MCLEAN, Va., June 30, 2014 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Today, Hugh Whelchel, author and executive director of the
Institute for Faith, Work & Economics (IFWE) commends the Supreme Court's decision in
Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. for honoring religious freedom and the Christian view of work.
Author of
How Then Should We Work? Rediscovering the Biblical Doctrine of Work, Whelchel was a co-signer, along with 30 theologians and pastors including Rick Warren, Wayne Grudem, Bishop Harry Jackson and Ravi Zacharias, of
an amicus brief to the Supreme Court on the Christian view of work as it relates to the Hobby Lobby case.
"Today's decision is important because the government regulation it struck down punished the Christian entrepreneur," Whelchel said. "We believe that Christians running businesses shouldn't have to choose between God and business. The government's assertion that seeking profit is a completely secular pursuit, and that once we go into business, we lose our religious freedoms in the context of those activities, is fundamentally wrong. We are pleased and relieved today that the nation's highest court ruled in a way that upholds the Christian view of work.
"If we take seriously the biblical doctrine of work, then for Christians there are no secular pursuits. The bible says to do everything you do for God. This includes making a profit.
"The bible teaches that whether outwardly religious or not, work is an expression of our nature as creatures made in the image of God. For the Christian, work in and of itself is an exclusively religious activity. Working in the field of business is just as religious as working as a missionary.
"The idea that faith is separate from activities at work or elsewhere in the public square should be unacceptable," concluded Whelchel.
FOR INTERVIEWS, PLEASE CONTACT THE IFWE PRESS OFFICE AT
MEDIA@TIFWE.ORG OR (703) 962-7877.
