April 16 Monday: What has religion to do with political economy?

image credit: Joe Wolf via Flickr (cc)

We call this course Economics as if God Cared.

The United States has no formal established church, yet matters of religion keep popping in political campaigns. What has the Judeo-Christian-Muslim religious tradition to do with questions of political economy?

One perspective is to ask how “God” advises us to organize our economic life. According to John Kelly (who created this course) and John Kuchta (who teaches it, with assistance this time from David Harrell), the Old and New Testaments give clear directions about how communities and nations should treat landownership, debt, and taxes, to assure both justice and lasting prosperity. The course deals not only with religion and philosophy, but also with actual historical evidence.  This term we offer Economics as if God Cared on Mondays at 6 PM, beginning April 16 and continuing each Monday thru May 7, at 28 E. Jackson #1004. As for all our classes, a $25 registration fee covers the entire cost of the course.  You can pre-register here, or just show up. No prior study is required for this course.