James: 5 Canons
- Christ is Lord, not Capital.
- Sin is embedded in economic and political systems.
- Christian should resist exploitative wealth and systems that crush workers and the poor.
- God hears the harvesters’ cries and will bring about justice.
- The Gospel requires preaching repentance, generosity, solidarity, and good news to the poor.
- Faithful obedience requires churches, workers, and neighbors to follow Jesus in action toward mercy, equity, and hope.
Christian Anti-Capitalism
Christian anti-capitalism is the conviction that Christ is Lord over economic life, and that any system that normalizes exploitation, domination, or the treating of workers as disposable contradicts the Gospel. It names the spiritual danger of Mammon, rejects profit as the highest good, and insists that economic arrangements must serve human dignity and the common good.
Learn more
Key Scriptures
- James 5:1-6 - Woes to the rich who exploit labor.
- Matthew 6:24 - You cannot serve God and Mammon.
- Luke 4:18-19 - Good news to the poor, liberty to the oppressed.
- Amos 5:24 - Let justice roll down like waters.
Notes
Add a short paragraph that connects these texts to your thesis and the movement’s commitments.
What do different traditions say about…
| Question | Capitalism | Materialist Socialism | Christian Socialism |
|---|---|---|---|
CapitalismExpanded explanation for capitalism goes here. Materialist SocialismWhile Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism differ in important ways, they share a materialist view of labor, history, and authority that distinguishes them from Christian Socialism’s theological foundation. Christian SocialismExpanded explanation for Christian socialism goes here. Key texts - James 5:1-6, Matthew 6:24 |
|||
| To whom does your labor belong? | Your employer | The collective | God |
CapitalismExpanded explanation for capitalism goes here. Marxist / Leninist / MaoistExpanded explanation for MLM socialism goes here. Christian SocialismExpanded explanation for Christian socialism goes here. Key texts - James 5:1-6, Matthew 6:24 |
|||
| What is labor for? | Profit | Planned production | Love of neighbor |
| View of the worker | Economic unit | Class actor | Image-bearer of God |
| View of wealth | Private accumulation | Collective control | A burden of responsibility |
| Ultimate authority | The market | The party / state | Christ |