jubilee brings a year of
celebration (Lev 23).
• Redistribution brings celebration (II
Cor 8,9).
• The Coming of the Spirit brings
redistribution and celebration
(Acts, 2,4)
• We celebrate weekly with tithes
and offerings
Freedom Brings Celebration

17. • Market economies solved the
problem of coordination of
supply and demand more
successfully than planned
ones.
• A pluralism of trial and error,
experiments, failures and fresh
experiments – innovation
expands coordination.
John Kay
The Liberty of the Spirit
acting at governmental
levels releases multiple
creativities that
combine to create
efficient economic
infrastructures.
Viv Grigg
•Spontaneous Order Creates Economic
Infrastructure

18. • The jubilee brings a year of celebration
(Lev 23).
• Redistribution brings celebration (II Cor
8,9).
• The Coming of the Spirit brings
redistribution and celebration (Acts, 2,4).
• The Gospel is good news!!
• The Gospel is economic good news!!
• Communities of Christ celebrate weekly,
and yearly
• Where Disciples live out the Kingdom
ecoonomics, communities celebrate
Freedom Brings Celebration

19. •Readings on Freedom
Sen, Armartya. (1999) Development as Freedom. Anchor
Books.
Grigg, Viv. Kiwinomics. Auckland: Urban Leadership
Foundation. pp. 108-111.
Heilbroner, Robert L & William Milberg. (2002) The Making of
Economic Society. Prentice Hall.
Kay, John. (2004) Culture and Prosperity. Harper Business.
Todaro, Michael P & Stephen C. Smith. (2015). Economic
Development. Pearson Education.