Managing Wealth with Ethics, Spirit and Religion
A Thirteen-Week Course for Professionals
Can Be Condensed Into A Short Course for Board Retreats & Donor and Alumni Events
(In secular settings, both can emphasize spirituality in order to avoid the appearance of proselytizing.)
Curriculum Developed by The Rev. Dr. John Santosuosso
Dean of The Financial Seminary
Previously Chair of the History and Political Science Department
Florida Southern College
Author of Shoestring Investing and Canada
This course is available free of charge at www.financialseminary.net for anyone interested in increasing their depth of understanding in prudent and ethical wealth management. Financial professionals should note that various regulatory agencies prevent brokers and planners from using many forms of designation and should check with appropriate authorities before using in any professional sense.
Participants can purchase the other study materials from Amazon.com or bookstores.
Also, kindly note these materials are for educational purposes only. None are intended in any way to direct you or anyone you might influence toward any investment strategy or product. Such activities should only be attempted after extensive examination of peopleÕs risk/reward tolerances and needs, as well as extensive examination of their tax situations and so on, usually by an experienced professional.
Please take a few minutes to go to the Internet and read three Wikipedia articles. They can be found easily using any search engine. They are ÒThe Bible,Ó ÒBiblical Inerrancy,Ó and ÒBiblical Infallibility.Ó You are not being asked to judge the objectivity, scholarship, or accuracy of these articles. Rather, as you go through them try to identify three different approaches people may bring to the Bible and the theology they will develop based on their understanding of the Bible. These are the following:
1) Biblical Inerrancy. This is the view that the Bible, at least in its original autographs is without error, whether it is speaking about things theological or anything else. This is the view traditionally held by those who call themselves fundamentalists. However, today some holding to this position reject that label.
2) Biblical Infallibility. This is the view that when the Bible is speaking about things theological it is without error. When it is discussing cultural, scientific, historical, and other similar matters it may sometimes reflect the thinking of the times in which it was written and these may not always be compatible with present day knowledge. This is the position of most people who call themselves evangelicals. It is also probably the view of most active Protestant church members regardless of whether their denomination calls itself evangelical or not. It is also close to the view held by most Roman Catholics.
3) The ÒModernÓ Approach. This is the view that the Bible does record humansÕ experiences of God and how they believe God wants them to relate to the divine creation. However, as with any other human writings there is no guarantee of any infallibility. Those studying the Bible are called upon to use their knowledge of it along with the study of history, science, ethics, and other subjects to determine how best to understand and apply the teachings of the Bible in todayÕs world. This is the approach encountered in most of the seminaries of the ÒmainlineÓ Protestant denominations and by many of their clergy. Within such denominations, and probably to a lesser extent among Roman Catholics, a minority of the active members holds to this position. In some individual congregations it may be a majority.
You may be called upon to work with people from all three of these traditions, and also those who are not really sure with which group they identify. In some cases they have not even thought much about it. It is not your task to modify either your own view or those whom you help teach. Rather it is to help everyone benefit from The Plan regardless of what Òtheological filterÓ they may bring to it.
Written Exercise: In no more than one or two pages, please explain how you would handle the following situation in a class studying The Plan. After a couple of classes a member of the class says that he is having difficulty accepting this material or even continuing with the course, because some of the people whose views are quoted in the course are Òtoo theologically liberalÓ (or Òtoo conservative,Ó take your pick). What could you do to encourage the person to continue?
As We Begin
If we are to help persons apply The Plan, the next task is to become familiar with The Plan itself. The exercises below are intended for that purpose. There is no set time period for completing these. Some persons already have considerable background and can move rapidly through at least part of the material. Others have more time to devote to it than some will.
Work at the pace that is comfortable for you. However, please do not skip any of the units. You may be familiar with what is covered, but the persons you are seeking to assist may not be. Also, there are brief written exercises that you are asked to complete for each unit. These will serve as evidence to The Financial Seminary that you are ready to serve. Remember to keep copies of your responses to discussion questions to send to the Seminary upon completion. That will allow us to send your certificate and keep you up to date on developments. As a guideline, you may want to try to complete two units each week. However, remember this is a guideline. Work at an individual pace that you find most beneficial.