Bonkers about bankers?

Justin Welby has hit the news this morning for his comments about bankers and the rather “lynch mobbish” feeling of the naming and shaming which has accompanied various investigations and commissions. Whilst I imagine folks who lost a lot of money in recent upsets might feel rather angry at these comments, I have noticed a tendancy to scape-goat the ills of society onto a few folks who, certainly, have behaved badly, but have only magnified the greedy behaviour of a lot of the rest of us.

At root the problem is that we all want more than is our fair share, human beings amass and create – but not in a life-giving way. We should be cautious, as the Archbishop seems to say, of pointing the finger without really wondering whether we ourselves, caught in a whirlwind of apparent success and financial growth, might not have gone down a similar path with the same sort of blinkers as the banking executives seem to have allowed themselves.


This is not to make excuses, not to say it is OK, but simply to remember that we bear our own culpability through lifestyle and lack of compassion. On the day when we celebrate the life of Mary Magdalene – a victim of a smear campaign if ever there was one – we need to think about ourselves as proclaimers and advocates of a a Gospel of love and forgiveness and not confuse this with preaching a feel-good blame and revenge which ultimately leaves a very bad taste in the mouth.

Morning Prayer on a Monday (Common Worship) starts with a portion of Psalm 103 (v.8-18) – how can we live in this Kingdom?

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, •
slow to anger and of great kindness.

He will not always accuse us, •
neither will he keep his anger for ever.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, •
nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, •
so great is his mercy upon those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, •
so far has he set our sins from us.

As a father has compassion on his children, •
so is the Lord merciful towards those who fear him.

For he knows of what we are made; •
he remembers that we are but dust.

Our days are but as grass; •
we flourish as a flower of the field;

For as soon as the wind goes over it, it is gone, •
and its place shall know it no more.

But the merciful goodness of the Lord is from of old
and endures for ever on those who fear him, •
and his righteousness on children’s children;

On those who keep his covenant •
and remember his commandments to do them.