Dethroning Mammon: Making Money Serve Grace: The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book 2017

by Justin Welby

In his first full-length book Justin Welby looks at the subject of money and materialism. Designed for study in the weeks of Lent leading up to Easter, Dethroning Mammon reflects on the impact of our own attitudes, and of the pressures that surround us, on how we handle the power of money, called Mammon in this book. Who will be on the throne of our lives? Who will direct our actions and attitudes? Is it Jesus Christ, who brings truth, hope and freedom? Or is it Mammon, so attractive, so clear, but leading us into paths that tangle, trip and deceive? Archbishop Justin explores the tensions that arise in a society dominated by Mammon's modern aliases, economics and finance, and by the pressures of our culture to conform to Mammon's expectations. Following the Gospels towards Easter, this book asks the reader what it means to dethrone Mammon in the values and priorities of our civilisation and in our own existence. In Dethroning Mammon , Archbishop Justin challenges us to use Lent as a time of learning to trust in the abundance and grace of God.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion, Spirituality

169 pages, Paperback

Published January 12, 2017

About the author

Justin Portal Welby is the 105th and current Archbishop of Canterbury and senior bishop in the Church of England. Welby was formerly the vicar of Southam, Warwickshire, and most recently was the Bishop of Durham, serving for just over a year. As Archbishop of Canterbury he is Primate of All England and the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Welby's early career was in the oil industry. In 1989, he studied for ordination at St John's College, Durham. After several parochial appointments he became the Dean of Liverpool in 2007 and the Bishop of Durham in 2011.

Welby's theology is reported as representing the evangelical tradition within Anglicanism. Some of his publications explore the relationship between finance and religion and, as a member of the House of Lords, he sits on the panel of the 2012 Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards.

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both radical and calm, this is a beautifully written reflection on our relationship with money. Interspersed with scriptural excerpts, this is a fresh and contemporary analysis of how we can rethink our bonds to the promises of money.

[Daniel B-G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst I learnt nothing new, much of it borrowed from behavioural economics, aristotelian ethics or political philosophy, this is exactly the kind of book the church needs to pay attention to. It is refreshing to the leader of a major world religion engage with the modern world in a credible and engaging way and to challenge the status quo instead of reinforcing it.

[Loesje · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to reread this book, and think it all through.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Archbishop, a former group treasurer of the French oil company Elf Aquitaine and a student of history and law, issues a loud call to repentance in this book. Dethroning Mammonurges Christians to turn aside from worshiping a god of wealth, and returning to one that calls us to love and care for our fellow creatures and the place where we all live. He characterizes the contemporary Mammon in two aspects which he calls homo economicus whom he nicknames "Cony" and his brother homo financiarius whom he nicknames "Fin." In other words, economics and finance, are the false idols of the 21st century.

Noting that it is not money, but the love of money, that causes us problems, and quoting extensively from the last chapters of the Gospel of John he calls attention to Mary, Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, people who freely and extravagantly gave their wealth without expecting a return from what they gave. They acted out of love without calculating a return on their investment. While addressing his remarks primarily to his flock in the United Kingdom, when he sums up his argument in the final chapter, "What we master brings us joy," he cites an example from America which is worth quoting at length.

The 1776 Declaration of Independence by the 13 colonies that would become the United States of America was revolutionary, not merely in throwing off the authority of King George III, but also because it talked of the right of every human being (or at least, at that time, of every white male human being to 'Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.' That breathtaking sentence, which has echoed around the world ever since, promotes the idea of autonomy, of being in charge of ourselves. Yet personal autonomy is an impossibility that conceals the enthroning of Mammon. In personal terms, autonomy assumes its own slavery—slavery to Mammon.

Returning to the UK he goes on to apply this principle to tax policy and the language used to describe it.

We need to say positively what tax should do for human flourishing, and to say it in a way that enables policy to be decided simply and clearly. We can challenge this language of tax 'liabilities', dethroning Mammon by saying that the ultimate aim of taxation is to provide money to enable the state to ensure the dignity, safety, health, and education of all citizens, which guarantees our common good, and allows us tot show solidarity abroad.

Then he pointedly asks, "Are you proud to pay tax?" before concluding with a note on individual spending decisions by asking, "How are you using your spending power to enthrone Christ in the economy around you?"

[Toby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Archbishops' Lent Books are always a bit tricky to review as they don't quite fit into neat categories. They are supposed to be an aid to contemplation and action (which gets to the heart of what some of Lent is about). They are written deliberately short, usually over the same number of chapters as there are weeks in Lent and with the idea that they will be accessible to the fantasy "person in the pew" who is likely to read them. There is often something rather generic about them.

