Para Deus e o lucro

For God and Profit: How Banking and Finance Can Serve the Common Good
by Samuel Gregg
The Crossroad Publishing Company

reviewed by John E. Roper

"But while the Christian moral life is certainly concerned with not doing evil, finance is far from being an intrinsically problematic activity."

The author knows he has his work cut out for him. Many Christians have been indoctrinated with a general distrust of both money and its effects on society. This often translates into the belief that money, while necessary, is still inherently evil, and that those who trade in it such as banks and other financial institutions are suspect at best. Thankfully Gregg is well-prepared for the challenge in front of him, and in possibly one of the finest books ever written on the subject, he shows how faith and finance do not have to be incompatible.

Gregg, who holds a doctorate in moral philosophy and political economy from the University of Oxford, combines extensive research with engaging rhetoric to lay out his arguments. He begins by delving into history to illustrate how the practice of usury by the ancient Jews on their own people, and the Bible's strong injunction against it, led not only to its widespread condemnation but also its thorough examination by many scholars. This latter analysis, which included the historical context as well as evidence from both the Old and New Testaments, helped delineate usury from charging interest and had a tremendous impact on the development of private financing which, in turn, stimulated economic growth and the reduction of poverty. From this starting point the author then examines not only how the proper attitude toward and use of money can be a force for good but also how a Christian should approach and respond to current financial practices and institutions.

Many excellent books have been written recently on how a Christian should view finances, but few, if any, have broached the subject in this manner and depth. Well-written and highly informative, Gregg's book should be on every Christian's reading list.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review