Enterprise Evangelicalism: a new lens for analyzing two centuries of American Christian efforts to proselytize capitalism
Embargo Date
2026-09-02
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
For the past two centuries, a loose network of American Christians from across the theological spectrum have promoted, defended, and proselytized capitalism as a divinely ordained economic order, claiming the laws of economics mirror moral laws embedded in God’s creation. When properly instituted, these laws shape virtuous citizens who produce prosperous nations, this surprisingly capacious bunch argue. Over the last few decades historians have investigated these Christians’ efforts piecemeal, but no coherent overarching category linking their activities together has yet emerged in the scholarship. Thus, this dissertation crafts a heuristic historiographical lens designed to bring continuities between American Christian evangelists of free enterprise into focus. Enterprise evangelicalism is the name I give to a two-centuries long American Christian tradition which sanctifies capitalism as God’s chosen form of economy. The American Christians who, with great variety and creativity, advance this tradition I call “enterprise evangelicals.” This dissertation thus develops a framework to identify the spectral tradition of enterprise evangelicalism that haunts the annals of American religious history. After doing so, I deploy that framework in proof of concept by analyzing the ways four groups of American Christian elites (groups I call clerical economists, revivalists, crusaders, and edutainers) develop and extend the tradition of enterprise evangelicalism within their spheres of influence. In the conclusion, I invite scholars of religion and economic culture to read their archives through the lens of enterprise evangelicalism and see what surprising insights come into view.
Description
2024
License
Attribution 4.0 International