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Papers by Richard Turnbull

Business & Society

As founder of modern political economics and prominent theorist of the commercial society, Adam S... more As founder of modern political economics and prominent theorist of the commercial society, Adam Smith’s importance is universally recognized. Little, however, has been done so far to develop Adam Smith’s virtue ethics in the context of modern business, characterized by digitalization. This article aims to rediscover Adam Smith’s virtue of prudence and its relevance for the “e-commercial society”: It presents a framework that considers the central place of prudence in the relationship between a prosperous e-commercial system and societal flourishing. In Smith’s view of the commercial society, prudence enables people to develop habits of character related to industriousness, genuineness, spirit of sacrifice, and self-command, which help in the conduct of a prosperous business activity. This article translates Smith’s virtue of prudence into a language typical of consumers in the current e-commerce scenario, considering their development as persons and the contribution of their activit...

Business and Professional Ethics Journal

This paper aims to expound and develop the idea of work as enterprise in response to the challeng... more This paper aims to expound and develop the idea of work as enterprise in response to the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution and to demonstrate that Christian theology provides a conceptual framework which helps locate work within an understanding of purpose and human dignity. This paper defines enterprise, considers the purpose of work, and reflects on themes from the common Christian theological tradition which give meaning to the idea of work as enterprise. Further, this article considers the challenge of technology, the place of the market and ethics, the role of innovation and creativity, questions of freedom and regulation, the central place for the development of skills and education, and the transformational nature of work. In addition, this paper has three policy propositions and some practical advice. Work matters because it is at root an expression of our humanity. Technological advance poses both perils and opportunities. The development of the idea of work as...

Quakers, Business and Corporate Responsibility, 2019

A conundrum lies at the heart of reflecting upon the role of the Quakers in relation to ‘free tra... more A conundrum lies at the heart of reflecting upon the role of the Quakers in relation to ‘free trade,’ and their exercise of both business and social responsibility. Why was it that the Quakers in Parliament advocated free trade as a measure of liberal reform for the benefit of the poor whilst opposing legislation to protect children and young people employed in factories? Yet, the Quakers are also presented as model employers and philanthropists. This chapter reviews this paradox and seeks to explain the nature of the Quaker conscience, Quaker spiritual, political, philanthropic and business beliefs and practices, and how this helps to explain the complexity of Quaker response to social legislation.

Quakers, Business and Corporate Responsibility, 2019

This volume brings together a collection of essays by Quaker and other scholars and practitioners... more This volume brings together a collection of essays by Quaker and other scholars and practitioners from the fields of Management, Organisation and Theology. While the historical Quaker contribution to business and industry has been explored in a few important books (see Raistrick 1950; Walvin 1998; Windsor 1980; King 2014), this volume significantly widens the scope of enquiry to examine the broader perspective of a Quaker contribution to responsible business and corporate responsibility, with topics that encompass both a historical and contemporary perspective.

