Scholar Michael Novak to Speak on the Intersection of Business and Morality

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Apr 05, 2010, 04:00 ET

SIERRA MADRE, Calif., April 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Distinguished scholar, author, and former Ambassador Michael Novak will address The Moral Foundation of Markets at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena (April 15, 4:00 p.m.) and Business as a Calling in 2010 at La Canada Presbyterian Church in La Canada (April 16, 7 p.m.) and in La Mirada at the Biola University chapel (April 15, 9:30 a.m.). All three events will be free and open to the public. Novak's trip to California is sponsored by the Center for Faith and Enterprise (www.faithandenterprise.org).

"Of all the systems of political economy which have shaped our history, none has so revolutionized ordinary expectations of human life... as democratic capitalism," says Novak.

In the April 15 lecture at Fuller Theological Seminary Novak will address The Moral Foundation of Markets, and will argue that in the midst of our current economic difficulties society and our culture need to re-establish an informed and well reasoned understanding of both the value of markets for human well being and the moral foundation necessary for their continued survival.

In the La Canada and Biola events, Novak will revisit his seminal Business as a Calling: Work and the Examined Life from the perspective of our current economic difficulties. He argues that "business is a morally serious enterprise;" men and women can do much good through it, or much evil. In addition, business is conducted by people who "are not merely economic agents" but are human beings in search of their calling. This has serious implications for the value of work and the manner in which business is conducted.

Novak has taken a winding route to his current views of the value of free markets and the spiritual importance of business vocations. Early in his career he was well known as a left of center economic philosopher and theologian. After witnessing firsthand the effect of socialism and various forms of state control, however, he became convinced that capitalism represents the best hope of the poor. As he put it in The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism, no other system has so "lengthened the life span, made the elimination of poverty and famine thinkable, and enlarged the range of human choice" as democratic capitalism.

Novak has written 28 books, including The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism, Business as a Calling: Work and the Examined Life, and No One Sees God: The Dark Night of Atheists and Believers. He is currently a Scholar in Religion, Philosophy, and Public Policy at the American Enterprise Institute and has been on the faculty of Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame and other institutions. In 1994, he received the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion.

In addition to his scholarly work, Novak has been the U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a member of the National Endowment for Democracy Board, the International Broadcasting Board, and the Presidential Task Force on Project Economic Justice.

Rob Tribken, Chairman of the Center for Faith and Enterprise, said "Michael Novak is a great scholar who has made an important contribution to our understanding of the moral and theological aspects of markets, business vocations, and economics. We expect his visit to stimulate a timely and important public conversation."

Novak's trip to California is sponsored by the Center for Faith and Enterprise. The mission of the C.F.E. is to promote the idea of business as a potentially important calling, and business vocations and healthy markets as key contributors to human well being.

More information is available at www.faithandenterprise.org/michaelnovakevents.html or from the Center for Faith and Enterprise.

Web site: www.faithandenterprise.org

Individual event information:

Thursday, April 15 (9:30 – 10:15 a.m.)
Topic: *Business as a Calling*
Event Sponsor: Crowell School of Business, Biola University
Location: Moats Auditorium (Crowell School)
Biola University
13800 Biola Avenue
La Mirada, CA 90639

Thursday, April 15 (4:00 – 5:30 p.m.)
Topic: *The Moral Foundation of Markets*
Event Sponsor: Max De Pree Center for Leadership
Location: Travis Auditorium
Fuller Theological Seminary
135 North Oakland Avenue
Pasadena. CA 91182

Friday, April 16 (7–9 p.m.)
Topic: *Business as a Calling: Work and the Examined Life in 2010*
Event Sponsor: La Canada Presbyterian Church
Location: La Canada Presbyterian Church
626 Foothill Blvd.
La Canada, CA 91011

Further Information

Biographical Information about Michael Novak:

http://michaelnovak.net/index.cfm?fuseaction=Biography.welcome

Michael Novak photo:

http://www.aei.org/scholar/44

Max De Pree Center for Leadership:

The mission of the Max De Pree Center for Leadership is to promote and encourage healthy leadership and thriving organizations in order to enhance human flourishing. To do so it conducts research and provides consulting and speaking services, utilizing the resources of Fuller Theological Seminary and the lessons of Max De Pree. For more information visit the web site (www.depree.org).

Center for Faith and Enterprise:

The mission of the Center for Faith and Enterprise is to promote the idea of business as a potentially important calling, and business vocations and healthy markets as key contributors to human well being. For more information: www.faithandenterprise.org

La Canada Presbyterian Church:

http://www.lacanadapc.org

Crowell School of Business (Biola University):

http://www.biola.edu/academics/business

American Enterprise Institute:

www.aei.org

SOURCE Center for Faith and Enterprise