Monday, 6 January 2014

An Introduction to Christian Economics

 

Gary North
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The free market is not autonomous. It rests on men's faith in economic cause and effect, and especially their faith in its moral legitimacy. The Bible provides the moral foundation of free market voluntarism. The moral issue is personal responsibility. The Bible places this squarely on the shoulders of the individual decision-maker.This book stands as a refutation of what is known as the Social Gospel. The Social Gospel, developed in the late 19th century, calls for government intervention into the economy in the name of biblical ethics. The Social Gospel is contrary to biblical ethics. (For a free book on the history of the Social Gospel, click here.)I began my series, An Economic Commentary on the Bible, at almost the exact time that An Introduction to Christian Economics appeared in print: the spring of 1973. I finished the exegetical work in late 2010. It is being typeset. This 31-volume project should be in print in late 2012. There are about 700 chapters. My goal is to produce at least 1400 videos: 3-minute summaries plus 25-minute presentations, one per chapter. Preliminary PDF editions of this series are available here: http://www.garynorth.com/public/department57.cfm.I will begin my treatise on Christian economics in 2012. I have planned this since 1973. I plan to write a multi-volume version comparable to Ludwig von Mises' Human Action, a 450-page version comparable to Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics, and a 200-page version, comparable to Henry Hazlitt's Economics in One Lesson. I will also do about 500 3-minute videos, plus an equal number of 25-minute presentations.This book is a compilation of articles that were published in various journals, but most appeared in The Freeman. The book introduces the reader to fundamental issues of economics. It shows how the free market offers institutional solutions to scarcity.To download the book, click here:  An Introduction to Christian Economics   Some info on Gary North
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Gary Kilgore North
Gary North
Gary North speaking at the Mises Institute in 2004 after receiving the Rothbard Medal.
BornFebruary 1942 (age 71)
EducationPh.D. in History, University of California, Riverside
OccupationChristian social theorist, economist, blogger, author
Known forCo-founder of Christian Reconstructionism
ReligionChristian
DenominationPresbyterian Church in America
Spouse(s)Sharon Rushdoony
Website
www.garynorth.com
Gary Kilgore North (born February 1942) is an American economic historian.[1] Writing from a Christian Reconstructionist perspective, North has authored or coauthored over fifty books on topics including Christian theology, economics, and history. He is an Associated Scholar of the Ludwig von Mises Institute.[2]


Education and background[edit]

North grew up in southern California, the son of FBI special agent Samuel W. North, Jr., and his wife, Peggy.[3] North converted to Christianity in high school and began frequenting conservative bookstores in the Los Angeles area during his college years.[4] Between 1961 and 1963, while an undergraduate student at University of California, Riverside, North became acquainted with the works of Wilhelm Röpke, Rose Wilder Lane, Cornelius Van Til, Austrian School economists Eugen Böhm von Bawerk, Ludwig von Mises, F.A. Hayek, and Murray Rothbard, and also read the works of Calvinist philosopher Rousas John Rushdoony.[4] Later he married Rushdoony's daughter,[5] collaborated with him[6] and eulogized Rushdoony in a blog post on LewRockwell.com.[7]

Career[edit]

Starting in 1967, North became a contributor to the libertarian journal The Freeman where he had first read the work of Ludwig Von Mises and Friedrich Hayek.[8] In the 1970s, he was the director of seminars for the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE).[9] North received a Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Riverside in 1972. His dissertation was The Concept of Property in Puritan New England, 1630–1720.[10]
He served as research assistant for libertarian Republican Congressman Ron Paul in Paul's first term (1976). North is a regular contributor to the LewRockwell.com website, which lists an extensive archive of his articles there.[11] North's own website, Garynorth.com, posts commentary on religious, social, and political issues and offers paid access to investment advice and other premium content.[12] North also publishes a blog called Deliverance from Debt which provides advice about relief from debt.[13] Another North website, "Free Christian Curriculum", seeks to provide a free Christian homeschooling curriculum for children from age 3 through grade 12.[14]

Ron Paul curriculum[edit]

In addition, North offers the Ron Paul Curriculum, a home school online curriculum associated with former U.S. Congressman Ron Paul, which is free for grades K-5 and available to paid members from grades 6–12.[15][16] As Director of Curriculum Development, North has outlined four goals of the educational project: providing a "detailed study" of the "history of liberty"; teaching a "thorough understanding of Austrian economics"; serving as a "an academically rigorous curriculum that is tied to primary source" material rather than textbooks; and teaching "the Biblical principle of self-government and personal responsibility", which North calls "the foundation of the market economy".[17]

Christian, Bible-based economic methodology[edit]

