Trinity and Work: a Critique of the View of the Daily Work in Other Religions and in Marxism

1. Jahrgang

MARTIN MBS TEXTE 27 BUCER 2004 SEMINAR

Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work: A critique of the view of the daily work in other Religions and in Marxism

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Pro mundisPro mundis TableTable of Contents of Contents

The Signiﬁcane of Work Ethics ...... 3 God is a God who works ...... 4 God is the hardest worker because He is the highest authority ...... 6 God‘s work will receive its wages ...... 8 Excursus on Marxism ...... 9 God‘s work is work for God ...... 11 The toil of work ...... 14 Laziness and Industry in the Book of Proverbs ...... 15 Further Texts about Work in Proverbs ...... 17 God‘s work is divided labour ...... 17 God‘s work is service to one another ...... 18 Annotations ...... 20 The author ...... 22 Impressum ...... 23

Translation of a chapter of his Ethics by Cambron Teupe, MA, MTh Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ...

Trinity and Work: A critique of the view of daily work in other Religions and in Marxism1 Thomas Schirrmacher

We want to discuss a biblical theology The Significance of work to show the importance of the of Work Ethics2 dogma of the triune God for our ethics and for the reconstruction of society. Wealth cannot be defined merely as a All employee morals, every work ethic, matter of possession in terms of money or is an echo of the god of a society and its other material values. In that sense of the workers. I want to give some examples word, Saudi Arabia is immensely wealthy. how the nature of the triune God of the In terms of the individual‘s capacity for Old and New Testament is reflected in work, productivity, innovation or pro- the biblical Laws concerning the work of spects for the future once the oil wells man. Each time we will also ask what we have failed, Saudi Arabia is still extremely lose if another god or another religion or poor3. George Gilder points to a similar world view takes the place of the Creator example in European history: 17th cen- revealed in the Bible. tury Spain was as wealthy as modern Saudi Arabia. Silver from the Bolivian Most times I will use the word triune Potosi mines provided immense riches, instead of Trinity. The German word but, unable to transform its resources into „Dreieinigkeit“ (threeoneness, triunity) true wealth, the country soon reverted to shows very well that Trinity has two ene- its former state of poverty, while seemin- mies: the „one“ stands against polytheism, gly poorer European countries blossomed the „three“ against monistic monotheism. with industry.4 Polytheism will vitiate biblical faith as No, wealth is closely related to work much as nontrinitarian monotheism. The and with its profits. For this reason, the English term Trinity does not emphasize morals of labour are an essential element this while „triune“ does. „Triunity“ would of any economic ethical system or of any be a good alternative for Trinity. economic condition. Behind all labour is an ethical system, and labour is always the outcome of an ethical conviction.

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The significance of ethics in labour the Persons of the Trinity discuss with morality can be seen in a few principles each other, not to decide things totally of biblical work ethics, which we will alone is a biblical principle. In the Tri- investigate more closely later. In the Bible, nity, obedience exists without anybody labour possesses a dignity founded in the being forced to do something: love and fact that Man was created in the image Law are identical. Communication, love, of God. Increased responsibility results in honouring each other and working to a increased work. At the same time, work goal outside of ourselves come from the is always shared according to the talents Trinity. But the Trinity existed before the involved, for we work for each other. world was created. So loving, talking, hel- Work is also diverse, for each person has ping, listening and obedience exist eter- multiple talents. nally. God does not need men to exist or The proposition of this article can be to be good. summarised in the words written by Karl For many other adherents of monothe- Bernhard Hundeshagen 1853: istic religions like the Muslims or those „The immeasurable cultural signi- Jews who do not accept that the Trinity ficance of the Christian dogma of the is rooted in the Old Testament (I am tal- Divine Trinity lies in the fact that this king about Jewish theology, not about a idea provides the prerequisites for the biblical view of the Jewish people) this is consummation of the idea of humanity.“5 different. Of course God existed before the world was created. But he can only love Creation. There was nobody to love God is a God who works before he created someone. Both religions can only speak about how God deals 1. The triune God is a God who works. with Creation. Christians have the revela- In the Bible, man‘s work has a high value, tion about how God deals with Himself because it reflects a God who is working because He is triune. Himself. The triune God had been wor- Man‘s work has a dignity in the truest king prior to men‘s existence in Creation. sense of the word. In the Ten Command- Because He is triune, He even worked in ments work is commanded by God for eternity before Creation came into exis- the following reason: „You shall labour tence. The Persons of the Trinity worked six days and do all your work, but the with and for each other. seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD In the Bible everything good comes your God. ... For in six days the LORD from the Trinity. Because the members of made the heaven and the earth, the sea, the Trinity speak to each other and Jesus and all that is in them, but He rested on is the Word, we can talk to each other. the seventh day“ (Ex 20,9–11). In fact the Because the Persons of the Trinity do not Creation Account states that God „res- live for themselves, but live for each other, ted from all His work“ (or „from all His men can be told to do the same. Because labour“) (Gen 2,2) on the seventh day of

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Creation. The Bible often speaks about labour as far as possible. Labour was a the work and labour of God. So David burden without dignity.“8 prays for „the works of your hands“ (Ps 138,8), Solomon calls God a wise „crafts- „Classical antiquity assigned the task of man“ (Prov 8,30, similarly Ps 104,24) labour to the unfree, outlawed classes. It and the psalmist says: „the one watching viewed the emancipation from the neces- over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep“ sity to work for wages alone being worthy (Ps 121,4). of a human. Thus it dishonoured labour Work and labour are a major part of the connected with bodily strain.“9 image of God. If man and woman were created in the image and likeness (Gen This view later heavily inﬂuenced 1,26) of a working God they must be wor- Christian theology as another quotation king themselves. will show: If a god or the highest authority of a „Thomas Aquinas held the view that society‘s law does not work himself, there only necessity forced people to work. It is no dignity of labour. Buddhism is the is no wonder that the Middle Ages saw best example. The Buddhistic ethic of the use of work in overcoming laziness, work is inspired by a god who is demons- in taming the body and in earning one‘s trating by his very image as a fat, sit- living. Beside this there is a tendency to ting idol, that the goal of everything is be seen to take over the Greek (mainly not to work but to „slumber and sleep“, Aristotelian) view to emphasize contem- and nevertheless to be rich and well-fed. plative life and to disregard an active life. Buddhism even does not have a word for Thus it was legitimate that the members „work“ and work is no topic in Buddhist of the classes of knights and priests were ethics6. Buddhism and Socialism have a free from bodily labour.“10 lot in common when it comes to work In spite of this heathen inﬂuence, we and economy, as several Buddhist authors have to agree with Hermann Cremer who have clearly stated7. adds to his evaluation of the Greek and Two quotations from antiquity will Roman view of work: show that the god of a society is the source of its evaluation of labour: „It was only Christendom respectively the religion of revelation, the world has to „In Greek society labour was viewed as thank for another view of the nature and an inescapable fate imposed by the gods. value of labour.“11 To be like the gods meant to live free from labour. In the world of the ancient Alan Richardson showed how the Orient, labour was viewed as a burden, Reformation revived the biblical view of as slave labor for the gods, who therefore work: were free from labour. The goal was to withdraw from this service, from this

