32 Christian Leaders Publish Report on Biblical Economics
What does the Bible say about economics? Recently, 32 Christian leaders from business, political, cultural and theological sectors came together to publish a special report titled Faith at Work: Economic Flourishing, Freedom to Create and Innovate.
The report, which was a joint collaboration between The Washington Times and the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, features opinion editorials from each leader. It was broken down into four sections:
- Foundational Themes
- Are Free Markets too Costly?
- Why Not Socialism?
- Markets With a Conscience
“The Washington Times, which has stood for the values of faith, family, freedom and service since its inception in 1982, is pleased to publish a special report on the importance of the free market to economic prosperity and human flourishing,” the paper’s president and CEO, Larry Beasley, said. “A project like this—which explores the merits of innovation, entrepreneurship, property ownership and business models that faithfully encourage human potential—fits well with our mission to give distinctive and meaningful content to our readers.”
The Christian leaders—including pastors and business owners—advocate for an economic system that encourages key biblical principles of creativity, stewardship, hard work, and loving your neighbor. The complete list of authors is:
- Sen. Tim Scott
- Gov. Sam Brownback
- Hugh Whelchel
- Dr. Larry Arnn
- Dr. Arthur Brooks
- Daniel Garza
- Michael Novak
- Dr. Albert Mohler Jr.
- John Stonestreet
- Dr. Jonathan Pennington
- Dr. Jay W. Richards
- Trey Dimsdale
- Dr. Anne Bradley
- the late Jack Kemp
- Dr. Art Lindsley
- Ken Eldred
- Dr. David Kotter
- Dr. Joshua Greever
- Rev. Samuel Rodriguez
- Rev. Robert Sirico
- Lawrence W. Reed
- Dr. Jesse Miranda
- Fred Oaks
- Ismael Hernandez
- Ricardo Luna
- Dr. Tom Nelson
- David Durell
- Mike Sharrow
- Terence Chatmon
- John Scott
- Diane Paddison
- Pastor Christopher Brooks
“We do not believe that the Bible explicitly endorses capitalism or any other economic system,” IFWE executive director Hugh Whelchel wrote in the report. “Yet the Bible has much to say about economic principles, and as Christians, we should embrace its wisdom as we make economic choices in our everyday lives. It should also lead us to embrace systems that are more closely in alignment with the principles expressed in the Scriptures.”
The report was printed inside Friday’s edition of The Times. Click here for a downloadable copy. It will be distributed to roughly 10,000 leaders in Washington, D.C., including every Congressional office, and has the potential to reach millions in print and online.
