Faith and money network, a ministry of The Church of the Saviour.
Within some such context, where the language of love and the language of money are woven, here are questions I would like to ask, in the presence of those with "more." Those with more wealth, and capable of more love.
“Are you at the table when the big dollars are planned?"
"Are you heard at the planning table when the big dollars are planned?”
“Are your highest aspirations brought to voice?”
“If you are heard, are you heeded?”
“Are you sure that we would find your highest aspirations in the documents you have signed?”
“Whose responsibility is it to make sure your highest aspirations are enacted in your plans?”
“If it is your non-delgatable responsibility, and advisors can only assist, what steps have you taken that you would recommend to peers?”
“If you visualize an ideal, stress-free, agenda-free, space in which you reach clarity and gain control, where are you sitting? With whom? Convened how?”
“Resort setting? Your vacation house? A monastery, retreat center, or church basement?”
“Would it help or make it harder to be in the presence of peers? (Confidentiality?”)
“Would it help or make it harder if a prayer were the opening, rather than an agenda?”
“Would you want content, or meditative silence?”
"An agenda or an open circle?"
“If such a space were convened as a gift, would you come?”
“Would you invite anyone else?”
“Do you have a reading you would suggest in this spirit?”
“Are you aware of others called to this conversation, whether professionals, or peers?”
“Do you think this is important? Where would you send me next to advance this?”
By way of reading, here is one, a study of the philanthropic conversation, done by TPI for US Trust, that shows (as many studies have) just how ill served is the language of love in the planning rooms across our fields. Even to frame it as "the language of love," would set off fire alarms in those high rise corporate offices. And the sin of selling holy things is simony. The languages of love and money with love reporting to money is not what this is about. The language of money, bending its knee to language of wealth is what this is about. A new weave, where the holy is not for sale, nor forgotten, nor marginal, nor dismissive of wealth, but its guide.
In what space would the spirit show up, if the topic were love and money, under the aspect of mortality?
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