some socialism is Christian


Fr. Thomas Nairn, OFM gives an interesting view on the Franciscan perspective of economics. His fellow Franciscan brother Jason Welle, OFM summarizes this perspective this way:  

“In modern terms, the Franciscan viewpoint is neither capitalist nor socialist, but does contain elements of both.  Similar to capitalism, the Franciscan tradition takes individual responsibility and productivity seriously.  Gratitude for God’s gifts demands that one take personal responsibility in using those gifts prudently.  Like socialism, the Franciscan vision is communitarian in orientation and follows an ethic of sharing.  God intends all persons to be free and equal; human beings have a duty to respond by treating each other as such.  St. Augustine held that God did not wish human beings to have dominion over each other.  Bonaventure and others combined this with the relationality they perceived in the Trinity.  As the imago Dei, human beings are meant to be in relation with one another; subjection of one to another is not natural.  Thus, the ideal society is a society of friends.  Friends act naturally by asking for, giving, and receiving gifts.  As Bonaventure writes, “the law of charity and divine love involves a greater exchange than the law of society.”


So, some aspects of socialism and capitalism are Christian.  

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