Home
/
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
/
Four Christian Traditions on Faith, Work, and Economics
Four Christian Traditions on Faith, Work, and Economics
Mar 14, 2026 5:23 PM

Through Christian’s Library Press, the Acton Institute has published four tradition-specific primers on faith, work, and economics, including Wesleyan, Pentecostal, Baptist, and Reformed perspectives.

In a new video filmed by the Oikonomia Network, three contributors to the series discuss their respective approaches, examining a variety monalities and distinctions along the way.

This unique blend of unity in Christ and diversity through tradition offers but a glimpse of the value and significance of these primers, particularly when absorbed and studied together.

As one who was born and raised and currently resides in the Pentecostal tradition, Dr. Self’s primer has taught me a great deal about how my own theological presuppositions translate into the realm of economic transformation. Likewise, the other titles have challenged me to reexamine that approach andintegrate a variety of contributions from other believers in differing theological streams.

As the Kern Pastors Network summarizes:

From the Pentecostal emphasis on widely distributed responsibility for discovery and creativity, to the Baptist heritage of independent, entrepreneurial church life; from the traditional Wesleyan focus on preparing people for the world of virtuous work and economic exchange, to the Reformed emphasis on careful theological integration; each tradition brings something important to the table….These primers help us truly appreciate the multifaceted nature of the work and economics conversation.

The titles and authors of the series are as follows:

Baptist primer: Flourishing Faith by Chad Brand, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; foreword by Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological SeminaryPentecostal primer: Flourishing Churches & Communities by Charlie Self, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary; foreword by George Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (USA)Wesleyan primer: How God Makes the World a Better Place by David Wright, president of Indiana Wesleyan University, et. Al; foreword by Jo Anne Lyon, general superintendent of The Wesleyan ChurchReformed primer: Economic Shalom by John Bolt, Calvin Theological Seminary; foreword by David Kim, Redeemer Center for Faith and Work

[product sku=”1349″]

Comments
Welcome to mreligion comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
RELIGION & LIBERTY ONLINE
The economics of Bedford Falls (Part 3 of 3)
[Note: This is the finalpost in a series highlighting some of the financial aspects and broad economic lessons of Frank Capra’s holiday classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. You can find part one hereand part two here.] Economist Don Boudreaux recently outlined ten foundational lessons that should be learned in every well-taught principles of economics course. Examples of nearly all of the ten lessons can be found in Capra’s Christmas classic, but for the sake of brevity I’ll merely highlight two...
The case for principles-based regulations
In an attempt to cut down on the number of government regulations, president-elect Trump has proposed a “one-in, two-out” rule—for every new regulation implemented, two old regulation must be eliminated. This is similar to the “one-in, three out” rule that was adopted by the government of United Kingdom. While this is a significant step toward reducing the ever-expanding number of total regulations, would it be enough to actually reduce the regulatory burden on Americans? Philip K. Howard argues that it...
The Last Supper and new life
“Succumbing to despair is by definition never a winning strategy, which is why the story of Giorgio Vasari’s painting, ‘The Last Supper,’ resonated so strongly with me when I read it had been successfully restored,” says Rev. Robert A. Sirico in this week’s Acton Commentary. I’ve loved Vasari since discovering his “Lives of the Artists” when I was in college, and the restoration of his work (not to be confused with the more famous Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci)...
The magic of the washing machine
What was the greatest invention of the industrial revolution? Hans Rosling makes the case for the washing machine. Rosling explains how the productivity gains of the washing machine—and similar labor-saving devices—lead to increases in education and economic growth in the developing world. ...
Calvin Coolidge on the spiritual power of Christmas
In his many addresses to the nation, President Calvin Coolidge made a point of routinely redirecting the country’s attention to the “things of the spirit.” In his Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, he encouraged the country to reorient its vision of abundance, progressing not only in material prosperity, but also “in moral and spiritual things.” In hisreflections on the Declaration of Independence, he reminded us that ours is a liberty not meant for “pagan materialism,” which would surely turn our prosperity into...
Radio Free Acton: David LaRocca on Brunello Cucinelli’s new philosophy of clothes
On this edition of Radio Free Acton, we speak with David LaRocca,director of a new documentary calledBrunello Cucinelli: A New Philosophy of Clothes. Brunello Cucinelli is an entrepreneur based in Solomeo, Italy and a rising star in the world of high fashion. While that may be interesting in and of itself, what is far more interesting are the ideas that animate Cucinelli and shape the way he conducts his business and relates to his employees, customers, munity. LaRocca’s documentary reveals...
Is ‘fair trade’ fair?
Most consumers have heard of fair-trade coffee, but have no idea how fair-trade actually works. In this video, economist Victor Claarcovers the basics of the fair-trade model, and explores whether fair trade can deliver on its promises to help the poor. Fair trade can also be used to vividly illustrate many key concepts in a principles of micro class, note s Claar, such as price elasticity and monopoly power. ...
What started the tradition of Christmas presents?
Every year we hear the same laments about Christmas presents. Economists are fond of saying gift-giving is inefficient and wasteful, while many plain that it is driven mercialism. But how did the tradition start? How did the idea of gift-giving at Christmas move from the marketplace to the home? In this short video, Ryan Reeves explains the history of Christmas presents. ...
5 Facts about Christmas
Christmas is the most widely observed cultural holiday in the world. Here are five factsyou should know about the memoration of the birth of Jesus: 1. No one knows what day or month Jesus was born (though some scholars speculate that it was in September). The earliest evidence for the observance of December 25 as the birthday of Christappears in the Philocalian posed in Rome in 336. 2. Despite the impression given by many nativity plays and Christmas carols, the...
After the Cairo bombing, the West must stand with the Coptic Church
It has been just over a week since a suicide bomber entered the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in the Coptic Orthodox plex in Cairo, killing himself and making martyrs of 27 Egyptian Christians. They were mostly women and children attending the Sunday morning service. Two months before, the Anglican Archbishop Mouneer Anis of Egypt, addressing a conference in Cairo, had called for Christians to be “ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of Christ.” This has certainly...
Related Classification
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.mreligion.com All Rights Reserved