The Routledge Handbook of Economic Theology.
- 1st ed.
- 1 online resource (419 pages)
- Routledge International Handbooks Series .
- Routledge International Handbooks Series .
Cover -- Half Title -- Series Information -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of contents -- Illustrations -- Contributors -- Acknowledgements -- 1 An introduction to economic theology -- Economic theology as an academic field -- Theology, the stranger -- What is economic theology - a definition -- A new god? -- Economic theology: polemic or method? -- House and home - concepts and practices -- Economic theology - a user's guide -- Further sources for students of economic theology -- Note -- References -- Part I Theological concepts and their economic meaning -- 2 Providence -- A brief history of providence in Scripture and tradition -- Providence and the "invisible hand" -- A capitalist theology of providence? -- Conclusions -- References -- 3 Eschatology and eschaton -- Introduction -- Economic eschatology without eschaton -- Economic principles of eschatology -- Economic eschatology in the Old Testament: the bright future -- Economic eschatology in the Old Testament: doomed end-times -- Conclusions -- References -- 4 Confession -- Introduction -- Confession from antiquity to modernity -- The production of economic subjectivity -- "I am living on my own credit" - Nietzsche, confession and Schuld -- To bear witness against oneself - Foucault on the confession -- Concluding remarks: balancing between moderation and desire -- References -- 5 Purgatory -- Introduction -- The genealogy of purgatory -- The reincarnation of purgatory in capitalism and welfare -- Conclusion -- References -- 6 Faith and trust -- Note -- References -- 7 Justification and salvation -- Introduction -- Uncovering the theological: beyond moralism in economics and ethics -- Justification and salvation in economics: three gospels -- The economy of salvation -- References -- 8 Guilt -- Chapter structure -- The etymology of guilt -- Money -- Gift. First World War, war reparations and gift -- Sin -- Conclusions -- References -- Part II Economic concepts and their theological anchoring -- 9 Profit and interest -- Introduction -- Judaism -- Christianity -- Islam -- Conclusions -- References -- 10 Money -- References -- 11 Debt and credit -- Introduction -- Genealogies of debt and credit -- Dynamics of debt and credit -- Theology of debt and credit -- References -- 12 Free choice and consumer sovereignty -- Introduction -- Forming the "spirit" of consumer choice -- The market: neoliberalism's corpus mysticum -- Conclusions -- References -- 13 Property and ownership -- Introduction -- Economic theology as genealogy: theological conceptions of property in the history of Western thought -- Divine ownership and limits on the prerogatives of human possession -- Christian ambivalence: a theological synthesis -- Economic theology as a critical lens: modern culture -- The modern separation of Christianity's suspicion of and appreciation for property -- Economic theology as critical lens: economic theory -- Economic theology as critique: aftereffects of uncoupling rights from duties -- Culture and popular practice: the danger of idolatrous owning -- Economic theory as impeding normative reflection on the political economy of property -- References -- 14 Prosperity and wealth -- Christianity, prosperity, and capitalism -- Context and scope of the Prosperity Gospel -- Prosperity theology -- Economics of the Prosperity Gospel -- An African case study -- Broader considerations -- References -- 15 Poverty -- Introduction -- The invention of "the poor" -- The dialectic of poverty in the Bible -- The theological affirmation of the poor -- The poor as objects of mercy -- The poor as spiritual exemplars -- The poor as the locus of God's saving activity -- Conclusion -- References -- 16 Corporations. Introduction -- Economics and law -- Idolatry -- Ontologies -- Attributes -- Purposes -- Translation -- The natural and the artificial -- References -- 17 Government -- The semantics of government -- Foucault and government -- Agamben, oikonomia and government -- Beyond oikonomia -- Order and providence -- References -- 18 Markets and marketization -- Introduction -- What is a market? -- The market as god -- The limitations of the "god metaphor" -- "The" market: a theological innovation -- Conclusions -- References -- Part III Society, management and organization -- 19 Time -- Introduction -- Time as source of ontology, epistemology, and agency -- Clock-time: God's time -- Time in economics -- Reaching for immanence -- Immanent theology: the logos made flesh -- Future research -- References -- 20 Calling, profession, and work -- Introduction -- Calling as meaningful work -- Profession as meaningful work -- An economic theology of work -- References -- 21 Organization and management -- Introduction -- Contemporary OMT has been underpinned by a Protestant theology -- Theological underpinnings of OMT have long been secularized and rendered invisible -- Theology as key for escaping OMT's materialistic-individualistic iron cage -- References -- 22 The entrepreneur -- The entrepreneur in economic and theological literature -- A theology of entrepreneurship and innovation -- Trinity - incarnation - imago dei -- Liberty - community - subsidiarity -- Creativity - charity/generosity - judgement -- References -- 23 Media and mediation of culture -- Introduction -- Young AmeriTowne: a case study -- Religion -- Mediation and symbols -- Description of Young AmeriTowne -- Analysis of Young AmeriTowne -- Conclusion -- References -- 24 Branding and marketing -- Introduction -- Sacred brands -- Brands of religion -- References -- 25 Hedonism and asceticism. Traditional Western attitudes to asceticism and hedonism -- Weber and asceticism -- Economics and hedonism -- Traditional and modern hedonism -- From producers to consumers -- Asceticism and hedonism in contemporary society -- References -- 26 Leadership -- Heroes and hierarchy -- Caring leadership -- Contemplative attention -- Concluding remarks -- References -- 27 Intellectual property -- Introduction -- Religious perspectives on intellectual property -- Christianity -- Judaism -- Islam -- Buddhism -- The religion of intellectual property -- References -- 28 Accounting and accountability -- Accountability and theology -- Accountability in practice -- Conclusion -- References -- Part IV Genealogy of economic theology -- 29 Jewish economic theology -- Introduction -- Ownership and dominion -- The biblical roots of private property -- Wealth -- Conclusion -- References -- 30 Oikonomia -- Introduction -- Pre-Christian history of oikonomia -- Early beginnings -- Second- and third-century consolidation -- Fourth- and fifth-century Orthodox acclamation -- Oikonomia in contemporary Christian theology -- Critical engagements -- References -- 31 The economic theology of late antiquity -- Introduction -- Almsgiving and the poor -- God as economist -- Divine oikonomia -- Ransom theory -- Conclusions -- References -- 32 The economic theology of the High Middle Ages -- Introduction -- The structure of medieval economy -- Just price -- Money and usury -- Property -- Conclusions -- References -- 33 Martin Luther as economist -- Introduction -- Luther's teachings on the economy -- Continuities and discontinuities in Luther's thinking with medieval-Catholic thought -- Context and conclusion -- References -- 34 The southern spirit of capitalism -- Introduction: the many spirits of the market -- Capitalism and Catholicism -- Economics of the Counter-Reformation. Voluntarism and naturalism: one more difference between north and south -- References -- 35 Invisible hand -- Introduction -- General discussion -- Adam Smith's theory -- A providentialist economics -- The god of the invisible hand -- Natural versus revealed religion -- Stoic theology: from irregular to regular events -- Theodicy -- Teleology -- Concluding remarks -- References -- 36 Adam Smith's economics of the church -- Introduction -- Smith on theology, religion and human nature -- Smith and the contemporary economics of religion -- Economic discussion of the Church in early modern Britain -- Smith's economic analysis of religion -- Literature on Smith's economics of the Church -- Conclusions -- References -- 37 The economic theology of Quakerism -- Introducing Quakerism1 -- Undivided belief and actions in life and business -- Quaker impact on business and management -- Dividing business and life -- Conclusions and futures -- Note -- References -- 38 Neoclassical economics as theology -- Introduction -- Religious blessings as delivered by economics -- Doing "economic theology" -- Environmentalism: an anti-progressive gospel -- The religion of Trumpism -- A crisis of economic religion -- References -- 39 Marxist economics and theology -- Note -- References -- 40 John Maynard Keynes as theologian -- Introduction -- A broad definition of religion -- Keynes' religion in the first sense -- Keynes' religion in the second sense -- Keynesian uncertainty? -- Conclusion -- References -- 41 The crypto-theology of Friedrich Hayek -- Introduction -- Religion as a catalyst for civilization -- Catallaxy as spontaneous order in civilized communities -- Agamben's alternative semantic history of "economy" -- New avenues for neoliberalism studies -- References -- Part V Exit. 42 Intellectual brokerage in economic theology: Methodological and theoretical reflections from Islamic banking and finance.
This Handbook introduces and systematically explores the thesis that despite widespread assumptions about an increasing trend towards secularization in Western societies, the economy, economic practices and economic thought are of a profoundly theological nature.