Joost Hengstmengel Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 2 (2025): 244-247 Publication historyPublished: 17 December 2025 The author of this slim volume, Benjamin Friedman, is the William Joseph Maier Professor of Political Economy in Harvard University’s Department of Economics. The curriculum vitae of this acclaimed economist reveals two remarkable—and from this journal’sContinue reading “Review of Benjamin M. Friedman’s Religious Influences on Economic Thinking”
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Market Economy Without Egocentric Deviance: A Theology of Excellence Instead of Competition
Michaël Gonin Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 2 (2025): 205-225 AbstractFor most scholars and practitioners, a market economy is, fundamentally, an economy of competition. Yet competition is a concept with a diversity of meanings and uses in economics, management, and theology. In this paper I argue that while the Christian worldviewContinue reading “Market Economy Without Egocentric Deviance: A Theology of Excellence Instead of Competition”
Review of Richard K. Payne’s & Fabio Rambelli’s Buddhism under Capitalism
Ernest C. H. Ng Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 2 (2025): 238-242 Publication historyFirst view: 19 September 2025Published: 17 December 2025 Over the last decade, significant attention has been given to interdisciplinary research in Buddhism and economics. This surge in research over the last few decades in faith and market, spiritualContinue reading “Review of Richard K. Payne’s & Fabio Rambelli’s Buddhism under Capitalism”
Introduction to the Special Issue
Gordon Menzies, Arttu Mäkipää, & Steven C. van den Heuvel Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 1 (2025): 1-8 Publication historyFirst view: 14 May 2025Published: 20 May 2025 1. Introducing the theme How does economics contribute to human flourishing? Economics can be understood either as an applied set of policy tools orContinue reading “Introduction to the Special Issue”
An Anselmian Case Against Libertarian Paternalism
Xavier Meulders Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 1 (2025): 157-71 AbstractLibertarian paternalism is “the set of interventions aimed at overcoming the unavoidable cognitive biases and decisional inadequacies of an individual by exploiting them in such a way as to influence her decisions (in an easily reversible manner) towards choices that sheContinue reading “An Anselmian Case Against Libertarian Paternalism”
Towards a Metaphysics of Usury
Michaël Bauwens Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 1 (2025): 173-188 AbstractThis paper charitably develops a possible metaphysical argument against usury, as a common ground on which theology and economics can consider the issue. The metaphysical framework is derived from Anselm’s Augustinian-Platonist metaphysics of participation whereby all goods are good through theContinue reading “Towards a Metaphysics of Usury”
Path Dependency, Stewardship and Human Flourishing: An Economic Exploration
Pim Boven Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 1 (2025): 127-140 AbstractCan theologians, philosophers and economists have a fruitful conversation about human flourishing? In practice, that does not appear to be so easy. Nevertheless, I believe it is worthwhile to bring knowledge from different disciplines into conversation. In doing so, I chooseContinue reading “Path Dependency, Stewardship and Human Flourishing: An Economic Exploration”
Review of Jan Jorrit Hasselaar’s Climate Change, Radical Uncertainty and Hope: Theology and Economics in Conversation
Steven C. van den Heuvel Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 2 (2025): 230-233 Publication historyFirst view: 23 April 2025Published: 17 December 2025 Readers of the JETR probably do not need convincing that there is promise in the dialogue between the disciplines of economics and theology—but should there nevertheless be any doubters,Continue reading “Review of Jan Jorrit Hasselaar’s Climate Change, Radical Uncertainty and Hope: Theology and Economics in Conversation”
The Divine Pretensions of Homo Economicus: Limits must be Bad
Gordon Menzies Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 1 (2025): 45-61 AbstractThis paper critiques constrained optimization as the dominant framework in contemporary economics by revealing its implicit theological flaw: the assumption that constraints are inherently bad. The author traces the development of Homo Economicus from Mill through Robbins to Becker, examining howContinue reading “The Divine Pretensions of Homo Economicus: Limits must be Bad”
Back to Aristotle: Catholic Social Thought’s Plea for the Economy as ‘Oikonomia’
Ellen Van Stichel Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, vol. 5, no. 1 (2025): 141-155 AbstractAristotle’s conceptualization of chremastikè and oikonomia offers a foundational framework for understanding the distinction between an economy focused on the accumulation of wealth, as represented by chremastikè, and one that prioritizes the needs of all members of a “household,” asContinue reading “Back to Aristotle: Catholic Social Thought’s Plea for the Economy as ‘Oikonomia’”