Larry Burkett often said that capitalism must be tempered by Christian love, compassion, and stewardship.

Proponents of capitalism and free markets don’t often express that concern, just as believers in social welfare rarely count the cost. Jim Jones joins us today to talk about a new way of looking at those ideas.

Jim Jones is a Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA®) and Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA®). He is also the author of Utopia Reimagined: An Allegory of Capital and Conscience.

A Unique Approach to Biblical Economics

Unlike typical finance books, Utopia Reimagined is a novel—a work of fiction designed to explore serious biblical and economic themes through story.

Why fiction? Jesus often used storytelling to challenge people’s assumptions and invite deeper reflection. From the Good Samaritan to the Prodigal Son, stories have the power to stick with us in ways data and arguments often can't. As G.K. Chesterton once quipped, “Novels are more true than science textbooks. Life is sometimes like a science textbook, but life is always a story.”

The Journey of Alexander and Pauline

The novel follows two siblings—Alexander and Pauline—on a journey through contrasting societies, each representing different economic and political ideologies.

Alexander, a gifted but oppressed peasant in 18th-century France, escapes a feudal system to explore new societal models. His journey takes him through a magical cave into Santosa—a society with socialist tendencies—and eventually to New York City, the heart of free-market capitalism. Along the way, Alexander wrestles with the tension between opportunity, freedom, and justice.

Pauline’s journey is more focused on the moral and cultural fabric of each society. Her lens offers readers a parallel exploration of what’s right, just, and good—not only economically, but relationally and spiritually.

Through these characters, readers are invited to explore how faith shapes our perspectives on power, wealth, justice, and human dignity. Some characters see everything through the lens of faith, while others struggle to integrate it or reject it altogether.

The beauty of storytelling is that it doesn’t just show you what people believe, but why they believe it. That builds compassion and opens the door to real understanding.

What Does a Biblical Utopia Look Like?

In the final chapters of the novel, Alexander and Pauline discover a society that reflects the fullness of God’s Kingdom—a glimpse of the new heavens and the new earth. It’s a world where work, community, economics, and leadership are all governed by Christ’s nature: sacrificial love, justice, and peace.

But how do we pursue this kind of utopia now?

Real change begins not at a national or global level, but in our local Christian communities. Reflecting God's image means practicing agape love—self-sacrificing care for one another—in how we use our time, money, influence, and power. We do that in community, not alone.

Bringing the Vision to Life

More than just a novel, Utopia Reimagined is a tool for discipleship and transformation. It’s a call to rethink how we live, give, work, and govern in light of God’s design. 

Through this engaging allegory, Jim Jones invites believers to dream again—anchored in Scripture and empowered by the Spirit—to reflect the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. That’s why he has developed a discussion guide for churches, small groups, and communities who want to go deeper. It’s available at utopiareimagined.com, where readers can also purchase the book or join a virtual conversation with Jim himself.

And for a limited time, the Kindle edition is available for just $1.99.

On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:

• I'm a landlord with a duplex and want to sell it in a year. I haven't rented the top unit for a year after a bad tenant experience. What's the best way to proceed - rent it out again or sell, and how do I handle the tax implications of a potential 1031 exchange?
• I'm 65 and have a life insurance policy with $45,500 cash value. We no longer need the death benefit. Should I cash it out and invest the money or use it to pay down our $50,000 mortgage?

Resources Mentioned:

• Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s New Quarterly Magazine
• Utopia Reimagined: An Allegory of Capital and Conscience by James G. Jones
• Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money (Pre-Order)
• Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety
• Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool
• Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)
• FaithFi App

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.

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