Of course my problem is that it is now bordering on Advent 2020 and this book was published for Lent 2017. I am reading it out of time and context, and as usual I am not reading it in the spirit of enquiring contemplativeness that I ought to. Even so, the book is well written and an easy read. I can imagine that for anyone feeling daunted about reading a book that tackles money and economics, they would leave the six weeks of Lent having felt better informed and more confident. The fifth chapter on making money work for the good of all was particularly well-written.

The sadness of the book was that in 2017 Justin Welby was able to write glowingly about Jean Vanier, founder of L'Arche and provider of the books preface. He was also able to speak with some pride about the work of DFID and Britain's unusual (an unpopular) commitment to give 0.7% of its budget to international development with no strings attached. In 2020 Jean Vanier, now deceased, has been exposed as a sexual predator and the populist junta that pass for the UK government has abolished DFID with every suggestion that the 0.7% commitment will also go. Sic Transit Mundia. Welby's follow-up, Reimagining Britain, had a hard task to fulfil.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." - Matthew 6:24

Money makes the world go round; money is so sunny in a rich man's world. Every single day, money exudes a powerful influence on people and through our actions and our responses towards money, towards as Archbishop Justin calls Mammon (that is, greed as an evil master that enslaves) we as Christians risk enthroning Mammon at the centre of our lives rather than Jesus Christ.

By helping us reassess these attitudes towards serving money (Mammon - simple but deceptive, seductive and destructive) and serving Jesus (hard but rewarding, freeing and restorative), Archbishop Justin calmly leads us through how we can better serve Jesus, that by participating in the divine economy wherein every human has inherent value regardless financial contributions and in which God freely gives without limit, we are able to rightly devote our lives to Jesus, radically transforming our attitudes towards money.

Although at times meandering and lacking in the finer details of execution, the Archbishop's first book is a welcome one in the aftermath of the Great Recession and especially during Lent as we are able to see more fully the true riches of Jesus, the pearl of great price.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Money is of interest to virtually everyone, no matter how much or little they have. Even those with a lot generally seem to want more. The Arch Bishop of Canterbury and former businessman, in his first full length book debunks, or maybe I should say dethrones, some of the myths surrounding money or mammon.

Dethroning Mammon is an overtly Christian publication, with references to the Bible within its text. While this will no doubt please, or at least not alienate Christians, in some ways it is a shame.

The inclusion of Biblical writing will put off quite a few people who might find the book interesting as it explains how, not only people but, government and business handle and account for money and how this affects the economy of the country. Some practices might surprise you, especially how government assigns monetary value to services.

Justin Welby presents his reader with considerable food-for-thought, whether or not Dethroning Mammon is read from a Christian or secular perspective. It is written in an accessible, clear easily understandable style without treating the reader as uninformed.

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid first book! Lots to think about. I used it as a book to read for reflections between Christmas Day and new year. It worked well and i definitely needed a space between each chapter to think through what I’d read. It’s awfully sad reading this in 2020, when the British government have been steadily undoing the gains celebrated in this book - such as DIFID being disbanded and the international aid budget being reduced. It just goes to show how relevant this subject remains, and how we must continue to work corporately as the church to continue to dethrone Mammon.

P.S. being 2020 it was also uncomfortable reading that the book includes teaching by Jean Vanier, after the inquiry commissioned by L’Arche found he has a record of being an abuser. However, even though Jean Vanier has clearly discredited himself, this does not detract from the overall message of this book, which is about dethroning Mammon.

[Thomas Creedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This year, as I’ve started to read Justin Welby’s new book Reimagining Britain: Foundations for Hope, I found myself needing to revisit a slim paperback I read about this time last year. Dethroning Mammon: Making Money Serve Grace. This little paperback was Justin’s first solely authored book, and is a Lent book looking at what it might mean to replace money with Jesus in the way we approach and arrange our lives.

Dethroning Mammon is a vey helpful lent book. Laid out simply, calmly written, and rooted in Scripture, this little book is a gradual and careful discussion of six key themes. Related to Lent, but entirely readable and reflection-able outside of that season, Dethroning Mammon offers six points to think about, based on what Welby identifies as the tension in the Bible between following Jesus and serving wealth...

https://www.thomascreedy.co.uk/book-r...

