Economics in Christian Perspective: Theory, Policy, and Life Choices

Journal of Church and State, Wntr, 2008 by Samuel Gregg

Economics in Christian Perspective: Theory, Policy, and Life Choices. By Victor V. Claar and Robin j. Klay. Downer Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2007. 254pp. $23.99.

The place of economics--especially free market economics--in Christian thought about contemporary social, political, and economic problems has always been marked by controversy. For most such issues, there are no simple policy answers. Knowledge of good and evil is one thing, but working out how one does good and avoids evil when faced with complex policy problems is not so simple. There is, of course, the Revealed Word of God; but if God is--as stated in the first chapter of John's Gospel--also the Logos, then Christians ought not be inattentive to the knowledge yielded by a human science such as economics when trying to discern appropriate courses of action.

This is part of the message of Victor Claar and Robin Klay's splendid new book, Economics in Christian Perspective. They stress that their objective is to bring the perspectives of modern economic analysis and Christian faith to bear upon modern problems of economic policy. No doubt, this is a delicate balancing act, and most economists who also happen to be Christian, and most Christians who happen to be interested in economic policy, tend to find it a very difficult exercise. One of the strengths of this book is that the authors successfully manage to avoid presenting an economic text with a light Christian gloss, or a book on Christian social ethics that pays only slightly more attention to economics than most Christian social ethicists. Indeed, readers of this book will find that the economics and concern for Christian principles blend together seamlessly--a rare feat indeed among texts of this genre.

The range of topics covered in this text embraces all the large hard economic policy questions confronting believing Christians who take Christ's commandment to love one's neighbor seriously. Claar and Klay begin by sensibly assuming that most readers are unfamiliar with some of the basics of Christian faith and market economics, before launching themselves into an exploration of some of the abiding issues of political economy, most notably the economic role of government. They then steadily move the discussion towards environmental questions, macroeconomic policy, monetary and fiscal policy, and international economic relations before turning to themes that every Christian confronts, such as the vocational dimension of their work, the relative efficacy of different approaches to assisting the poor, and, finally, what Christians can do to address those issues that neither the market nor the state are especially good at resolving. The book concludes with a short list of practical, economically-informed, faith-orientated suggestions for Christians from any walk of life and in a position to do good. One suspects that if all those politicians who claim the label of Christians followed only half these suggestions, the world would be a much happier place.

Blessedly free of mathematics and econometric jargon, Economics in Christian Perspective illustrates that it is possible for Christians to embrace market-orientated economic analysis without succumbing to some form of soulless utilitarian philosophy. It also demonstrates that Christians can argue the case for limited government and a free economy and base their position firmly upon Christian principles, complemented by sound economic analysis. One wishes die authors had said a little more about the Christian principles that they identify as especially relevant to economic policy issues. The nature of Christian justice has, for example, been the subject of many polemics over Christianity's two millennia, and some insights drawing upon this history would have helped Claar and Klay to deepen their case for the way in which they frame their view of the moral demands of the Christian life.

This, however, is a minor point. Economics in Christian Perspective does exactly what its authors promise. Characterized by clear writing and a willingness to explore carefully a range of economic policy issues that are rarely discussed in an accurate and dispassionate manner, this book should be of assistance to any Christian who wants to love his neighbor, but to do so in a way that makes his neighbor's economic circumstances better rather that worse and which honors rather than worse demeans his nature as a child of God.

SAMUEL GREGG

ACTON INSTITUTE

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN