Theological visions in economics and religion

Abstract

Professional economists and religious thinkers have generally not communicated effectively over the past two centuries, largely because the two groups tend to think about social systems from the perspective of incompatible “theological visions.” A theological vision is an encompassing set of presuppositions about how the social world functions and (implicitly) how it ought to function. The dominant theological vision among economists asserts that economic systems, while the product of purposive actions by individuals, are not the product of any design. Religious thinkers reflecting on economic systems tend to assume, by contrast, that whatever results from economic interactions has been willed by some individuals or groups. The modal economist assigns the economic system a kind of autonomy, which the religious thinker will be inclined to regard as almost idolatrous. Dialogue capable of bridging this gap will require the kind of close attention to other people's arguments that is rare outside of very small...