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„The Reformers, Luther and Calvin, In the Bible it is just the other way were the first to use the terms calling and round. We already saw that God „neither vocation for the daily tasks and positions slumbers nor sleeps“ (Ps 121,4). Because in life of men. It is important to note the triune God has done and does more that they did this in protest against the than anybody else, He is the example that use of language in the Middle Ages which responsibility means work. Was it not was restricted to the call to a monastic Paul the apostle who wrote twice „I labou- life. They wanted to destroy the double red more than all the others“ (1Cor 15,10; standard of ethics and to show that God 2Cor 11,23)? This was no boasting but can be glorified in the world of workdays the natural result of his high responsibi- also.“12 lity as an apostle. Being an apostle did not mean more leisure time, many servants or Christian missions exported this Pro- greater wealth, but more tears and labo- testant work ethos to all continents. Gus- rand less sleep. This was the reason why tav Warneck, the German father of Pro- Martin Luther, in the beginning of the testant missiology, wrote: Reformation, when he still believed in the „... Christian world missions showed, possibility of changing Papalism, wrote through word and example, that labour a letter to the Pope rebuking him that (which through slavery carried the stigma he should work more towards the well- of infamy), was based on a command- being of the Church than any monk or ment of God ...“13. priest including Luther himself. He asked the Pope how he could sleep in peace in view of the responsibility of a worldwide God is the hardest worker church in turmoil. In spite of his respon- because He is the highest sibility, the Pope spent much time for ple- authority asure and feasts. If you lose the triune God, the Chris- 2. The triune God works more than tian attitude that more responsibility anybody else. Therefore, the more respon- brings more work will change into the sibility one carries the more work he has. humanistic and tyrannical attitude that The example of Buddhism or the Greek people in low positions work for people in and Roman view made clear the goal of high positions so that they do not need to these societies to become like their gods, work themselves.14 which is to become free of labour. If the Marxism blames society for the explo- one on the very top is not working at all, itation of the lower classes, so it seems to hard work will be found at the bottom have a negative view of people in high only. The higher you rise, the more people positions who let others work but do not will live by the work of others. Exploita- work themselves. But Marxism has no tion is unavoidable in such a society. other definition of work. Work is always the exploited work of the lower class. As

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Marxism only has „matter“ and „history“ becomes a religion of Mammon – soon as its gods there is no way to overcome reaches the same situation as Marxism, exploitation. No wonder Socialist govern- Buddhism and other religions. Many ments and societies are the best examp- people in Western society have the goal les for the Humanistic principle that the of being rich in the sense of being free of higher you climb, the less hard work you work. If the results of this growing atti- have. No wonder that Karl Marx and tude cannot be seen at once, the reason is Friedrich Engels never were workers but that the biblical Protestant ethic of work lazy employers. Marx himself really ear- is still functioning in many areas, alt- ned money only once for a very short time hough the foundation of it has been lost. – as the owner of a Marxist newspaper. A President, Chancellor or Prime Minis- Later on he lived on the money of Engels ter is still expected to work harder than a who was rich because he inherited facto- normal citizen. He would not get many ries from his father. There is not the sligh- votes if he would act like the kings of test hint that Marx or Engels ever had a Absolutism and the Enlightenment who guilty conscience using the money they most of the time engaged in feasting and had won from the hard work of workers, pleasure. (One French king only received or that Marx was sad about his life which diplomats while on the toilet!) was as unproductive as possible, if you do That more power leads to more labour, not take into account some thick books is a unique Christian principle because which never got ready in time. Konrad every authority comes from God, who Löw states: is the infallible example to everyone in authority, that authority means to work „According to their own theory, Marx for the good of others. Parents have and Engels always lived by money they authority over their children. Does this did not deserve.“15 save work? No, it causes them labour and costs them much sleep. Woe to parents That in Communist states the production who want authority without labour. Woe and the quality of the products continu- to anyone who wants the rights of autho- ally decline the time is not only the result rity but not its duties! God only delegates of Statism and wrong State management. authority together with the duty to work! A major reason is the employee morals as This is also true of work in general. The the ethic of work is an echo of the atheistic duty of men to subdue the earth (Gen religion. If hard work is seen as exploita- 1,26–30) was the command to work. The tion how will Marxism explain workers garden of Eden was no land of Cockaigne, that this is different if the employer is a no fool‘s paradise, as the paradise of Mar- Marxist State? xism or Islam is. In Islam man did not work in Paradise, his work did not come „Atheistic Capitalism“ – as I call a under a curse and he will not be serving Capitalism which denies God‘s Laws and in Heaven16. „The LORD God took the