[Ben Kester · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can guess what this book is about. Welby's theology, writing style, and intentions work well together.
He is sloppier on economics. For instance, he sometimes argues that wealth is a fixed pie and sometimes that it isn't. Most arguments are from a liberal perspective that won't be as effective convincing the more conservative businesspeople. The "divine economy" concept is more hand waiving than concrete ideas.
Welby sees a real problem that is all too often unaddressed in my Evangelical circles. Perhaps he might partner with a top economist for a follow up.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great Lenten study for those, like me, who feel convicted by their spending habits. One of the many problems associated with busy-ness is a tendency to overspend for convenience and self care. I'm trying to get better by slowing down and taking a beat, remembering how little I lived on as a young adult and making wiser decisions about how I treat my money as a somewhat older adult. I want my daughter to know that life is joyful and meaningful without needing to spend money on anything. Just being together and caring for others is enough.

[Vanda Denton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book to make you think.

In this excellent book Archbishop Justin Welby warns of the power given to financial gain in the lives of many individuals, at the cost of a quality of life to be found in the love of God. Far from being anti-capitalist, he merely points to the dangers of favouring the material world, whilst challenging the reader to answer questions concerning their personal life.

[David Campton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more on a second reading. It is a slight book... it had the feel of a book written by someone who usually writes much shorter pieces (eg. sermons) but it has a depth and breadth of knowledge about it, both in terms of the Bible and contemporary economic and political realities, gleaned both from the author's previous career in the oil industry, and from his current unique perspective as head of the the Anglican communion.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely written by someone who doesn't write for a living as the style of this book is perhaps too conversational at times, but it is thought provoking about the way that our society is built on money, consumerism and the false gods of finance and growth. However I came away thinking that this is a call for individuals to take lonely radical paths - the church of England is sadly as money focused as ever.

[AnnaG · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a refreshing Christian book in that it illuminates a problem without preaching a definitive solution and raises questions to consider and answer in your own time. I think it's very important for Christian to decide if how they manage their resources is compatible with their faith, but I appreciate that not all Christians will come to the same answer as to what that is.

[E Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book in Lent 2020 at a time of global calamity really emphasises how broken our system is; governments only seem to panic when markets decline rather than when people suffer. A very thought provoking look into how our world has been re-ordered to focus primarily on materialism rather than love in action. A potent reminder that fundamental system change is not only conceivable but possible.

[Dave Lowrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some incredibly valuable things to say and once you've picked that content out it's worth reading far more than most books. However the execution is rushed which is a shame because given time this could have been a gem.

[Ricky Balas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent thought-provoking work. I was most impressed with the depth of the discussion questions. I typically find Christian group books to have somewhat shallow questions, but not this one.

[Thomas Unitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little book on the theology on finance by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, it’s not ground breaking but is full of wisdom and faces the tension head on that may arise when the Church of England head is writing a book like this. Very readable.

[Martin Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many challenges. Advocates an economics of sharing and abundance and care rather than control and hold.

[Mrs J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for our time. I found this very challenging and thought provoking

[Carly Leigh Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but found it very difficult to understand in parts, but hopefully, when I study this book in depth, its teachings and messages will become clear.

[Eleanor Fieldson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book a helpful challenge to my perception of money and materialism, and how as Christians we can use these in a godly way.

[Jerry Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very challenging read but an excellent one for Lent! A call to reflect on who (or what) is actually on the throne of our lives.

[Paul Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

He makes some relevant, if blindingly obvious points. His theses are simple to the point of being simplistic. I would have hoped for a more mature and philosophical work than this.

[Martin Willoughby · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on the true meaning of lent.

[Walthea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Book to read for Lent. Chapter titles: 1 What we see we value 2. What we measure controls us 3. What we have we hold 4. What we receive we treat as ours 5.What we give we gain 6.What we master brings us joy. Great reflections questions in each chapter. Application: I need to listen, then I need to repent. The third part is to Enthrone Christ in Mammon's Place. "We need to accept (and this is the work of a lifetime) the value that Christ sets on us, taking him at his word that we are of infinite worth and deeply loved."

[Jonas Nyander · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK I guess, some interesting points and views. Would not read it again.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justin Welby tackles this daily difficult issue very helpfully - no suggestion that we can instantly solve this, no pretence that any of us are immune in our society, but plenty of challenge to the way we think of 'Mammon', often unwittingly, and support in realigning our attitudes and ways of life. Food for thought for a long time to come - I am glad to have read it and will no doubt re-read it.

[Alison Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and easily readable book by our current Archbishop of Canterbury - challenging assumptions about society, money and God
Very interesting, and shows the human side of a high profile figure. Easier read than most books by archbishops!