Tag Archives: capitalism

Can Christians be Capitalists?

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I just listened to Jay W. Richards, author of Money, Greed, and God: Why Capitalism Is the Solution and Not the Problem (HarperOne, 2009) give a talk at the American Enterprise Institute to a predominantly young evangelical Christian audience, addressing this question (Listen Here).

I would have to agree with Jay that the answers is “Yes” when “capitalism” is properly understood and practiced. This view is counter to a growing number of young American evangelicals who are buying into the viewpoints of evangelical activists such as Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo, who criticize the “capitalist” system and argue that in a nation as wealthy as America the government can and should take care of the poor.

It was good to hear Jay make a very good point that in order to be a Christian, there is no imperative that one must be a capitalist. Rather, Christians my hold to many different economic and political viewpoints and remain Christian. However, this does not mean that all the possible viewpoints are equally valid. Jay states that he believes “capitalism” rightly understood actually reflects the Christian worldview and values more closely than any other economic system, and that the Christian worldview actually contributed strongly to the rise of capitalism. I agree.

What do you think?

American Enterprise Institute

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I wanted to make a few more resources available if you are interested in conservatism, and conservative economics and politics, especially from an American Evangelical perspective. These resources come to me from my son Marshall, who is currently employed in Washington DC, and is definitely in the “minority” when it comes to public policy in our nation’s capital. He has attended AEI events there and I have benefitted from the resources he has shared below.

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) has a long history of promoting the culture of free enterprise. Last year they embarked on The Project on Values and Capitalism, seeking to engage in a conversation with evangelical college students on the topics of economics, values and faith. Here are links to resources that I found very enlightening.

  • Marvin Olasky – Speaking on: “Social Justice, Free Markets and Evangelicals” – (audio file)
  • Jay W. Richards speaking on: “Can Christians Be Capitalists? – (audio file)
  • P. J. Hill, professor of economics at Wheaton College, discussed the Christian doctrines of Imago Dei and the Fall and their implications for a Christian understanding of social institutions. A transcript of his remarks are available here.

Looking for more? Try: American Enterprise Institute YouTube Channel

Additionally, Arthur Brooks, President of AEI spoke on Thursday, January 7, at Calvin College on: “The New American Culture War.” Read his Wall Street Journal article about The Real Culture War Is Over Capitalism: Tea parties, ‘ethical populism,’ and the moral case against redistribution.