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Capitalism and Christian theology
Author(s) -
Rieger Joerg
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
religion compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.113
H-Index - 1
ISSN - 1749-8171
DOI - 10.1111/rec3.12350
Subject(s) - capitalism , scarcity , relation (database) , agency (philosophy) , competition (biology) , deregulation , sociology , politics , neoclassical economics , economics , political science , market economy , social science , law , ecology , database , computer science , biology
Abstract Christian theologians who study capitalism with a critical lens have argued that capitalist economics is not just a matter of finance or politics but tends to shape people all the way to the core, including religious beliefs and practices. Different theological approaches not only differ in how they conceive of the relation of religion and capitalism, they also differ in their evaluations of capitalism itself. While some Christian theologians endorse capitalism, others offer critical reflections and propose alternative economic systems, rooted in Christian traditions and practices as well as in broad historical and cultural shifts. Challenges include questions about the neoliberal turn in economics, the role of corporations, economic deregulation, competition and community, the reality of scarcity, the development of financial capitalism, as well as the relation of religion and labor, and the location of agency.