MBS TEXTE 27 7 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... man and put him in the Garden of Eden By the way: According to Isaiah in the to work it and to take care of it“ (Gen Millennium (see Is 65,17–25) work and 2,15). (God here names the two sides of labour will no longer be in vain: „They every work, which is change and conti- will build houses and dwell in them, they nuity, shape and preserve. Humanism will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. always emphasizes one or the other, the No longer will they build houses and Bible keeps them together.) Before the others live in them, or plant and others Fall, we see a variety of work Adam and eat. ... my chosen ones will long enjoy the Eve had to perform. They had to water works of their hands. They will not toil in and grow the plants (Gen 2,5), had to get vain ...“ (Is 65,21–23). gold and precious stones (Gen 2,10–13), Our heavenly, eternal fellowship with had to provide their food (Gen 2,9) and God will be spent in no idle Land of had to give a name to every animal (Gen Cockaigne, but will be filled with praise 2,19–20). Adam was the first scientific and service for our Creator, unlike Islam’s biologian. It is incredible that the Crea- Paradise, in which the believers lie in tion Account states that God gave Adam beds, eat and drink, attended by beauti- the right to name the animals and God ful virgins. The Islamic paradise has no was to use Adam‘s names: „and whate- labouring Adam, no curse of work and no ver the man called each living creature service in Heaven.19 that was its name“ (Gen 2,19). Listen to a summary of the Old Testament and Jewish view of work. God‘s work will receive its wages Work „is not the result or the punishment of sin - according to the unanimous view In the Bible, work has dignity and of Jewish exegetes of Gen 3,17–19 it is worth as such whether it is paid or not. only the hardness and the repeated failure But the Law quoted frequently and often which stand in opposition to the ease and refered to: „The worker deserves his freedom from care in Paradise. Bodily wages“ (1Tim 5,20; Lk 10,7) is the result labour in general is not despised among of this. Work is not worth something only the Jews as it was among the Greeks and if it is paid but work is paid because it is Romans.“17 worth something. How seriously the Bible takes the com- Wilhelm Lütgert similarly writes: mandment to pay any work is seen in Jer 22,13: „woe to him who builds his palace „Not work itself but the disproportion of by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by work and returns or result and pain and injustice, making his countrymen work toil which stand in no proportion to the for nothing, not paying them for their output, are the results of sin.“18 labour“.

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Therefore all work is worth a reward, shall he go: and what profit hath he that but this reward need not be money. Every hath laboured for the wind? All his days person can decide which reward he wants also he eateth in darkness, and he hath or renounce earthly rewards. Take, for much sorrow and wrath with his sickness. example, the praise of the good wife in Behold that which I have seen: it is good Prov 31. Work payed for and work not and comely for one to eat and to drink, payed for directly stand side by side. The and to enjoy the good of all his labour work of this housewife is of full value. that he taketh under the sun all the days God‘s command to work six days, as of his life, which God giveth him: for it we find it in the Ten Commandments, is is his portion. Every man also to whom a general command for men and women. God hath given riches and wealth, and People should not sit around, but work, hath given him power to eat thereof, and except on Sunday. Work is not merely a to take his portion, and to rejoice in his natural law and a natural necessity, just labour; this is the gift of God. For he shall because otherwise we would starve, but a not much remember the days of his life; created order. Therefore „one of the most because God answereth him in the joy of severe charges of the prophets is against his heart.“ rich people (e. g. Amos 6,3–6)“20. You Wealth can indeed be a good thing to may be rich but you may not be lazy. It be enjoyed, but not when it becomes the is the will of God and He has given us highest value of life or destroys the good- Creation for this purpose. ness of labour. Ecclesiastes 5,9–19 contrasts love of What can an unemployed worker do? money with joy in labour: „He that loveth Work, of course! Although we do not silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor want to play down the problem of unem- he that loveth abundance with increase: ployment the unemployed man can do this is also vanity. When goods increase, many jobs without wage. He can help his they are increased that eat them: and what family, the needy or his church. Lethargy good is there to the owners thereof, saving or blaming others is no solution to unem- the beholding of them with their eyes? ployment. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him Excursus on Marxism to sleep. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept What has Marxism to say concerning for the owners thereof to their hurt. As he just wages? Nothing! For Marx in Capi- came forth of his mother‘s womb, naked talism all wages are unjust but none has shall he return to go as he came, and shall the right to change this. The difference take nothing of his labour, which he may between a Christian social reformation carry away in his hand. And this also is a and a Marxist revolution becomes espe- sore evil, that in all points as he came, so cially clear in Marx“ paper „Critique of

MBS TEXTE 27 9 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... the Declaration of Gotha“ („Kritik des demanded the „right to the full yield of Gothaer Programms“) written when he work“ and that he never articulates any was an old man and commenting on the legal demand of any kind in any of his party platform of the Social Democratic theoretical writings.“26 Party of Germany. The demand of this Socialist Party „that the whole product He goes on: of work has to belong according to equal right to everybody according to his need „Marx realizes the historical unavoidabi- while everybody has the duty to work“21 lity, which is the right of the ancient slave- – in itself full of contradictions – is totally master, the feudal lord of the Middle Ages denied by Marx, because it is still based etc., as a lever of human development for on some concept of law and justice. Marx a certain historical period. He acknow- writes: „It is the right of inequality con- ledges the right of exploitation for some cerning its content as all right is“22. He time ...“27. goes on: „The equal right here is still, in principle, the bourgeois right ...“23. No one who thinks that Marx was This cannot be accepted because it still fighting for the rights of the workers, has „silently accepts a difference of individual read Marx or Engels. According to both gifts and therefore of different efficiency the worker must submit to the historical of workers as natural privileges“24. necessity and wait until the war of the Marx studied law at the university of classes comes to its next stage. Justice can- Bonn and so he knew what he was talking not be sued for. Marxism blames Christi- about. He did not want to change any anity for consoling people with a heavenly legal positions but wait for his prophecies hope, because he does not understand to become true. His prophecies conclude that this hope is the base for changes in that the Communist society will not this world and for any justice. But Marx bring immediate results: himself consoles people with his prophetic vision. But Paradise will come only „But these grievances are unavoidable in after the Marxists of today have died. No the first phase of the Communist society as Marxist has ever gotten anything for his it has come out of the capitalistic society hope, either on earth or in Heaven! after long labour pains.“25 For example, Marx fought against the British and German laws against the slave- (In German Marx is here speaking in like work of children. He said laws like prophetic perfect, as the prophets of the this were „reactionary“28, because they Old Testament often did!) Engels states it are incompatible with Capitalism and even more directly: large industries – he was proved wrong by history – and because it slowed down the „We give up any attempt to make clear development of the last phase of Capita- to the stubborn jurist, that Marx never lism. Marx did not want to help the weak