Journal of Catholic Social Thought, 2020

The 'common good' is tantalizingly elusive. The concept is also a contested one, the 'common' is ... more The 'common good' is tantalizingly elusive. The concept is also a contested one, the 'common' is perhaps not so common after all. Contested, that is, within the tradition of Catholic Social Thought, a rich mine of theological wisdom and insight, but one which also reveals the complexity of the idea. The rooting of the common good within Catholic Social Thought raises the question of whether the concept is restrictively located within the Roman Catholicism rather than being of broader application. Certainly, from an ecumenical perspective, Catholic Social Thought can be both attractive and impenetrable at the same time. The presence of a body of social doctrine within the Roman Catholic Church, however contested, is not, and indeed in many traditions, cannot be replicated. However, that is not to say that the Protestant traditions contain no doctrine or even that they lack bodies of systematic theological thought; they contain both. The difference lies in the authority which is attached to each. Equally, the way in which common good ideas within Catholic Social Thought have been grounded in concepts of Christian theology such as the nature and dignity of the human person cannot simply be dismissed as narrowly Catholic, more of a gift of Catholicism to the whole of Christianity. The question is whether Catholic and Protestant traditions can be brought into a more effective dialogue around the common good. That requires awareness not only of the nature of the concept itself, but also about the language of the common good. Perhaps the inscrutable nature of Catholic Social Thought has led to some superficiality in the adoption of the concept both not only in secular thinking but also by Protestants. Yet, Protestantism too, despite the lack of a magisterium, does provide a range of systematic resources to explore this topic. However, the task must be done. The outcome could be an even richer understanding which might even, as James Hanvey has argued, provide 'avenues for reconceptualising the relationship between the domains of the 'sacred' and the 'secular.'' Hanvey's observation reminds us of the potential for the common good to bring about new and deeper reflections upon business and the economy. At its heart the common good is neither the adoption nor the rejection of a market economy. In reality, the common good is a living tradition. If the common good is at all about human flourishing then the economy has a central role to play. Markets and competition both contribute to the common good and yet the idea cannot be reduced to either individual rationality or purely contractual relationships. How precisely does the common good relate to the nature and role of government, the nature of the civil economy of intermediate institutions, property rights and the rule of law? In this endeavour Catholicism and Protestantism 2 can be effective dialogue partners. The common good is not simply an aspiration, in either Catholic or Protestant thought. The common good in ecumenical dialogue There is remarkably little by way of substantive contributions to debates around the common good within either formal or informal ecumenical dialogue. However, that is not the same as asserting that Protestant traditions are failing to engage or that there are no initiatives. In Anglican Social Theology, although most contributors to the volume tend to assert rather than analyse the common good, Anna Rowlands, in her chapter seeks to explore something of the theological communality. She makes three important points about Anglican and Catholic Social Teaching. First, she argues that both traditions lay doctrinal weight on the inalienable nature of human dignity, alongside the social nature of humanity, freedom and rights. Second, the gospel carries a distinctive social and political character. Third, prominence is given to the role of intermediate institutions. 1 These reflections are important in thinking more widely about Protestant contributions. The grounding of common good thinking in human dignity is an argument concerning the nature of God and the imago dei in humanity. This idea is firmly established in the biblical narrative as well as the theological tradition. It involves an appeal to creation which links the idea to the creation narratives and also to evangelical Protestant political thought. Hence, the foundational dignity of the human person is a building block of the common good across traditions not simply within Catholicism. Similarly, Anna Rowlands third point on the importance of the intermediate institutions. Voluntary societies, the family-the institutions of the civil economy-are the historical bedrocks of Protestant evangelical approaches to society and the common good. The more contested area would be Anna Rowland's second category of the social and political nature of the gospel. If this means that the common good is both individual and corporate then this also builds upon the Protestant approach to the Christian faith. Clearly both in Geneva with Calvin, in the evangelical social and political action of nineteenth-centry Britain and in the Kuyperian understanding of Christian democracy the common good was expressed in both individual flourishing and corporate, societal good. However, the potential, and lazy, link of common good thinking with a socialistic or corporatist approach to political life and society will also encounter some resistance. Catholic and a wide range of Protestant and other non-Catholic writers came together in 2015 to produce Together for the Common Good. This volume covered a wider range of contributors than Anglican Social Theology and was brought together largely by Jenny Sinclair, the daughter of Bishop

The Place of the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury Within the Evangelical Tradition, with Particular Re... more The Place of the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury Within the Evangelical Tradition, with Particular Reference to His Understanding of the Relationship of Evangelistic Mission to Social Reform. Richard Duncan Turnbull University of Durham, 1996.

klice.co.uk

The Christian understanding of the end is closely associated with how the believer relates to cur... more The Christian understanding of the end is closely associated with how the believer relates to current society. This is particularly shown in the tension inherent in the relationship between evangelism and social action. It is shown also in questions of the nature of God's ...

churchsociety.org

It has been increasingly recognized that there are substantial differences between evangelicals. ... more It has been increasingly recognized that there are substantial differences between evangelicals. This has become focussed in recent years with the strengthening of the evangelical movement within the Church of England; when a group is in a distinct minority ...

Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 2004

The Routledge Research Companion to the History of Evangelicalism, 2018

Business & Society

As founder of modern political economics and prominent theorist of the commercial society, Adam S... more As founder of modern political economics and prominent theorist of the commercial society, Adam Smith’s importance is universally recognized. Little, however, has been done so far to develop Adam Smith’s virtue ethics in the context of modern business, characterized by digitalization. This article aims to rediscover Adam Smith’s virtue of prudence and its relevance for the “e-commercial society”: It presents a framework that considers the central place of prudence in the relationship between a prosperous e-commercial system and societal flourishing. In Smith’s view of the commercial society, prudence enables people to develop habits of character related to industriousness, genuineness, spirit of sacrifice, and self-command, which help in the conduct of a prosperous business activity. This article translates Smith’s virtue of prudence into a language typical of consumers in the current e-commerce scenario, considering their development as persons and the contribution of their activit...

Business and Professional Ethics Journal

This paper aims to expound and develop the idea of work as enterprise in response to the challeng... more This paper aims to expound and develop the idea of work as enterprise in response to the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution and to demonstrate that Christian theology provides a conceptual framework which helps locate work within an understanding of purpose and human dignity. This paper defines enterprise, considers the purpose of work, and reflects on themes from the common Christian theological tradition which give meaning to the idea of work as enterprise. Further, this article considers the challenge of technology, the place of the market and ethics, the role of innovation and creativity, questions of freedom and regulation, the central place for the development of skills and education, and the transformational nature of work. In addition, this paper has three policy propositions and some practical advice. Work matters because it is at root an expression of our humanity. Technological advance poses both perils and opportunities. The development of the idea of work as...

Quakers, Business and Corporate Responsibility, 2019

A conundrum lies at the heart of reflecting upon the role of the Quakers in relation to ‘free tra... more A conundrum lies at the heart of reflecting upon the role of the Quakers in relation to ‘free trade,’ and their exercise of both business and social responsibility. Why was it that the Quakers in Parliament advocated free trade as a measure of liberal reform for the benefit of the poor whilst opposing legislation to protect children and young people employed in factories? Yet, the Quakers are also presented as model employers and philanthropists. This chapter reviews this paradox and seeks to explain the nature of the Quaker conscience, Quaker spiritual, political, philanthropic and business beliefs and practices, and how this helps to explain the complexity of Quaker response to social legislation.

Quakers, Business and Corporate Responsibility, 2019

This volume brings together a collection of essays by Quaker and other scholars and practitioners... more This volume brings together a collection of essays by Quaker and other scholars and practitioners from the fields of Management, Organisation and Theology. While the historical Quaker contribution to business and industry has been explored in a few important books (see Raistrick 1950; Walvin 1998; Windsor 1980; King 2014), this volume significantly widens the scope of enquiry to examine the broader perspective of a Quaker contribution to responsible business and corporate responsibility, with topics that encompass both a historical and contemporary perspective.

