Citizen Columns
Question
Should companies or individuals have the right to own land or any natural resource forever? As part of the earth, doesn’t it belong to everybody?
Answer
The New Testament, following the Hebrew Bible, gives a privileged place to the poor, which at that time meant those who did not own land, did not own a home, did not own transportation and did not have a dependable source of income for their daily bread. Going further, the earliest Christian community agreed to share their possessions so that no one would be in need. “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold (Acts 4:34)”. This pattern of communal life did not long remain the norm, but it still continues to be lived out in many monastic communities down to the present day.
At the same time, property ownership and rights were never disavowed, and such gifts were to be freely given, not taken away. So when a deceitful couple secretly kept back some of the proceeds from their sale of land, the apostle Peter reminded them of this. “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, were not the proceeds at your disposal?” (Acts 5:4). But ownership, again following the Jewish pattern, is understood as stewardship. No individual, no company, no institution and no country is the owner of the land in perpetuity. The true owner of all natural resources is the Creator, for “the earth is the Lord’s” (Psalm 24:1). Stewards are to care for the land and for the poor who have no land. The prophets repeatedly warned that God reserves the right to remove poor stewards from the land. And therefore, while companies and individuals have property rights, they are also responsible for good stewardship of God’s earth. In our era it’s our responsibility-through government and democratic processes-to keep them accountable for that.
Father John Jillions
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