North has written that the "starting point for all economic analysis" lies in the fact that "God [has] cursed the earth" in Genesis 3:17–19; this "made scarcity an inescapable fact of man's existence".[18] In his 1982 Dominion Covenant: Genesis, North wrote that mainstream modern economics, whether libertarian, conservative or liberal, is "in disintegration" because it is "humanist" in its approach and consequently rejects the notion that "biblical revelation" is necessary for sound economic theory. He also wrote that economics "must begin with the [Biblical] story of creation" if it is not to collapse into "total chaos".[19]

Proposed "Christian theocratic" political and social order[edit]

A 2011 New York Times article identified North as a central figure in Christian Reconstructionism, the philosophy which advocates the institution of "a Christian theocracy under Old Testament law [as] the best form of government, and a radically libertarian one."[18] North has written: "I certainly believe in biblical theocracy."[20][21]
The article also described North as "the leading proponent of 'Christian economics,' which applies biblical principles to economic issues and the free market." North supports the abolition of the fractional-reserve banking system and a return to the gold standard. According to the Times, North believes that the Bible forbids inflation, welfare programs, and also writes that "God would prefer gold money to paper".[18]

Range of capital offenses[edit]

North favors capital punishment for a range of offenders; these include women who lie about their virginity, blasphemers, nonbelievers, children who curse their parents,[22] male homosexuals, and other people who commit acts deemed capital offenses in the Old Testament.[23] North also favors capital punishment for women who have abortions.[24][25]
North has said that capital punishment should be carried out by stoning, because it is a biblically-approved method of execution and it is cheap due to the plentiful and convenient supply of stones.[26][27]

Religious liberty[edit]

North said: "We must use the doctrine of religious liberty to gain independence for Christian schools until we train up a generation of people who know that there is no religious neutrality, no neutral law, no neutral education, and no neutral civil government. Then they will get busy in constructing a Bible-based social, political and religious order which finally denies the religious liberty of the enemies of God."[24][28]
Adam C. English suggests that this quote implies that "religious liberty is a useful tool to Christians in the present, yet is ultimately to be denied to anyone who is not Christian once the Christians are in power".[29] English argues that although this may seem inconsistent (advocating religious liberty but denying the reality of the notion), North and his fellow Reconstructionists understand "liberty" in a theological sense. According to the Reconstructionists, "anyone outside of the Christian faith is in bondage," and so "government by rigorous theonomy is not oppressive but liberating".[30]

Y2K catastrophe prediction[edit]

North predicted a Y2K catastrophe in print and online,[31] and predicted that a Y2K date-rollover failure of the global Information Technology (IT) infrastructure would precipitate severe disruption and the complete collapse of the international economy, leaving American Christians to restore society following the collapse.[32][33]

Bitcoin[edit]

In late 2013, North said that Bitcoin was a huge Ponzi scheme, larger than the Madoff investment scandal, but not as large as the U.S. Social Security system.[34]

Publications[edit]

Institute for Christian Economics[edit]

North is the founder of the Institute for Christian Economics (ICE), which publishes online books and magazines focusing on Christian ethics.[35][36] ICE, along with Dominion Press in Tyler, Texas, are important sources for Reconstructionalist publications.[37]

Books and newsletters[edit]

