"I have been doing a lot of thinking about what might be permanent about the changes we have been experiencing in our lives. Might there be permanent changes in the way our businesses do business into the future, perhaps forcing us into more transparency, openness, and honesty? Perhaps we will save more money, on a permanent basis, as individuals and as a country? Perhaps we will cut back on lavish and leveraged spending, adjusting down our expectations for our standards of living? Perhaps stratospheric, obscene salaries for executives and athletes will come down permanently? Perhaps unrestrained consumption in every corner of our society, including government waste, will change permanently? All of this seems impossible, quite idealistic, but maybe fear will be great enough to force such permanent change?"

Read President Eaton's full column, "The Biblical Imagination and the Economy: Making Wise Choices for a Hopeful Future" in the current issue of Response magazine.