Reformed Weltanschauung; Economics
This course of study is intended to get the Seminary student to begin thinking about Biblical understandings of Money.
The purpose of this course is to allow Reformed presuppositions and a Reformed Christian Worldview to mold how we think about money and economics. The emphasis will fall on some of the various paradigms that have been offered concerning Economics focusing especially on the Austrian School, the Ropke Third way and the Distributionist schools. Keynesianism will not be considered except to critique it, as Keynesianism is to Economics what Rap is to Music. The Student will be learning the Macro approach to Economics.
Note — This is a course to familiarize the Seminary Student in Basic Economic theory. It is not intended as a Masters level course for one who is receiving their Masters in Economics.
Main Texts
1.) Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy – Thomas Sowell
2.) Economics In One Lesson — Henry Hazlitt
Required Reading
1.) Applied Economics; Thinking Beyond Stage One — Thomas Sowell
2.) The Social Crisis of Our Time — Wlhelm Ropke
3.) The Law — Frederic Bastiat
4.) What Has Government Done to Our Money? — Murray N. Rothbard
5.) Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis — Ludwig Von Mises
6.) Cliches of Socialism — Anonymous
7.) The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve — Em Griffin
8.) Road To Serfdom — F. A. Hayek
9.) Baptized Inflation — Ian Hodge
10.) Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider
David Chilton
11.) Three Works on Distributism — G. K. Chesterton
12.) The Servile State — Hilaire Belloc
13.) A Humane Economy: The Social Framework of the Free Market — Wilhelm Ropke
Supplementary Reading
1.) The Secrets of the Federal Reserve — Eustace Mullins
2.) The Federal Reserve Conspiracy — Anthony Sutton
1.) Read the main Text books and write chapter summaries.
2.) Read the rest of the Required Reading and write a paper on the following Subject Matter
A.) Distinguish Between The Austrian School, the Distributists school, and the Ropke School
B.) Fifteen Page Paper Highlighting the Problem With Centralized Banking (Consider Supplementary books)
C.) A Interactive Media Presentation On The Dangers Of Libertarianism Gone To Seed
D.) Looking At Books #1, #5, #9, and #10 write a ten page paper on the problems with Keynesianism
E.) What are the potential pitfalls of Distributism in books #11, #12 — Ten page paper
F.) Twenty page paper explaining the danger of understanding man as a primarily Economic being
4.) Interact 1 hour weekly with the Instructor regarding points of interest in the book that you are currently reading.
5.) Be prepared for pop quizzes or short essay requirements.
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Were I to recommend books for the High Schooler from this list I would go with the Required reading list and then add book #6, #10 and Supplementary book #2
Bret,
I’ve got more than a few of these and lots of work to do.
I’ve also have a copy of North’s Christian Economics. What do you think of it?
Thanks
Jerry
Jerry,
I’ve not read that North book. When I read Dr. North on almost anything, I constantly remind myself that he was much more Libertarian than Rushdoony.