PRO MUNDIS 10 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... but to see his prophecies come true. Marx human work is always limited. In spite did not say any word about the exploited of its dignity, work is never the ﬁrst task children themselves, but saw only the but always the second. Work is never an problem that Marxists would lose a major end in itself! It is a unique Christian view force for revolution if children were to to combine the highest praise of work as grow up under good conditions29. nothing less than working in the image of The boundless disregard of the rights God, with the limitation of work, so that of workers and every act towards a just man is never totally swallowed by work, relationship between employers and emp- but keeps work under his and God‘s loyees can be proven by many quotations dominion. Only if you see both sides at from Marx and Engels30. Marx wrote the same time can you understand the about the German Parliament: effective results of a biblical work ethic. This is the meaning of the Sabbath. „Because you may use the parliament only The Sabbath reminds man, that he can as a means of agitation, you never may only work on „the six workdays“ (Ez 46,1), agitate in it for something reasonable or because his Creator works for him and has something being of direct interest for the given him Creation for his use. God also workers.“31 knows that to work day and night without exception is not good for man. Marxism has the same problem as athe- Although Man was created to work,32 istic Capitalism. Both call for just labour, the biblical concept of labour always imp- but have no law governing this justice. lies limited work. The individual is not to While Marx does not accept any justice overwork or to drown in his endeavors. put into laws, his capitalistic friends try to We could also say, „The Bible does not put their views into laws. But the religion preach work for its own sake. Labour is of Mammon can only realize justice in the always secondary to God and to His righ- form of money. Justice always means get- teousness,“ (Matt. 6,33). ting more money for working less. They This is the reason for the day of rest. forget that justice only can be justice, if it Man is to remember that he can only regulates every area of life, not just money work for six days (Eze. 46:1), because the matters. Creator made him and put the rest of Cre- ation at his disposal. Helmut Thielicke notes that the bib- God‘s work is work for God lical concept of work lies somewhere „... between the ancient Grecian contempt If the triune God did not work for us, of work, and its modern idealisation.“33 we could not work at all. Although man Work is to ﬁll our lives, but is not the was created to work and not to be lazy, highest or most decisive value. the command to work is only part of the We already discussed religions with command to serve God. In the Bible, a low view of hard work. But there are

MBS TEXTE 27 11 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... also religions with a high view of labour Therefore to be thankful is a necessary which miss the correction of work ethics part of every work. „Is 28,23–29 says that by a whole day without labour. A Japanese the outcome of the farmers ploughing, lawyer‘s association states that in Japan sowing, planting, riping, threshing, 10.000 people die every year through mowing and baking bread go back to overwork34. „Death through overwork“ God‘s teaching“36: „His God instructs is accepted by the Japanese Minister of him and teaches him the right way“ (Is Labour as official cause of death. There 28,26)37. is an special word for death through over- There are several other instituted work in the Japanese language, „karoshi“. ways of expressing the truth that work Death through overwork is said to be the is not everything, and that man needs to result of too much overtime work and thank God for the ability to work. The missing recreation. Often „the home is tithe comes exactly from what a man becoming a mere sleeping-place“35. earns. The tithe is not just a portion of The seventh day without work reminds the income but it is the firstfruit of our men that without God they could not work to demonstrate that God and work at all. „Unless the LORD builds the thanksgiving comes first before we use house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the results of our work. The same is true the LORD watches over the city, the of the sacrifices. Gustav Friedrich Oehler watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain has pointed out that all the plants and you rise early and stay up late, toiling for animals for sacrifice were „the ordinary food to eat, for He grants sleep to those food the people would win through their He loves“ (Ps 127,1–2). Prov 10,22 says it normal work“38. This can be seen in the even shorter: „The blessing of the LORD first recorded sacrifice in history by Abel brings wealth, and no trouble does add and Cain who both offered the firstfruits anything to it“ (see also Mt 6,24–34). of their profession. This again shows the And Jesus tells His disciples: „for without close relationship between daily work, me you can do nothing“ (John 15,5). service and thanksgiving to God. Pietistic and liberal exegets alike see ver- No work is done for oneself or one‘s ses like this as referring to religious duties, family or one‘s employer but in the last some spiritual blessing or some symbolical analysis for the supreme Employer39, God house. The Pietist believes that he cannot Himself. Thus Paul says: „And whatever evangelize without Jesus or cannot grow you do whether in word or deed, do it His Church without Jesus. Of course this all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving is true, but the quoted texts concern all thanks to God the Father through him“ work, everything men do and of course (Col 3,17). Again this may not be narro- his daily job! According to Ex 31,2–6 and wed down in a Pietistic sense. This is pro- 35,31 the artists could build the beautiful ved by one of the following verses written tabernacle, because God had given them to the slaves, but valid for everybody: His Spirit with the gifts of their crafts. „Whatever you do, work at it with all your

PRO MUNDIS 12 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... heart, as working for the Lord, not for the Lord‘s freedman; likewise he who was men, since you know that you will receive a free man when he was called is Christ‘s an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. slave. You were bought at a price, do not It is the Lord Jesus you are serving“ (Col become slaves of men“ (1Cor 7,20–23). In 3,23-24). the letter to Philemon Paul works toward the release of a slave. Is this a contradic- „The nobility of work no longer ﬂows tion? No, because Paul says: „But if you from what you do but from why you do can gain your freedom, do it“. But the it. Because of the commission to service slave does not need to wait a life long until by God and the service character of work he can live a fruitful life. He is called by to one‘s neighbour, the least technical God, called to His Heavenly kingdom, work has the same value as „intellectual“ but also called to His work. Not the work.“40 slave‘s work for men makes his life worth living but his being called by his Creator Many people blame the New Testa- and redeemer. ment because it commands the slaves to The penetrating power of the Christian be good workers (e. g. Tit 2,9–11; Eph faith in history is based on this fact. The 6,5–9; Col 3,22–4,1; 1Tim 6,1–2; 1Petr Christian can serve God as a slave without 2,18–25; 1Cor 7,21–24). We already any change of the outward circumstances, heard the reason for it. The slave works and he can obtain freedom, and work for for God, not for his employer. This is real release and change the circumstances. He freedom! „Slaves, obey your masters in all has life in the fullest sense in every situ- things not with eyeservice or as menple- ation. Because he has everything already, asers, but with a sincere heart and reve- he can change everything. rence for the Lord“ (Col 3,22). There is In Col 3,25–4,1 we ﬁnd strict admoni- no dirty or bad work in the Bible, except tions for the lords of the slaves. They are those works and professions which are reminded of their lawful duties because directly forbidden by God like prostitu- God does not have regard for the person. tion. The human employer is not the real The Christian slave does not however giver of wages, but the great Employer of need to wait until his lord becomes righ- Creation. Only because God, the general teous. He can live according to God‘s will Employer, gives a just wage, must human here and now! He does not need to wait employers do the same. until the world has changed totally, as The same Paul that tells the slaves to be thought in Hinduism, Buddhism, Mar- good workers, writes to them: „Each one xism and other religions! should remain in the calling wherein he For the Marxist, man and work are was called. Were you called being a slave, actually identical. He cannot imagine do not let it trouble you. But if you can work apart from man, as he denies a God gain your freedom, do so. For he who was who could be working also; and he can- a slave when he was called by the Lord is not imagine man apart from work which