North has authored or co-authored more than fifty books, many of which are available for free download.[38] For many years, North has been the author/editor of the newsletter The Remnant Review. He also provides Gary North's Reality Check, a free e-newsletter.[39]
  • An Introduction To Christian Economics, 1973 Craig Press OCLC 834889
  • Theology of Christian Resistance: A Symposium, 1983 Geneva Divinity School Press ISBN 0-939404-05-2
  • Tactics of Christian Resistance, 1983 Geneva Ministries ISBN 0-939404-07-9
  • Backward Christian Soldiers, 1984 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-01-X
  • Moses and Pharaoh: Dominion Religion vs. Power Religion, 1985 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-05-2
  • 75 Bible questions your instructors pray you won't ask, 1986 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930462-03-3 OCLC 18651534
  • Government By Emergency, 1986 (revised in 1992) Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930462-05-X
  • Fighting Chance: Ten Feet to Survival (co-authored by Dr. Arthur B. Robinson), 1986 Oregon Inst Science & Medicine ISBN 0-930462-10-6
  • Honest Money: Biblical Principles of Money and Banking, 1986 Dominion Press ISBN 0-930462-15-7
  • Sinai Strategy: Economics And The Ten Commandments (Part Two of North's commentary on Exodus), 1986 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 978-0930464073
  • The Dominion Covenant: Genesis, 1987 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-03-6
  • Healer Of The Nations: Biblical Principles for International Relations, 1987 Dominion Press ISBN 0-930462-21-1
  • Dominion & Common Grace: The Biblical Basis of Progress, 1987 Christian Liberty Press ISBN 0-930464-09-5
  • Inherit The Earth: Biblical Principles for Economics, 1987 Christian Liberty Press ISBN 0-930462-56-4
  • Liberating Planet Earth: An Introduction to Biblical Blueprints, 1987, revised in 1991 Dominion Press ISBN 0-930462-51-3
  • Puritan Economic Experiments: Puritans and Government Controls, 1988 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-14-1
  • Is The World Running Down?: Crisis in the Christian Worldview, 1988 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-13-3
  • Political Polytheism: The Myth of Pluralism, 1989 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-32-X
  • When Justice Is Aborted: Biblical Standards For Non-Violent Resistance, 1989 Dominion Press ISBN 1-55926-124-2
  • Trespassing For Dear Life: What About Operation Rescue?, 1989 Dominion Press ISBN 1-559261-25-0 OCLC 25662723
  • Marx's Religion of Revolution: Regeneration Through Chaos, 1989 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-15-X
  • The Hoax of Higher Criticism, 1989 Christian Liberty Press ISBN 0-930464-30-3
  • Tools of Dominion: The Case Laws of Exodus, 1990 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-10-9
  • Victim's Rights: The Biblical View of Civil Justice, 1990 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-17-6
  • Was Calvin a Theonomist?, 1990 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-36-2
  • Judeo Christian Tradition: A Guide for the Perplexed, 1990 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-28-1
  • Millennialism And Social Theory, 1990 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-49-4
  • The Implosion Strategy: How to stay out of the black hole during the next recession and its aftermath, 1990 American Bureau of Economic Research ISBN 1-55926-130-7
  • A Study Guide To Gary North's Liberating Planet Earth, (Co-authored by Geoffrey W. Donnan, Jr. Charles W. Armstrong) 1991 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-42-7
  • Theonomy: An Informed Response, 1991 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-59-1
  • Westminster's Confession: The Abandonment of Van Til's Legacy, 1991 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-54-0
  • Christian Reconstruction (Co-authored by Gary DeMar), 1991 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 978-0-930464-52-3
  • Coase Theorem: A Study In Economic Epistemology, 1992 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-61-3
  • Rapture Fever: Why Dispensationalism is Paralyzed Dispensationalism, 1993 Christian Liberty Press ISBN 0-930464-67-2
  • Salvation Through Inflation: The Economics of Social Credit, 1993 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-66-4
  • Boundaries and Dominion: An Economic Commentary of Leviticus, 1994 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-72-9
  • Tithing and the Church, 1994 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-69-9
  • Unconditional Surrender: God's Program for Victory, 1994 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-12-5
  • Unholy Spirits: Occultism and New Age Humanism, 1994 Dominion Press ISBN 0-930462-53-X
  • Lone Gunners for Jesus: Letters to Paul J. Hill, 1994 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-73-7
  • Leviticus: An Economic Commentary, 1994 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-72-9
  • Baptized Patriarchalism: The Cult of the Family, 1995 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-71-0
  • Conspiracy: A Biblical View, 1996 Dominion Press ISBN 0-930462-11-4
  • Crossed Fingers: How the Liberals Captured the Presbyterian Church, 1996 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-74-5
  • Inheritance and Dominion: An Economic Commentary on Deuteronomy, 1999 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-78-8
  • Sanctions and Dominion: An Economic Commentary on Numbers, 2000 Institute for Christian Economics ISBN 0-930464-76-1

Documentary and educational film[edit]

