Economics as Religion

Contents

Foreword by Max Stackhouse

Preface

Introduction: The Market Paradox

Part 1 The Laws of Economics as the New Word of God

1 Tenets of Economic Faith

2 A Secular Great Awakening

Part 2 Theological Messages of Samuelson's Economics

3 The Market Mechanism as a Religious Statement

4 Apostle of Scientific Management

Part 3 The Gods of Chicago

5 Frank Knight and Original Sin

6 Knight Versus Friedman Versus Stigler

7 Chicago Versus the Ten Commandments

Part 4 Religion and the New Institutional Economics

8 A New Economic World

9 Efficient Religion

Part 5 Economics as Religion

10 God Bless the Market

11 A Crisis of Progress

Epilogue

Conclusion

Notes

Index

“An economic theorist himself, Nelson elegantly exposes his firm understanding of the history of economic theory. . . . He is in fact perfectly at ease venturing into theological and religious history, persuasively establishing parallels between the economic and religious realms.”

—Aren E. Annus, Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions