Usury

Our secular age trains us to be wary of miraculous claims in religion, yet we rarely apply this skepticism to the miraculous in our modern economic systems. We live in a world where banks reap the rewards from money lent into existence, our money constantly decreases in value, and growth must continue exponentially or our economic systems will collapse. But how can something come from nothing in monetary creation, and how can we compel exponential growth in a world with finite resources? Our entire lives depend on answers to these types of questions, and yet we never pause to ask if these are paradoxes or absurdities.

At the root of these questions is the consideration of whether lending at interest is a morally acceptable thing to do. In our modern world, we unreflectively assume lending at interest to be laudable and a helpful spur to our economy; yet, throughout history, most of the world has not viewed the question this same way. To even raise the question that interest is a sin would be considered radical today; however, the Bible and Christian tradition are unanimous on the matter - lending at interest, or what used to be called usury, is deplorable. When considered across the comprehensive landscape of history we are the ones who have taken the radical view on the matter.

Upon investigating the claims that lending at interest is a sin from the Bible, Christian tradition, and the classical philosophers, the answer is quite clear. Lending at interest is a sin and we have gone horribly astray in ignoring the truth of God's instruction in this matter.

Christians are always scanning the periphery for new combatants in the culture wars, but I fear we end these battles by entertaining an even more formidable foe for dinner each night. It's time we reconsider this sin that we have ignored for so long, before the consequences become even more disastrous.