Chapter 13 – The Economic Gospel

In every age, societies seek salvation. Today, many find it in economics. The redistribution of wealth, the promise of equality, the regulation of markets—these are not just policies. They have become a kind of gospel. Thinkers like Paul Krugman, Joseph Stiglitz, and George Monbiot offer a vision of human flourishing rooted in economic justice. But what happens when economics replaces theology, and fairness replaces forgiveness?

This chapter explores the rise of the Economic Gospel: a secular story of fall and redemption told in the language of inequality and reform.

1. Fall: Inequality as Original Sin

In this gospel, inequality is not merely unfortunate—it is immoral. The rich are not just fortunate—they are indicted. The poor are not just struggling—they are victims of structural evil. Krugman and Stiglitz consistently argue that economic disparities undermine democracy, corrupt politics, and erode social cohesion.

Monbiot adds ecological layers to this critique. For him, consumer capitalism is not just unjust—it is unsustainable and dehumanizing. The economy becomes the site of spiritual warfare: between greed and sharing, extraction and renewal, hoarding and justice.

2. Salvation: Redistribution and Regulation

The proposed salvation is material. Raise taxes. Expand welfare. Regulate corporations. Cancel debt. Redesign global trade. In this view, salvation comes not through repentance but through policy. Grace is replaced by subsidy. Transformation is reduced to reallocation.

But this salvation is fragile. It assumes moral governments and benevolent elites. It cannot address envy, idolatry, or the heart. Its hope is horizontal—nothing is needed beyond the system itself.

3. The Moral Weight of the Economic Vision

The Economic Gospel has genuine moral insight. It names real injustices. It confronts exploitation. It cares for the poor. In this, it echoes biblical concerns. The prophets of Israel thundered against corrupt merchants and exploitative landlords.

“Woe to those who add house to house… until there is no room!” —Isaiah 5:8

But the difference lies in the diagnosis and the cure. Biblical justice is relational and covenantal, not merely distributive. It involves right relationships—between man and man, and between man and God. And it calls for both mercy and righteousness, both repentance and restoration.

4. The Idol Behind the Altar

The danger is when the Economic Gospel becomes a substitute, not a supplement, for the true Gospel. The idol here is materialism cloaked in morality. Justice becomes economic leveling. Generosity becomes enforced equity. Hope becomes utopia—always deferred, never delivered.

This vision lacks a doctrine of sin. It sees structural evil but not personal rebellion. It has no cross. No Savior. No power to forgive.

5. The True Gospel: Transformation, Not Just Redistribution

The Gospel of Christ does not ignore economics—but it transcends it. It offers a salvation that touches wallets, yes—but starts with the heart. It commands care for the poor—but warns against the idolatry of both wealth and revolution. It promises a kingdom where justice rolls like a river—not because Caesar mandates it, but because hearts are made new.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” —Matthew 5:3

Economic justice is real—but it is not enough. We need a new birth, not just a new tax code. We need reconciliation, not just reparation. We need Christ.

In the next chapter, we will turn from economics to origins—examining how modern thinkers have replaced the Genesis story with myths of their own making.