Religion and profit
Book Description
Religion and Profit explores the fascinating intersection of faith and commerce through the lens of the Moravians, a Protestant community that mastered the delicate balance between spiritual mission and economic necessity in eighteenth-century America.
Katherine Carté Engel reveals how this religious sect, established by Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf in 1727, created one of early America's most innovative approaches to missionary work. After founding their communal settlement in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1741, the Moravians embarked on an ambitious mission to evangelize both colonists and Native Americans across the Atlantic world.
What sets this story apart is how the Moravians transformed financial acumen into a spiritual practice. Their sophisticated commercial networks stretched from Pennsylvania's wilderness to Europe's major financial centers, creating a unique model where missionary outreach and business enterprise supported each other seamlessly. The community developed what Engel describes as an "efficient brand of communalism" that funded their extensive evangelical projects while maintaining their Christian principles.
This book challenges conventional assumptions about the relationship between religious devotion and economic activity. Rather than viewing capitalism or secularization as the primary forces reshaping American religious life, Engel demonstrates how imperial conflicts between Euro-Americans and Native peoples ultimately transformed both the Moravians' spiritual practices and their economic strategies.
For readers interested in how communities can integrate material success with spiritual purpose, this historical examination offers valuable insights into navigating the complex relationship between faith and prosperity.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~9 hours)
📄 Length: 313 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Moravians
- ✓ Explore United states, church history
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Economic conditions
- ✓ Explore Religion
- ✓ Explore Economics
- ✓ Explore Evangelicalism
- ✓ Explore Bethlehem (pa.)
