Is success a sin? A conversation with the Reverend Peter J. Gomes

The difficult task of achieving worldly success while also storing up spiri tual treasure is perennially with us, in good times and in bad. Today, howe ver, as the economy has cooled and companies have demonstrated their mortal ity, questions about meaning and value appear more relevant, even urgent. HBR associate editor David A. Light recently spoke with the Reverend Peter J. Gomes, one of the nation's best-known preachers and the minister at Harv ard University's Memorial Church, about why and how it is both possible and necessary to reconcile a life of success with a life of faith. To do so, says Gomes, you must first "get used to it"- come to terms with t he age-old tension between being rich in spirit and rich in worldly goods. Second, you should "get over it"- arrive at an understanding of the value a nd responsibilities associated with power and wealth. Finally, "get on with it" - figure out how you can live your life spiritually while continuing t o lead in the business world. For those wondering how to get on with spiritual development, Gomes cites t he growing phenomenon of senior executives gathering with peers -out of sha red need, not shared accomplishment -to pray, study sacred texts, and share their religious life together. He counsels that it's never too late to get on with it: We can amend life at any time, whether we're 33, 45, or 75. Gomes concludes that business will continue to be one of the most significa nt forces in American culture, but it Will always struggle against people's need for a perspective that is beyond this world's.