The Rise of Right-Wing “Biblical Economics”

Have you ever heard of “biblical economics”? At first blush, you might presume that the phrase must involve the application of love-thy-neighbor moral teachings to business practices and economic policy. There is indeed a long and varied tradition of applying various principles associated with Christianity to matters of economic concern. Some American Protestants of the late nineteenth century, such as Walter Rauschenbusch and Washington Gladden, promoted a “social gospel” that encouraged Christ...