Your New Opinion: The Marriage of Christianity And Capitalism

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Imagine a world where Christianity and Capitalism dance together, like a Facebook comment war full of passion and chaos. Join me as we explore this complex history with a wink, a nod, and a touch of humor.

I found myself in a Facebook debate about the unlikely alliance between Christianity and Capitalism. As a history fan and political skeptic, I usually steer clear of these online battles. But this topic, so unexpected and yet so fascinating, caught my attention.

So here I am, with open eyes and a centrist heart, ready to figure out this puzzle. Get ready: terms like Judeo-Christianity and Catholicism will be used freely—thanks to my laziness. No apologies, though. I'm not here to win arguments, to explore. Full disclosure: I'm a Capitalist at heart. I'd metaphorically sell my mother's organs for the right price. Money, after all, has its charm.

Let's embark on this journey. Buckle up, folks—it's going to be an enlightening ride.

Great Stock Exchange Fraud of 1814

Capitalism, that shiny beast, is often said to have started during the Enlightenment of the eighteenth century. But its roots go deeper. Picture the Middle Ages, where the Catholic Church was the center of economic activity. Rural monasteries, especially the Cistercian ones, were the birthplaces of early Capitalism. Banks and loans? The Church controlled those, with Rome blessing every coin and contract.

We'll skip the free markets lecture; more brilliant historians have that covered. Without Capitalism's rise, technological wonders would have remained curiosities untouched by ordinary folk. Competitors would have needed to refine and improve them. Some say these benefits were gifts from the Catholic Church: free enterprise, markets, and competition. With a third of Europe's land under its control, the Church created a legal network that spanned empires and merchant guilds, making a playbook Western Civilization followed for centuries.

Banking, too, had a unique start in the Middle Ages. Imagine Christian pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem with pockets full of coins, easy targets for robbers. Enter the Knights Templar, those warrior monks. They offered a solution: pilgrims could deposit money in England and withdraw it in Jerusalem with a simple letter of credit. This was a proto-bank before banks were trendy and relatively modern in medieval times.

The high medieval Church set the stage for F.A. Hayek's "spontaneous order" of the market. Capitalism thrives on predictable economic activity, and the Church's rules provided that. If France needed wool, the English shepherd would increase his flock, refine his processes, and ensure smooth shipments—a network of efficiency supported by religious bureaucracy.

Driving of the Merchants From the Temple by Scarsellino

Fast forward to the Protestant Reformation. Max Weber's "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" suggests that Puritan ethics fueled Capitalism's rise. Religious devotion often shuns worldly wealth, yet Protestants found a way to justify economic success. This wasn't greed but a moral duty to work hard and succeed.

Critics of Capitalism, especially within the Church, argue it's too focused on the present, too tolerant of sin, and too blind to suffering. They criticize its failure to distribute goods fairly and its tendency to treat people as competitors. Slavery, they argue, was laissez-faire economics at its darkest. The Church blessed slave ships, one even named Jesus, and earlier Christian Right groups justified exploitation with scripture. Liberty and Capitalism, while often linked, have sometimes coincided. The Church, like Capitalism, has its sins hidden away.

Can Capitalism coexist with Christianity? Over centuries, they've mixed in a complex dance. But it depends on your viewpoint. Right-wing Christianity supports the rich and powerful, while the other side fights for social justice and the marginalized. This latter Christianity champions the poor and condemns the wealthy, driving out the money changers from the temple.

As a historian, I see the Church's pivotal role in shaping our capitalist society. Yet, every system is flawed. Both the Church and the economy have been used for political agendas. In this enlightening journey through history, let's remember: no invisible hand, whether Adam Smith's or otherwise, is beyond scrutiny.

WORK CITED
Gods and Profits: How capitalism and Christianity aligned in modern America
How Christianity Created Capitalism
Capitalism, the Crash, and Christianity
​The Incompatibility of Christianity and American Capitalism
PLANET MONEY Episode 742: Making Bank