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Natural law and the Protestant moral tradition
The Reformers did not pit Scripture and tradition against each other as antithetical sources of authority, even though they did affirm the normative priority of Scripture in theology and ethics.Creativity and capital
Poor countries like Nicaragua and many African countries do not have enough internal capital to help them emerge. They need to attract investments.Inflation: A moral problem
Inflation strikes at the economy's ability to assist people to achieve their full human potential.
Micro-Finance: A way out of poverty
Muhammad YunusEurope's economic cage
Since early 2006, Western Europe has experienced an economic turnaround. With annual GDP growth-forecasts of 2.3% across the European Union and with the Euro-zone recently experiencing the fastest growth of the world's three major economic areas some believe that Europe's sclerosis is diminishing and that the region may be turning a corner. Careful analysis of recent European political developments, however, suggests it is questionable whether meaningful change is occurring in Europe's fundamental economic settings.California: Up in smoke
A fight is brewing in California over a proposed $2.60-per-pack tax hike on cigarettes on the November ballot. In addition to various health organizations and non-profits that have come out in support of Proposition 86, a number of religious leaders have added their voices to those politicking for the highest single cigarette tax increase in history.Corruption, finance, and developing nations: A private banking solution
Since its creation in July 1944, the World Bank has poured billions of dollars in loans and aid into developing nations' economies. In 2005 alone, World Bank loans totaled approximately $25 billion. Given the sums involved, it is hardly surprising that questions are increasingly being raised about the results of these direct wealth transfers.The baby market
“It performs a much desired service. We're making people happy.” That's the way Dr. Jeffrey Steinberg, medical director of Fertility Institutes, justified the practice of embryo sex selection in a September 20 Associated Press article . In other words, as long as people want it, somebody ought to be selling it.Toxic mortgages and personal responsibility
Although there surely are some cases of outright fraud, that's not primarily what I'm talking about. I'm talking about self-deception. People talk themselves into overlooking problems, because they are so eager to achieve their goal of buying or selling a house.Religious leaders bash the global market
If religious leaders must address economic issues, a little more economic literacy is necessary.Evangelicals and the Brave New World: Why natural law can no longer be ignored
Infertile couples desperate to conceive children are turning increasingly to fertility specialists for help. Yet, widespread use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has led to a completely unforeseen consequence: the creation of the world's largest population of frozen human embryos. That reality has ignited a vigorous moral debate among scientists, politicians, theologians, and parents about what should be done with the surplus store of nascent human life.The real third rail in politics
The real third rail is not Social Security; it is fertility.