Sightings

5/2/2011

American Christians and Capitalism

— Martin E. Marty

 ¢â‚¬Å“God has cursed the earth. . . This is the starting point for all economic
analysis. The earth no longer gives up her fruits automatically. Man must
sweat to eat. ¢â‚¬  So writes Gary North,  ¢â‚¬Å“the leading proponent of  ¢â‚¬ËœChristian
economics, ¢â‚¬â„¢ ¢â‚¬  which connects his version of biblical principles with the free
market. North ¢â‚¬â„¢s radical  ¢â‚¬Å“Reconstructionism, ¢â‚¬  invented by R. J. Rushdoony,
has family resemblances to and influence on some wings of the libertarianism
favored by some conservative churches.

Reconstructionists argue that the Bible forbids any welfare program, writes
Mark Oppenheimer in the *New York Times*. They argue that America should be
an  ¢â‚¬Å“Old Testament theocracy. ¢â‚¬  Of course (I suppose one would say  ¢â‚¬Ëœof
course ¢â‚¬â„¢), this  ¢â‚¬Å“Christian Economics ¢â‚¬  and  ¢â‚¬Å“Theocratic ¢â‚¬  thinking is not
representative of mainstream libertarians. However, expert on the subject
Michael J. McVicar of Ohio State says that one must pay attention  ¢â‚¬Å“given how
widely Mr. North ¢â‚¬â„¢s teachings have been disseminated on the Christian right. ¢â‚¬ 

Enough? Then read the conclusions counter to Reconstructionist Libertarians,
voiced by Andrew Walsh of Culver-Stockton College:  ¢â‚¬Å“Throughout the Bible, we
see numerous passages about being our brothers ¢â‚¬â„¢ keeper, welcoming the
stranger, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and healing the sick. ¢â‚¬ 
Continuing the contrast, Walsh again:  ¢â‚¬Å“The idea that we are autonomous
individuals competing for limited resources without concern for the welfare
of others is a philosophy that is totally alien to the Bible. ¢â‚¬ 

Where is the polled public as it lives between free marketism ¢â‚¬”in more
moderate forms than North ¢â‚¬â„¢s ¢â‚¬”and the  ¢â‚¬Å“welfare of others ¢â‚¬  claims of Walsh?
While opinion polls are blunt instruments and can ¢â‚¬â„¢t tell us as much as we
might like and need to know, their findings do throw some light on what is
out there in the minds of citizens. Nicole Neroulias, writing for Religion
News Service and reporting on the Public Religion Research Institute
findings, observed and noted some surprises in polarized America.

Samples: The PRRI survey released April 21 stressed that more Americans see
the free market system at odds with Christian values, the score being 44
percent to 36 percent. White evangelicals, mainline Protestants, Catholics,
and minority Christians are all well-represented in the 44 percent majority.
In the 36 percent minority cohort,  ¢â‚¬Å“Republicans and tea party members,
college graduates and members of high income households view the systems as
more compatible than not. ¢â‚¬  Democrats? While 53 percent see capitalism and
Christian values at odds, only 37 percent of Republicans have trouble with
the combination. Nearly half, 46 percent of those with household incomes of
$100,000 a year or more, believe that capitalism is consistent with
Christian values, while only 23 percent of those with incomes under $30,000
agree.

 ¢â‚¬Å“Hold on! ¢â‚¬ Abstractions like  ¢â‚¬Å“capitalism ¢â‚¬  and  ¢â‚¬Å“Christianity ¢â‚¬  are too blurry
to serve as neat definers and dividers among the publics. These are modern
words for historically complex and always evolving phenomena. Handle with
care. But then:  ¢â‚¬Å“Let go! ¢â‚¬  Remembering complex data and discoveries from
polls like this, one should advise, when next time blustering cable-TV and
radio broadcasters suggest that the public has made up its mind and sided
with the tea partiers and that its sentiments should frighten governmental
leaders, note further that the Bible does not make generalizations all that
safe and easy. De-ideologizing the subject might lead to better discourse.
Might it not?

References

* *

Mark Oppenheimer,  ¢â‚¬Å“ ¢â‚¬ËœChristian Economics ¢â‚¬â„¢ Meets the Antiunion
Movement<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/us/30beliefs.html?ref=beliefs>, ¢â‚¬ 
*New York Times*, April 29, 2011.

Gary North, *An Introduction to Christian
Economics<http://www.commentary.net/freebooks/docs/a_pdfs/gnce.pdf>
*, The Craig Press, 1974.

Nicole Neroulias,  ¢â‚¬Å“Poll: Americans see clash between Christianity,
capitalism<http://ncronline.org/news/justice/poll-americans-see-clash-between-christianity-capitalism>, ¢â‚¬ 
Religion News Service, April 22, 2011.

Martin E. Marty’s  biography, current projects, publications, and contact
information can be found at www.illuminos.com.

———-

Sightings  comes from the Martin Marty
Center<http://divinity.uchicago.edu/martycenter/>at the University of
Chicago Divinity School.

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