Be Fruitful and Multiply

Anne Bradley of the Institute for Faith, Work and Economics has written a new booklet entitled Be Fruitful and Multiply: Why Economics Is Necessary for Making God-pleasing Decisions. In an interview of Bradley about the booklet she identifies the economics of Ludwig von Mises as a body of thought Christians should get to know. As she notes, even though Mises was not a Christian,

[H]is insights were really powerful. He observed the way humans behaved. He saw that there were a couple things that were needed to drive humans to act. One is that they need to feel uneasy with their current situation. They see there can be a better state, so they need to be looking into the future. And they need to see a way to get to that better situation. He understood that humans were purposeful, but fallible. So for him, it was “how do you think about that in the bigger picture of constructing a society that lets people seek their ends and try to maximize their own benefits?”

It sounds like an excellent primer on the importance of economics for Christians who seek to make wise choices on a daily basis and who desire to love their neighbor as themselves.

Is Private Propety Biblical?

Anne Bradley of the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics explains why the answer is yes.


Bradley cites various Scriptural passages and our theological tradition. She also points us to a better understanding of social justice. I have also written on this issue in my book Foundations of Economics: A Christian View and in an article, "The Scriptural Case for Private Property and a Free Economy" in the Aeropagus Journal.

What Is Economic Freedom and Why Should We Care?

Anne Bradley from the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics explains why.


The short answer is that it enables human flourishing. For a more in-depth exploration of the topic, see Bradley's paper, "Five Reasons Christians Should Embrace Economic Freedom."

A Biblical Case for Economic Freedom

Anne Bradley of the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics thinks there is one. Here is the introduction to a lecture she gave at Grove City College.


She highlights the importance for economic freedom and ameliorating poverty. That was also one of the conclusions of Francis Wayland. I encourage those interested in thinking about economics and how to help the poor to take a look at the book For the Least of These.

The Price of Income Inequality?

Nobel Prize laurette Joseph Stiglitz is out with the new book The Price of Inequality. In it he argues that much of our current economic trouble is due to income inequality. According to Matthew Craft of the Associated Press,

In his new book, "The Price of Inequality," he connects surging student loan debt, the real-estate bubble and many of the country's other problems to greater inequality.

When the rich keep getting richer, he says, the costs pile up. For instance, it's easier to climb up from poverty in Britain and Canada than in the U.S.

Although I think Stiglitz too suspicious with income inequality per se, in his interview with Craft, Stiglitz rightly implies at one point that the real culprit is the crony capitalism that has reached its zenith during and since the financial meltdown of 2008.

It is important not to miss this point. Capitalism and the market division of labor have not caused the magnitude of current income disparities. It is not that the rich got richer while the poor got poorer. It is that the politically connected got richer while those without access to power have to get along without any help from the state. In fact, it is worse than that. The productive have to bank roll the whole thing in the form of taxes and monetary debasement.

In a free society, people would still earn unequal incomes because of differences in skills, talents, environments, personal choices, and divine providence. Anne Bradley, Vice President of Economic Initiatives at the Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics, has just written an excellent monograph explaining "Why Does Income Equality Exist?" In answering the question, she draws upon both economic theory and the Bible to provide a comprehensive analysis of this timely topic.