MBS TEXTE 27 13 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... makes something like the Sabbath, recre- The toil of work ation or a Sunday service impossible. Friedrich Engels writes: Work is always work for God. And one cannot talk about work without talking „Work is the source of all wealth, the poli- about God. That is the only reason why tical economists tell us. Yes, it is, besides the curse for the sin of Man in the Fall nature which offers the material which was a curse of Man‘s work (Gen 3,17–19; work changes to wealth. But work is infi- 5,29). Man thought he could have the nitely more than this. It is the first fun- authority of dominion and work without damental condition of human life and the One making both possible, namely this in such a measure that we must say God. Because of the curse, Man is remin- in a certain sense: work has created man ded day by day what it means to despise himself.“41 the Creator. Whoever wants labour without problems denies the Fall and denies That work created men is only another that only God can be the source of work way of saying that man created himself as which leads to full results and to true rest. the following quotation from Karl Marx Without the sacrifice of the second Per- proves: son of the Trinity there could be no hope that this situation would ever change. „Because for Socialist man the whole of Meanwhile Christians take even the stress so-called world history is nothing else and toil of work out of the hand of God. than the begetting of men through human „What does the worker gain from his toil? labour, this is the rising of nature through I have seen the burden God has given to men, he has the vivid and irresistible evi- men“ (Eccl 3,9–10). The toil is given by dence of his birth through himself, of his God. Solomon does not come to the con- own process of origin.“42 clusion that it is better not to work at all but that we are happy about the results If man and work are identical and work of our work as a gift from God: „I know is the highest value of society, this work that there is nothing better for men than will not be a positive value approved by to be happy and do good while they live. all, but a tyrannical value hated by all but That every man may eat and drink, and a few. Because work is not under God‘s find satisfaction in all his toil, this is a gift dominion and under the responsibility of from God“ (Eccl 3,12–13). man, it becomes a terrible tyranny. Mar- The Bible commands us to take the toil xism tries to fight without really offering upon ourselves and not to put the burden any way to escape. If work and man are on others. A thief only puts the burden identical, how can man escape the tyranny on others as does the State using taxes to of work without losing himself? redistribute wealth from one to the other. Paul‘s admonitions do not need long explanations: „We urge you, brothers and

PRO MUNDIS 14 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... sisters43, ... make it your ambition to live our ﬁnal hope is not in work but in God, quietly, and to do your own business, and who makes labour possible. to work with your own hands, as we com- Again, God is the best example. He manded you, so that you walk honestly took the whole sorrow, toil and pain of toward those who are outside and so that the work of redemption on Himself. God you will not be dependent on anybody“ gave his only Son to redeem us from the (1Thess 4,10–12). „We hear that some Fall. He did not put His burden on us but among you walk disorderly, working not carried our burden to the Cross. If theo- at all. They are busybodies. Such people logy loses the triune God, it loses God, we command and urge in the Lord Jesus who carried the burdens of His chosen Christ to work in quietness and to eat people. Neither Islam nor Marxism, neit- their own bread“ (2Thess 3,11–12). What her Buddhism nor Statism have anything Paul taught others he and his co-workers to offer instead. did himself: „For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not disorderly when we were with Laziness and Industry you, nor did we eat anyone‘s food without in the Book of Proverbs paying for it. On the contrary, we worked Prov 6:6-11: „Go to the ant, thou day and night, labouring and toiling so sluggard; consider her ways, and be that we would not be a burden to any of wise: Which having no guide, over- you“ (2Thess 3,7–9) seer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in This does not mean, of course, that the summer, and gathereth her food in one may never assist an umemployed per- the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, son. On the contrary, Paul commands a O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out thief, who has been living at the cost of of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little others, to help others: „Let him that stole slumber, a little folding of the hands steal no more: but rather let him labour, to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as working with his hands the thing which one that travelleth, and thy want as an is good, that he may have to give to him armed man.“ that needeth,“ (Eph. 4:28). The fact that the former thief is to provide for himself is Prov 10:4: „He becometh poor that assumed, not even explicitly mentioned. dealeth with a slack hand: but the The main thing is that he now also works hand of the diligent maketh rich.“ for others’ sakes. Prov 10:26: „As vinegar to the teeth, Basilius the Great44 (ca. 329–379 A. and as smoke to the eyes, so is the slug- D.) discusses Christian work ethics by gard to them that send him.“ referring to II Thessalonians and empha- sized that everyone should work, that Prov 11:16: „The slothful come to work is intended to provide for the poor, want: but the diligent support them- and that it is only possible to work, when selves with wealth.“

