Seeking the City: Wealth, Poverty, and Political Economy in Christian Perspective

A biblical, historical, and practical examination of wealth and social justice

People of faith have always been in search of a homeland—from God’s first calling-out of Abraham to the Pilgrims who came to America to establish the “city upon a hill". Fundamental to this quest for a just, holy civilization—and one of the critical questions facing us today—has been the progress of humankind on the earth When has human progress served the vision of “seeking the [heavenly] city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:14) and God’s mandate for humanity to fill and rule over the earth? And in what ways has progress undermined that vision?

In Seeking the City, Chad Brand and Tom Pratt sketch out a biblical vision for how God providentially works throughout history as well as through society’s structures of politics and economy to cause His kingdom, the City of God, to come on earth. Complicating the pursuit of the ideal city is the fact that the ability to make a living is threatened and new pressures to conform to the rising world system will mount as Jesus has warned us. This book will help Christians to understand the times through the trifocal lens of the Bible, history, and theology and then to respond with wisdom to the many pressing issues of the day, including work, wealth, the size of government, taxation, welfare, the environment, and social justice.

“ Theologically grounded, historically conscious, and notably relevant to today’s world, Seeking the City presents an invaluable vision for Christian political engagement in the twenty-first century.”
—Art Lindsley, PhD, Vice President of Theological Initiatives, Institute for Faith, Work, & Economics

“A cogent argument for responsible free-market capitalism. They demonstrate that the conducting of business is, at its foundation, a moral activity.”
—Ken Keathley, Director of the L Russ Bush Center for Faith and Culture, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary