Money Matters

From the current spiralling cost of living crisis and growing inequality, to calls for payments for poorer nations to adapt to the growing challenge of climate change, to discussions of reparations for the historic damage of transatlantic slavery and colonialism, conversations about money really matter. Who has it, who hasn’t got it, and what it is used for, are all pertinent questions and crucial to seeking more of God’s Kingdom come in the world around us.

But most of us don’t actually like talking about money – it’s not polite dinner party conversation! Nor do we particularly want to hear our church leaders talking about it on a Sunday morning (which in any case tends to be limited to a periodic sermon on giving).

This is despite the fact that Jesus talks about money and wealth more than many other subjects. Whether he’s telling parables, like the one about being rich towards God rather than storing wealth in barns; turning over the tables in the temple; or commenting that it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of God – Jesus’  teaching is often connected to money and how we use it.

ECCR (the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility) is a Body in Association with Churches Together in England. We aim to help Christians and churches across the denominations to think differently about money – our own money, the money in the tax system, and the money invested in banks and companies both here and abroad – and then to do something about it. We have a vision of a fairer, greener world – where justice and peace flourish, creation is well cared for and the vulnerable protected – and we want to see money used in ways that help to create that world.

Our Money Makes Change programme (www.eccr.org.uk/money-makes-change) equips Christians and local churches to live out our faith through how we bank, save, invest and spend money. We provide tools to host workshops and study groups in your church and give practical advice on making greener and fairer financial choices.

And our new Don’t Bank on Plastics campaign encourages you to take the next step and contact your own bank to tackle plastic pollution that they contribute to through their investments in single use plastic production. You can take action at www.eccr.org.uk/money-makes-change-hub/dont-bank-on-plastics/.

Our Church Action for Tax Justice programme (www.eccr.org.uk/church-action-for-tax-justice) mobilises Christians and churches to campaign for a fairer, more transparent tax system, where taxes are set to reflect the common good, and individuals and corporations pay their fair share. Our current Good Measure campaign calls for the Government to introduce a wealth

tax on the richest 1% in the UK to tackle the deep inequalities that the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis are exacerbating. You can add your name to our letter to the Chancellor here: www.eccr.org.uk/good-measure-campaign.

For Christians to remain relevant in today’s complex and polarised world, we need to be able to show what difference Christian thinking makes to issues of money, finance and economics, so that we can see a more just and sustainable society for everyone. Do get in touch if you’d like to find out more by visiting www.eccr.org.uk or follow us on Twitter at @eccr1

Sarah Edwards, ECCR Executive Director