Overview

Sources in Christian Political Economy: A Reader, compiled by Jordan J. Ballor and Erik W. Matson, gathers forty-nine essential texts, spanning literary genres and theological traditions, that illuminate a rich history of political economies. From the early church to the twentieth century, this volume presents seven key works from each of seven distinct historical periods, showcasing the evolution of Christian thought on economic matters. Encounter the influential ideas of Augustine, Gratian, Nicholas Oresme, John Locke, John Wesley, Pope Leo XIII, Kenneth Boulding, and many more. This companion volume to A History of Christian Political Economy: From the Patristics to the Present stands as one of the broadest and most comprehensive collections of primary source material on this vital subject, offering invaluable insights for theologians, social scientists, and anyone interested in the intersection of faith and economics.

Full Product Details

9781087766355

Table of Contents

Reviews

""An impressive project, long overdue. While there are many studies and anthologies that focus on the history of Christian political thought, the topic of Christian economic thought has drawn much less attention. This book and the related anthology show that from the early church on, this has been recognized: There is a steady and diverse flow of creative Christian reflections on what are just economic actions and a just economic order. A very important work of retrieval."" --Govert Buijs, Abraham Kuyper Chair of Political Philosophy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam ""This book offers a rare and masterful synthesis of Christian perspectives on wealth and justice in economic life. With depth and clarity, the authors bring to life a rich variety of Christian views on material goods and the economy as developed throughout the ages and into the present. Transcending the usual confessional, chronological and disciplinary divisions, this work is a must-read for policymakers and academics alike."" --Wim Decock, professor of law, Université catholique de Louvain ""Christians have been thinking in recognizably political economy terms from the church's very beginning. In their history and analysis of that thought, Ballor and Matson have made a major contribution to our understanding of the development of Christian reflection on such questions that will stand the test of time. Students of the history of economic thought have long needed this book, and now we have it."" --Samuel Gregg, Friedrich Hayek Chair in Economics and Economic History, American Institute for Economic Research ""Ballor and Matson's examination of the interconnections between Christianity and economics from the early church to the twentieth century makes an important contribution both to the understanding of economics and to the relation of Christian thought and values to society and culture. Perhaps the most salient feature of the work is its retrieval of the notion of 'political economy' according to which economics is a kind of knowing that not only involves income and its uses but that--as a branch of moral philosophy--necessarily embodies ethical and juridical concerns of the body politic. Taken together with its companion volume, this work makes a major contribution to our understanding of the broad implications of Christian values and their traditionally intended impact on the life of society."" --Richard A. Muller, P. J. Zondervan Professor of Historical Theology, emeritus, and senior fellow, Junius Institute for Digital Reformation Research, Calvin Theological Seminary ""History is the best way of learning about the relationship between Christian faith and economics. This much-needed and excellent book by two fine scholars, Jordan Ballor and Erik Matson, is much better than anything else on the market for economics students wanting to connect their faith to their subject, even more so with the accompanying book of readings. Equally good for theology students wanting to understand the often-troubled relationship between their subject and economics."" --Paul Oslington, professor of economics and theology, Alphacrucis University College, Sydney, Australia ""Ballor and Matson have done us a considerable service. For too long students have been taught that serious economic thought was born in early modern times. This is false and reckless, as it purports to ground vital knowledge about material prosperity in philosophical trends that reject God and God's Providence--on account of which earnest Christians have been led to doubt the validity of political economy as an ethical discipline. This text and its accompanying source reader will allow scholars at all stages of learning to discover a rich wisdom tradition beginning among the first Christians and continuing to the present. Indispensable."" --Catherine R. Pakaluk, associate professor, Busch School of Business, The Catholic University of America ""For two thousand years, Christians have wrestled with the meaning of wealth, work, poverty, and justice. In this sweeping survey, Jordan Ballor and Erik Matson trace how Christian thought has shaped--and been shaped by--economic life, from the early church and medieval scholastics to Adam Smith, industrial capitalism, and twentieth-century social teaching. Highlighting enduring tensions between viewing wealth as a limited good or a mutual benefit, the authors recover forgotten voices and traditions. This volume offers a vital resource for understanding how theology, ethics, and economics intersect in history and in today's debates."" --Andrew T. Walker, associate professor of Christian ethics and public theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Author Information

Jordan J. Ballor (Dr. Theol., University of Zurich; PhD, Calvin Theological Seminary) is executive director of the Center for Religion, Culture & Democracy at First Liberty Institute. Erik W. Matson (PhD, George Mason University) is the Gibbons Fellow in Economics at The Catholic University of America and Co-Director of the Adam Smith Program at George Mason University

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