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Prov 12:24: „The hand of the diligent Prov 22:13: „The slothful man saith, shall bear rule: but the slothful shall There is a lion without, I shall be be under tribute.“ slain in the streets. (He is not willing to take a risk and seeks for excuses to Prov 12:27: „he slothful man roasteth avoid work: See also:) not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is pre- Prov 26:13: „The slothful man saith, cious..“ There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets.“ Prov 13:4: „The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the Prov 24:27: „Prepare thy work wit- soul of the diligent shall be made fat.“ hout, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine Prov 15:19: „The way of the slothful house.“ man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.“ Pro 24:30-34: „I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the Prov 18:9: „He also that is slothful man void of understanding; And, lo, in his work is brother to him that is a it was all grown over with thorns, and great waster.“ nettles had covered the face thereof, Prov 19:15: „Slothfulness casteth into and the stone wall thereof was broken a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suf- down. Then I saw, and considered it fer hunger.“ well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little Prov 19:24: „A slothful man hideth slumber, a little folding of the hands his hand in his bosom, and will not so to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as much as bring it to his mouth again.“ one that travelleth; and thy want as an Prov 20:4: „he sluggard will not plow armed man.“ by reason of the cold; therefore shall Prov 24:14-16: „So shall the know- he beg in harvest, and have nothing.“ ledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: Prov 20:13: „Love not sleep, lest thou when thou hast found it, then there come to poverty; open thine eyes, and shall be a reward, and thy expectation thou shalt be satisfied with bread.!“ shall not be cut off. Lay not wait, O Prov 21:5: „The thoughts of the dili- wicked man, against the dwelling of gent tend only to plenteousness; but of the righteous; spoil not his resting every one that is hasty only to want..“ place: For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the Prov 21:25: „The desire of the sloth- wicked shall fall into mischief.“ ful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour..“ Prov 31:13+18+27: (The virtuous woman) „She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

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She perceiveth that her merchandise God‘s work is divided labour is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She looketh well to the ways 3. The work of the triune God is divi- of her household, and eateth not the ded work. The Persons of the triune God bread of idleness.“ divide their labour and do not all have the same task and job, as 1Cor 12,4–6 clearly shows. Because their work is diffe- Further Texts about rent, yet directed to one goal, the Trinity Work in Proverbs demonstrates what true fellowship in love and help, word and discussion, plan and Prov 12:11: „He that tilleth his land fulfillment means, even prior to Creation. shall be satisfied with bread: but he This is the infallible diversity in unity. that followeth vain persons is void of Only if you have diversity in unity and understanding.“ unity in diversity, only if you believe in Prov 12:14: „man shall be satisfied the biblical God of the universe (unity in with good by the fruit of his mouth: diversity), work can be a way to serve each and the recompence of a man‘s hands other. God wants men to serve each other, shall be rendered unto him.“ as the Persons of the Trinity serve each other. We depend on each other because Prov 14:4: „Where no oxen are, the we have different callings, different abi- crib is clean: but much increase is by lites, different gifts, and different tasks. the strength of the ox.“ The empasis on the gifts of the Spirit for Prov 14:23: „In all labour there is pro- the Church proves this beyond doubt. fit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only God does not want everybody to do the to penury.“ same – except keeping His commands – Prov 16:26: „He that laboureth labou- but wants a diversity of tasks, deeds, and reth for himself; for his mouth craveth actions, in the Church and elsewhere. it of him.“ The family is an excellent example of the centrality of divided work in life. In Solomon’s proverbs often consider the the family, people learn the difference of value of labour and the danger and degra- the genders – or they do not learn it at all. dation of laziness. In the family people learn the different „Accordingly, the essential charac- work of parents and children, of old and teristics of indolence are: weak, disho- young people – or they do not learn it at nest excuses (see 22:13), excessive sleep all. In the family people learn how diffe- (6:9ff; 19:15; 24:33), laziness even at rent people are under one common God meals (19:24), overconfidence in one’s – or they do not learn to accept that men own abilities. The tendency to surrender are different. In the family, people learn to momentary impulses leads to his fall that life and work means to serve one ano- (Prov. 21:25)45. ther – or they never learn it.

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It is interesting that Marx saw the divi- vity; only then can the narrow bourgeois sion of labour as the Fall of mankind with horizon of justice be crossed and the soci- the immediate result of marriage and pri- ety can write on its banner: Everyone vate ownership. Man was created through according to his abilities, everyone accor- his labour, but the alienation of man from ding to his needs!“46 work took place through the division of labour. Exploitation comes through divi- Marx never explained how this will be ded work, through marriage and through possible without the division of labour. private ownership. (By the way: Marx He never answered the question whether talks about the introduction of divided the end of divided labour means that eve- labour, marriage and private ownership rybody has to do the same. He never ans- as the „economic fall“ using the German wered how a society will function without technical term („Sündenfall“) for the Fall divided labour. He just prophecied his of man recorded in Gen 3. He consciously unitarian hope because he hated the tri- put his „fall“ in place of the biblical Fall une God, the source of all true diversity. which would be evidence enough that he founded a revival religion, not just an economic theory. It takes as much faith God‘s work is service to believe in the biblical Fall as it does to to one another believe in the Marxist fall.) Marx was right in seeing that there In the Trinity the Persons work for each is no marriage and no private owner- other. In and after Creation, God works ship without the division of labour. But for Creation. Work is never only work for because he calls sin what the Bible decla- the benefit of the one working. It is always res to be the good Creation of God, he at the same time work for oneself and for cannot offer any help to overcome exploi- others. It is the triune God who makes it tation. His only help is his prophecy that possible that work for oneself and work one day the division of labour will end. for others do not stand in opposition to He wrote: each other but always go hand in hand. As God‘s work towards His own glory is „In a higher phase of the Communist always at the same time work for another society, after the enslaving submission of Person of the Trinity and/or for His Cre- individuals under the division of labour ation, so man‘s work is designed to help and with it the contrast between intellec- himself and to help others. tual and bodily work have disappeared; Work is service. Our languages have after work is no longer a means to live taken over this concept under Christian but has become itself the first condition of influence. We use the Latin word for ser- life; after all springs of collective wealth vant, „minister“, to name the pastor as flow fuller through the development of the well as a politican in high position. How individuals and his powers of producti- can the worker in a position of authority

