Date of Award

5-18-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Department

Health, Nutrition and Exercise Science

First Advisor

Dr. Cane

Abstract

Christianity and economics are rarely seen as interconnected. When was the last time you heard a preacher talk about economic systems from the pulpit? Politics are seen as taboo to discuss in church, but I would argue that the topic of economics is even less approached, leading many Christians to believe that there is no relationship between their faith and the economy they participate in. The fact that Christians are not even considering how the economy is impacting the kingdom work they are striving to expand shows a deep disconnect between ‘church’ and ‘daily life.’ In addition, there seems to be a pattern, specifically in white evangelical circles, to elevate capitalism in the name of patriotism, and see the poor as attempting to cheat the system. This line of thinking does not account for all white evangelical Christians, but it is certainly present. I believe that by writing off economics as not relating to Christianity or the way we live our faith, we have cut off any form of questioning and contemplation for how the economy impacts people’s lives and what role Christians have as participants of that economy. In this paper, I aim to make the case for why Christians should begin assessing their economic practices and seriously question how a Christian should engage in the current American economic system. I will focus specifically on the market implications for the poor, looking at the systemic injustices at work in the economy and why Christians should take notice.

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