ABSTRACT
Contentment is an awkward disposition and practice in light of prevailing socio-economic assumptions; nevertheless, many people continue to believe that contentment is at the heart of human well-being. This essay explores the rich understandings of contentment rooted in the Christian tradition, and it addresses reasons which is both necessary and difficult to recover its value for contemporary life. By embracing limits, contentment opens up resources of time, money and creativity for pursuing more complete and sustainable visions of life together. I argue that contentment, properly understood and linked to other Christian practices such as Sabbath keeping, does not lead to complacency in the face of inequality, but rather can serve to generate focus and energy in the service of economic justice.