PRO MUNDIS 18 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... get the honorary title „servant“? Because to enjoy the good of all his labour that he the highest authority, Jesu Christ Himself, taketh under the sun all the days of his is a servant. We talk about „civil service“, life, which God giveth him: for it is his about military service, about „length of portion,“ (Ecc. 5,18). service“ and „years of service“ instead of We must recognise two sides of the pic- years of work. ture: On the one hand, we are to work Therefore the wages are never used for in order to provide for ourselves. On the the worker only. other, our labour is to serve others, either because our efforts are directly for their „The New Testament does not undere- sakes (for example, the work of a bus stimate the fact that work serves to pro- driver), because the product serves some vide one‘s own costs of living (Eph 4,28; purpose (a baby buggy, for example), 1Thess 4,11; 2Thess 3,8, 12). But on the or because the labourer gives part of his other side, the wages are not only inten- wages to others (to support his family, ded for the one doing the work.“47 for example). John Stott calls this „the biblical principle of reciprocity“48 (clt? A ﬁxed part of the income, the tithe, English?). These two aspects cannot be belongs to God. The community and played off against each other, as a secu- the State may lawfully take taxes (even lar scientist, who seems to have under- though surely not as much as today). stood biblical principles better than some Whoever does not pay for the living of Christians, once wrote: his family, including his parents, is worse than the heathen (1Tim 5,8; Mk 7,9–13). „The belief that others‘ happiness cont- There are other social duties. ributes to one‘s own wellbeing does not The best example is Paul‘s admoni- appeal to the human heart. Yet, it is the tion to former thieves: „He who has been Golden Rule of the Economy, the key to stealing must steal no longer, but must peace and wealth and the requisite for work, doing something useful with his progress.“49 own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need“ (Eph 4,28). Paul even does not mention that the former thief lives on his income, although this is implied. Paul only talks about the possibility to help others if you work. Divine Providence determines whether man enjoys the fruit of his labour or not. Christians are grateful when they can use part of their products for their own enjoy- ment, for they know that: „It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and

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AnnotationsAnnotations

1 Reprinted from „Trinity and Work: A Cri- 5 Karl Bernhard Hundeshagen. Ueber die tique of the View of Daily Work in Other Natur und geschichtliche Entwicklung der Religions and in Marxism“. Christianity and Humanitätsidee in ihrem Verhältnis zu Kirche Society 6 (1996) 2: 14–20. und Staat. Verlag von Wiegen und Grieben: 2 See: Alfred de Quervain. Ruhe und Arbeit, Berlin, 1853. p. 29 (sic); vgl. die Würdigung Lohn und Eigentum. Ethik II Vol. 3. Evange- des Zitats in Theodor Christlieb. „Carl Bern- lischer Verlag: Zollikon (Switzerland), 1956. hard Hundeshagen: Eine Lebensskizze“. Deut- pp. 17–112+149–165; Miroslav Volf. „Arbeit, sche Blätter 1873: 673–700, here p. 698. Geist und Schöpfung“. pp. 32–60 in: Her- 6 See Peter Gerlitz. „Buddhismus“. pp. 100-118 mann Sautter, Miroslav Volf. Gerechtigkeit, in: Michael Klöcker, Udo Tworuschka (ed.). Geist und Schöpfung: Die Oxford-Erklärung Ethik der Religionen – Lehre und Leben: vol. zur Frage von Glaube und Wirtschaft. Brock- 2: Arbeit. Kösel: Munich, Vandenhoeck & haus: Wuppertal, 1992 and the excellent sum- Ruprecht: Göttingen, 1985, p. 101. mary in Derek Prime. Biblische Lebenshilfen 7 See ibid. pp. 112–115. im Grundriß. Verlag der Francke-Buchhand- 8 lung: Marburg, 1990. pp. 42–43, as well as Heiner Ruschhaupt. „Bauen und Bewahren“. the somewhat critical but important studies Der Navigator Nr. 13 (Mai/Juni 1987): 2–3. in: Walther Bienert. Die Arbeit nach der Lehre 9 Hermann Cremer. Arbeit und Eigentum in der Bibel. Evangelisches Verlagswerk: Stutt- christlicher Sicht. Brunnen Verlag: Giessen, gart, 1954 (pp. 414–428 extensive bibliogra- 1984. p. 8. phy); Alan Richardson. Die biblische Lehre 10 Friedrich Trzaskalik. „Katholizismus“. pp. von der Arbeit. Anker-Verlag: Frankfurt, 1953; 24–41 in: Michael Klöcker, Udo Tworuschka Udo Krolzik. Umweltkrise: Folge des Chris- (ed.). Ethik der Religionen – Lehre und Leben: tentums? Kreuz Verlag: Stuttgart, 1979. pp. vol. 2: Arbeit. op. cit. p. 33. 61–70. The study closest to my results is Doug 11 Hermann Cremer. Arbeit und Eigentum in Sherman; William Hendricks. Your Work christlicher Sicht. Brunnen Verlag: Giessen, Matters to God. NavPress: Colorado Springs 1984. p. 8. (Colorado), 1990Pb; John Stott. Christsein 12 in den Brennpunkten unserer Zeit ... 3 ... im Alan Richardson. Die biblische Lehre von sozialen Bereich. Francke: Marburg, 1988 der Arbeit. Anker-Verlag: Frankfurt, 1953. [Engl. 1984]. p. 11–64; Michael A. Zigarelli. p. 27. Christianity 9 to 5: Living Your Faith at Work. 13 Gustav Warneck. Die Stellung der evange- Beacon Hill Press: Kansas City (Mich.), lischen Mission zur Sklavenfrage. C. Bertels- 1998; „Arbeit“. pp. 189–204 in: Lexikon der mann: Gütersloh, 1889. p. 67. Bio-ethik. 3 Vols., Vol.. 1. Gütersloher Ver- 14 See the chapter on the ethics of work in lagshaus: Gütersloh, 1998; Walter Künneth. my book Marxismus – Opium für das Volk? Moderne Wirtschaft – Christliche Existenz. Schwengeler Verlag: Berneck, 1990. Claudius: München, 1959. pp. 6–8, Abschnitt 15 „Arbeit als Stiftung Gottes“. Quoted from Konrad Löw. Marxismus Quellenlexikon. Kölner Universitätsverlag: 3 See: George Gilder. Reichtum und Armut. Köln, 1985. p. 321. dtv: München, 1983. pp. 64-65. 16 See Monika Tworuschka. „Islam“. pp. 64–84 4 Ibid., p. 65. in: Michael Klöcker, Udo Tworuschka (ed.).

