Mission of God in the knowledge based economy
In today’s world the knowledge has taken a prominent role compared to the natural resources, physical capital and skilled labor. Unlike many other decades the economic success is increasingly based upon the effective utilization of intangible assets such as knowledge, skills and innovative potential as the key resource for competitive advantage. Today knowledge has become an important aspect for the economic prosperity and economic development. Investment in the human capital has become more fundamental and social capital turn to be an added advantage.
Today’s economy is based on knowledge and innovative ideas which are renewable and available to everyone. I also call this as a fair trade based economy. Formerly for success one need to be part of an elite group, a graduate of Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford or Princeton. Today no one has monopoly over knowledge and learning just like IBM had it in 1960s over computing. Self-learning and Learning from each other is the key. One cannot dig a hole in different places by digging the same hole deeper. Bible talk about it as a new vine in new wineskin (Mathew: 9:17).
When it comes to the mission of God, we need to continue to be innovative and find new strategies for mission but not fighting for instant perfection. Look for new way to reach the un–reached, share everything, be sharp with imagination and fuel with data. One of the disadvantage of the knowledge economy is that there is no permanency. If you don’t have a trace of continuous learning you will never be able to stay longer in the ever changing world. Technology plays a major role in knowledge economy.
In this postmodern context the global church is facing the greatest challenge because church has offered justification without the knowledge of truth. The error of focusing our faith based on faith alone and based on the gifts of Holy Spirit created salvation into a shallow religious experience that converts but does not make disciples. Today’s intellectualism and moral slavery is called the political correctness. This is true and I am reminded about the Indian ancient situation of calling the prostitution as temple prostitution or devadasi system. Our affinity to be contextually relevant in the pluralistic context expect us to understand there is no monopoly of the true God. The methodology of dialogue forced us to reject the exclusiveness of our faith, Christo-centric and logo-centric world view. The ultimate reality is that freedom of speech will automatically lead to a better understanding of reality.
The book of Isaiah 53:11 talks about: “…With his knowledge my servant will cause the masses to be righteous…” The mission and the call of God remains the same to be the light of the nation and that is possible only through His knowledge. The true knowledge in Christianity refers to the knowledge of Christ. The essential mission of the church is to speak the truth in love. St. Augustine says, for where I found truth, there I found my God, who is the Truth itself. Christ mission is not to attain the self-knowledge but the true knowledge because the genuine self-knowledge is only found in the search for God. Theology is known during the European middle ages as the queen of the sciences.
As Solomon prayed our invitation in this knowledge economy is to ask God for wisdom and knowledge. Give me wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this people that is so great.
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