  • Unknown History of the 20th Century (DVD) (2006) OCLC 213272975

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Jump up ^ Skousen, Mark (2009). The Making of Modern Economics: The Lives and Ideas of the Great Thinkers. M. E. Sharpe. p. 305. 
  2. Jump up ^ "Mises Institute Faculty Listing". Retrieved 14 July 2013. 
  3. Jump up ^ Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI (1996). Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. Turner Publishing. p. 185. ISBN 1563112051. OCLC 37922781. 
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b North, Gary. "It All Began With Fred Schwarz". LewRockwell.com. Retrieved 3 May 2011. 
  5. Jump up ^ Stammer, Larry (3 March 2001). "The Rev. Rousas John Rushdoony; Advocated Rule by Biblical Law". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 April 2013. 
  6. Jump up ^ Rushdoony, Rousas John; Gary North (3 appendices) (1978). The Institutes of Biblical Law: a Chalcedon Study. Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company. p. 890. ISBN 9780875524108. OCLC 768429065. 
  7. Jump up ^ North, Gary. "R. J. Rushdoony, R.I.P". LewRockwell.com. Retrieved 3 May 2011. 
  8. Jump up ^ Gary North, "What Made Rothbard Great", Ludwig von Mises Institute. Mises.org. 28 July 2004.
  9. Jump up ^ North, Gary (May 1, 1996). "The Moral Dimension of FEE". The Freeman. 
  10. Jump up ^ Gary North, The Concept of Property in Puritan New England, 1630–1720, Ph.D. dissertation, 1972.OCLC 1902749
  11. Jump up ^ LewRockwell.com Articles by North
  12. Jump up ^ Why You Should Join This Members-Only Community Forum, Garynorth.com, accessed July 27, 2014.
  13. Jump up ^ Gary North, Deliverance from Debt blog, accessed July 27, 2013.
  14. Jump up ^ Free Christian Curriculum website, accessed July 27, 2013.
  15. Jump up ^ Announcing: The Ron Paul Curriculum Is Open for Business, Gary North website, April 06, 2013
  16. Jump up ^ Gary North, A Q&A Dialogue for Newcomers, RonPaulCurriculum.com.
  17. Jump up ^ Bump, Philip (April 9, 2013). "Ron Paul's Home Schooling Curriculum Will Turn Your Kid into a Little Ron Paul." The Atlantic Wire
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b c Oppenheimer, Mark. "'Christian Economics' Meets the Antiunion Movement". New York Times. Retrieved 30 April 2011. 
  19. Jump up ^ Dominion Covenant: Genesis, Institute for Christian Economics, June 1982.
  20. Jump up ^ Hugh B. Urban, The Secrets of the Kingdom: Religion and Concealment in the Bush Administration Rowman and Littlefield, 56
  21. Jump up ^ Gary North, Political Polytheism: The Myth of Pluralism Tyler, TX Institute for Christian Economics, 1989, x
  22. Jump up ^ On the subject of executing children, North has written "The integrity of the family must be maintained by the threat of death". See Olson. Also see Gary North, The Sinai Strategy: Economics and the Ten Commandments (Tyler, TX: Institute for Christian Economics, 1986), pp. 59-60.
  23. Jump up ^ See:
  24. ^ Jump up to: a b "Invitation to a Stoning: Getting cozy with theocrats" by Walter Olson, Reason, November 1998, pages 1 and 2
  25. Jump up ^ North, Gary. "Letter to Paul Hill". Retrieved 28 July 2013. 
  26. Jump up ^ Clarkson, Frederick (1995). "Christian Reconstruction: Theocratic Dominionism Gains Influence". Eyes Right!: Challenging the Right Wing Backlash. South End Press. p. 62. ISBN 9780896085237. 
  27. Jump up ^ Vile, John R. (2003). "Christian Reconstruction". Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments, Proposed Amendments, and Amending Issues, 1789–2002 (2nd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 67. ISBN 1-85109-428-8. OCLC 51553072. "...North favors stoning,...because of the widespread availability of rocks...." 
  28. Jump up ^ North, Gary (1982). The Failure of the American Baptist Culture. Geneva Divinity School. p. 25. ISBN 0509073062 Check |isbn= value (help). 
  29. Jump up ^ English, Adam C. (2003). "Christian Reconstruction after Y2K: Gary North, the New Millennium, and Religious Freedom". New Religious Movements and Religious Liberty in America. Baylor University Press. p. 116. ISBN 9780918954923. 
  30. Jump up ^ English, "Christian Reconstruction after Y2K," p. 117.
  31. Jump up ^ "There's Something About Gary". Wired Magazine. January 1999.
  32. Jump up ^ McVicar, Michael (2007). "The Long, Strange History of R.J. Rushdoony and Christian Reconstructionism." Political Research Associates
  33. Jump up ^ Gary North's Y2K Links and Forums, archived page, accessed July 27, 2013.
  34. Jump up ^ North, Gary (November 29, 2013). "Bitcoins: The Second Biggest Ponzi Scheme in History". Economic Policy Journal. 
  35. Jump up ^ "What Is The ICE?". Retrieved July 25, 2013. "The Institute for Christian Economics is a non-profit, tax-exempt educational organization which is devoted to research and publishing in the field of Christian ethics." 
  36. Jump up ^ Journals from ICE include:
  37. Jump up ^ Ingersoll, Julie J. (January 1, 1999). "Reconstructionist Christianity". Contemporary American Religion. Retrieved July 26, 2013, from HighBeam Research. 
  38. Jump up ^ "FreeBooks from the Institute for Christian Economics". entrewave.com. Retrieved 2012-03-11. 
  39. Jump up ^ Back Issues of Gary North's Reality Check, accessed July 27, 2013.

External links[edit]

Authority control


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