Journal of Catholic Social Thought, 2020

The 'common good' is tantalizingly elusive. The concept is also a contested one, the 'common' is ... more The 'common good' is tantalizingly elusive. The concept is also a contested one, the 'common' is perhaps not so common after all. Contested, that is, within the tradition of Catholic Social Thought, a rich mine of theological wisdom and insight, but one which also reveals the complexity of the idea. The rooting of the common good within Catholic Social Thought raises the question of whether the concept is restrictively located within the Roman Catholicism rather than being of broader application. Certainly, from an ecumenical perspective, Catholic Social Thought can be both attractive and impenetrable at the same time. The presence of a body of social doctrine within the Roman Catholic Church, however contested, is not, and indeed in many traditions, cannot be replicated. However, that is not to say that the Protestant traditions contain no doctrine or even that they lack bodies of systematic theological thought; they contain both. The difference lies in the authority which is attached to each. Equally, the way in which common good ideas within Catholic Social Thought have been grounded in concepts of Christian theology such as the nature and dignity of the human person cannot simply be dismissed as narrowly Catholic, more of a gift of Catholicism to the whole of Christianity. The question is whether Catholic and Protestant traditions can be brought into a more effective dialogue around the common good. That requires awareness not only of the nature of the concept itself, but also about the language of the common good. Perhaps the inscrutable nature of Catholic Social Thought has led to some superficiality in the adoption of the concept both not only in secular thinking but also by Protestants. Yet, Protestantism too, despite the lack of a magisterium, does provide a range of systematic resources to explore this topic. However, the task must be done. The outcome could be an even richer understanding which might even, as James Hanvey has argued, provide 'avenues for reconceptualising the relationship between the domains of the 'sacred' and the 'secular.'' Hanvey's observation reminds us of the potential for the common good to bring about new and deeper reflections upon business and the economy. At its heart the common good is neither the adoption nor the rejection of a market economy. In reality, the common good is a living tradition. If the common good is at all about human flourishing then the economy has a central role to play. Markets and competition both contribute to the common good and yet the idea cannot be reduced to either individual rationality or purely contractual relationships. How precisely does the common good relate to the nature and role of government, the nature of the civil economy of intermediate institutions, property rights and the rule of law? In this endeavour Catholicism and Protestantism 2 can be effective dialogue partners. The common good is not simply an aspiration, in either Catholic or Protestant thought. The common good in ecumenical dialogue There is remarkably little by way of substantive contributions to debates around the common good within either formal or informal ecumenical dialogue. However, that is not the same as asserting that Protestant traditions are failing to engage or that there are no initiatives. In Anglican Social Theology, although most contributors to the volume tend to assert rather than analyse the common good, Anna Rowlands, in her chapter seeks to explore something of the theological communality. She makes three important points about Anglican and Catholic Social Teaching. First, she argues that both traditions lay doctrinal weight on the inalienable nature of human dignity, alongside the social nature of humanity, freedom and rights. Second, the gospel carries a distinctive social and political character. Third, prominence is given to the role of intermediate institutions. 1 These reflections are important in thinking more widely about Protestant contributions. The grounding of common good thinking in human dignity is an argument concerning the nature of God and the imago dei in humanity. This idea is firmly established in the biblical narrative as well as the theological tradition. It involves an appeal to creation which links the idea to the creation narratives and also to evangelical Protestant political thought. Hence, the foundational dignity of the human person is a building block of the common good across traditions not simply within Catholicism. Similarly, Anna Rowlands third point on the importance of the intermediate institutions. Voluntary societies, the family-the institutions of the civil economy-are the historical bedrocks of Protestant evangelical approaches to society and the common good. The more contested area would be Anna Rowland's second category of the social and political nature of the gospel. If this means that the common good is both individual and corporate then this also builds upon the Protestant approach to the Christian faith. Clearly both in Geneva with Calvin, in the evangelical social and political action of nineteenth-centry Britain and in the Kuyperian understanding of Christian democracy the common good was expressed in both individual flourishing and corporate, societal good. However, the potential, and lazy, link of common good thinking with a socialistic or corporatist approach to political life and society will also encounter some resistance. Catholic and a wide range of Protestant and other non-Catholic writers came together in 2015 to produce Together for the Common Good. This volume covered a wider range of contributors than Anglican Social Theology and was brought together largely by Jenny Sinclair, the daughter of Bishop

The Place of the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury Within the Evangelical Tradition, with Particular Re... more The Place of the Seventh Earl of Shaftesbury Within the Evangelical Tradition, with Particular Reference to His Understanding of the Relationship of Evangelistic Mission to Social Reform. Richard Duncan Turnbull University of Durham, 1996.

klice.co.uk

The Christian understanding of the end is closely associated with how the believer relates to cur... more The Christian understanding of the end is closely associated with how the believer relates to current society. This is particularly shown in the tension inherent in the relationship between evangelism and social action. It is shown also in questions of the nature of God's ...

churchsociety.org

It has been increasingly recognized that there are substantial differences between evangelicals. ... more It has been increasingly recognized that there are substantial differences between evangelicals. This has become focussed in recent years with the strengthening of the evangelical movement within the Church of England; when a group is in a distinct minority ...

Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 2004

The Routledge Research Companion to the History of Evangelicalism, 2018