At the Alter of Wall Street: The Rituals, Myths, Theologies, Sacraments, and Mission of the Religion Known as the Modern Global Economy - Softcover

Catholic Books Review "An excellent review and critique of our current economic system's sacred and unquestionable beliefs and activities. . . . Provocative."Ethical Perspectives "A stimulating and well-written meditation about how economics functions in our current global culture."Harvey Cox (author of The Secular City) -- Harvard Divinity School "It is daily becoming more clear that consumer capitalism is not just an economic system. It is a fully developed culture and, as Gustafson shows in this skillfully researched book, a full-blown religion. Replete with its own rituals, doctrines, sacraments, and theology, Economics has become the most powerful alternative to Christianity, all the more threatening because few people recognize its spiritual pretensions. No one who reads this extraordinary account will be able to think about religion or economics in the same way again."Robert H. Nelson (author of Economics as Religion) -- Independent Institute "In this intriguing book Scott Gustafson applies a new theological lens to American public life. Religion has always addressed political and economic affairs, but now, as he explains, economics actually is our religion. Gustafson shows that much conventional wisdom about the workings of American society is based on secular' economic myth and illusion, and he insightfully explores how religion today has put on an economic disguise."Christian Century "Gustafson incisively lays bare our faith that capitalism will simultaneously make us rich and save us from the moral and material excesses of those riches." Catholic Books Review -An excellent review and critique of our current economic system's sacred and unquestionable beliefs and activities. . . . Provocative.-Harvey Cox (author of The Secular City) -- Harvard Divinity School -It is daily becoming more clear that consumer capitalism is not just an economic system. It is a fully developed culture and, as Gustafson shows in this skillfully researched book, a full-blown religion. Replete with its own rituals, doctrines, sacraments, and theology, Economics has become the most powerful alternative to Christianity, all the more threatening because few people recognize its spiritual pretensions. No one who reads this extraordinary account will be able to think about religion or economics in the same way again.-Robert H. Nelson (author of Economics as Religion) -- Independent Institute -In this intriguing book Scott Gustafson applies a new theological lens to American public life. Religion has always addressed political and economic affairs, but now, as he explains, economics actually is our religion. Gustafson shows that much conventional wisdom about the workings of American society is based on secular' economic myth and illusion, and he insightfully explores how religion today has put on an economic disguise.-Christian Century -Gustafson incisively lays bare our faith that capitalism will simultaneously make us rich and save us from the moral and material excesses of those riches.- Harvey Cox (author of "The Secular City") Harvard Divinity School "It is daily becoming more clear that consumer capitalism is not just an economic system. It is a fully developed culture and, as Gustafson shows in this skillfully researched book, a full-blown religion. Replete with its own rituals, doctrines, sacraments, and theology, Economics has become the most powerful alternative to Christianity, all the more threatening because few people recognize its spiritual pretensions. No one who reads this extraordinary account will be able to think about religion or economics in the same way again." Robert H. Nelson (author of "Economics as Religion") Independent Institute "In this intriguing book Scott Gustafson applies a new theological lens to American public life. Religion has always addressed political and economic affairs, but now, as he explains, economics actually "is" our religion. Gustafson shows that much conventional wisdom about the workings of American society is based on secular' economic myth and illusion, and he insightfully explores how religion today has put on an economic disguise.""

In this thought-provoking book Scott Gustafson argues that economics performs the same function in contemporary American culture that religions did in past cultures. He describes and analyzes the rituals, pilgrimage sites, myths, prophets, reformers, sacraments, and mission of economics to show how the economy operates as our de facto "god." Understanding how economics functions as a religion is the first step in addressing many of today's political and social problems, Gustafson says. Our inability to compromise on economic matters is much more intelligible when competing principles are understood as religious laws that cannot be violated. At the Altar of Wall Street encompasses a broad sweep of history, philosophy, culture studies, economic ideas - and religion, of course - and offers insightful discussion of such topics as debt, economic terrorism, globalization, and money as the economy's sacrament. Thoughtful readers will find plenty to chew on here.