Religion & Liberty Online Archives

Faith and work

February 14, 2018

Herman Bavinck on love, economics, and the reformation of society

When we think about markets, we often think only in terms of mathematics or money. But at a deeper level, markets are simply networks of human relationships. When we participate in economic activity, we aren’t just creating wealth; we are forming communities, cultures, and civilization, partnering with God and neighbor in a divine exchange of gifts, blessings, and love. Continue Reading...
February 08, 2018

Beyond mere affluence: Embracing Isaiah’s posterity gospel

“This is where the church needs to be: going to every part of the world of mere affluence and turning it into a vineyard.” –Andy Crouch In a recent essay in The Atlantic, William Deresiewicz expressed concern that the rise of “creative entrepreneurship” would mean “the end of art as we know it,” fearing that capitalism’s expansion of creative empowerment would mean “the removal of the last vestiges of protection and mediation” for higher ideals of beauty and truth.  Continue Reading...
December 15, 2017

Reimagining work in the coalfields

The American coal industry is facing serious challenges. In states like West Virginia, the effects have been particularly painful, causing many communities to struggle under a projected 23% decline in related jobs and leading vast numbers of residents to leave the state altogether. Continue Reading...
November 22, 2017

How gratitude empowers the free society

Despite being surrounded by unprecedented levels of opportunity and prosperity, we live in a profoundly anxious age, fearful of economic disruption even as we resist the pull to idolize status, wealth, and comfortability. Continue Reading...