PRO MUNDIS 20 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ...

Ethik der Religionen – Lehre und Leben: vol. See: „Kein Zusammenhang zwischen Suizid 2: Arbeit. op. cit., pp. 67+69. und Arbeitslosigkeit“. Deutsches Ärzteblatt 17 Johannes Wachten. „Judentum“. pp. 9–23 87 (1990) Nr. 31/32 (6.8.1990): pp. A–2411 in: ibid., p. 10. as summary of I. K. Crombie. „Trends in Sui- 18 cide and Unemployment in Scotland 1976– Hermann Cremer. Arbeit und Eigentum in 86“. British Medical Journal 298 (1987): pp. christlicher Sicht. op. cit. p. 9. 782–784. 19 Vgl. Monika Tworuschka. „Islam“. pp. 33 Helmut Thielicke. Theologische Ethik. 2nd 64–84 in: Michael Klöcker, Udo Tworuschka Vol. 1st Part: Mensch und Welt. J. C. B. Mohr: (Ed..). Ethik der Religionen – Lehre und Tübingen, 19592. pp. 396-397. Leben. Vol. 2: Arbeit. op. cit., pp. 67+69. 34 20 D. P. „Zu Tode gearbeitet“. Der Kassenarzt Alan Richardson. Die biblische Lehre von No. 12/1991, p. 32. der Arbeit. op. cit. p 16. 35 Ibid. 21 Ursula Schulz (ed.). Die deutsche Arbeiter- 36 bewegung 1848–1919 in Augenzeugenberich- Alan Richardson. Die biblische Lehre von ten. dtv: Munich, 19813. p. 200. der Arbeit. op. cit. p. 15. 37 22 Karl Marx. Friedrich Engels. Werke. 42 vol. See the details in the context. Dietz Verlag: Berlin. 1956ff. vol. 19. p. 20. 38 Gustav Friedrich Oehler. Theologie des 23 Ibid. Alten Testaments. J. F. Steinkopf: Stuttgart, 18913. p. 437. 24 Ibid. p. 21. 39 25 In German „employer“ [„Arbeitgeber“] Ibid. has the meaning of „the workgiver“, „the one 26 Ibid. vol. 21. p. 501. giving work“. In German we can say that God 27 Ibid.; see the whole page. is the great „Arbeitgeber“, the supreme One giving work to men. 28 Ibid. p. 32 („Allgemeines Verbot der Kin- derarbeit ist unverträglich mit der Existenz der 40 Emil Brunner. Das Gebot und die Ordnun- großen Industrie und daher leerer frommer gen. Zwingli Verlag: Zürich, 19394. p. 373. Wunsch. Durchführung desselben – wenn 41 Karl Marx. Friedrich Engels. Werke. op. cit. möglich – wäre reaktionär, da, bei strenger vol. 20. p. 444. Regelung der Arbeitszeit nach den verschiede- 42 Ibid. vol. 40. p. 546. nen Altersstufen und sonstigen Vorsichtsmaß- 43 regeln zum Schutze der Kinder, frühzeitige In many languages the plural of „brother“ or Verbindung produktiver Arbeit mit Unterricht of „sister“ is used to group together all male eines der mächtigen Umwandlungsmittel der and female children of the same parents. In heutigen Gesellschaft ist.“). German the old plural of „sister“, „Geschwis- 29 ter“ is the name for brothers and sisters. Often We just want to show the position of Marx, the Greek plural of „adelphos“ („brother“), not to discuss labour of children or the right of „adelphoi“ („brothers“ or „brothers and sis- the State to regulate it. ters“) is used to speak of brothers and sisters 30 Konrad Löw. Marxismus Quellenlexikon. at the same time. There is no other word to Kölner Universitätsverlag: Köln, 1985. pp. mark brothers and sisters together. (The plural 221–222. of sister „adelphai“ is only used for sisters.). 31 Karl Marx. Friedrich Engels. Werke. op. cit. 44 Basilius der Große. „Ausführliche Regeln“ vol. 32. p. 360. 41, 1–2, in Alfons Heilmann (Ed.). Texte der 32 However, the postulated correlation bet- Kirchenväter. 5 Vols. Vol. 3. Kösel: München, ween unemployment and the rate of suicide, 1964. pp. 228–229; See also: Ibid., pp. 224– which is often used to prove that Man was cre- 240 numerous texts by the Church fathers on ated to work, seems to have been disproved. the Christian view of labour. For the position

MBS TEXTE 27 21 Thomas Schirrmacher Trinity and Work ... of the Early Church on labour, see: Adolf von 46 Ibid. vol. 19. p. 21 (In German the sentence Harnack. Die Mission und Ausbreitung des is even more complicated. That is typically for Christentums in den ersten drei Jahrhunder- Marx.). ten. VMA-Verlag: Wiesbaden, n.d. (reprint 47 Hermann Cremer. Arbeit und Eigentum in 19244). pp. 197–200. christlicher Sicht. op. cit. p. 11. 45 Hans Walter Wolff. Anthropologie des Alten 48 John Stott. Christsein in den Brennpunkten Testaments. Chr. Kaiser: München, 19773. p. unserer Zeit ... 3. op.cit., pp. 38–42. 194; see also pp. 192–197 (texts from Pro- 49 verbs). George Gilder. Reichtum und Armut. op. cit., p. 19.

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Thomas Schirrmacher earned his doctorates in Theology (Dr. theol, 1985, Netherlands) in Cultural Anthropology (PhD, 1989, USA) and in Ethics (ThD, 1996, USA) and received a honorary doctorate (DD) in 1997. He is president of Martin Bucer Theolo- gical Seminary with campuses in Bonn, Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Innsbruck, Prague and Istanbul and holds chairs in ethics, world religions and international development in Germany, USA and India. He is also president of Gebende Hände GmbH (Giving Hands), an internationally active relief organisation, as well as owner of a publishing house and coowner of a consulting company. He is Secretary of the Commission for Religions Freedom of the German and Austrian Evangelical Alliance and member of the same commission of the World Evangelical Fellowship. He has written and edited 74 books. He is married with Dr. Christine Schirrmacher, who holds a chair in the Science of Islam, and is father of a son (12) and a daughther (9).

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