ABSTRACT
This chapter looks briefly at the roots of the customs and traditions that guided the earliest commercial and financial transactions in the markets of local villages and how these values would find expression in the recorded scriptures of the Judeo-Christian tradition. After outlining the specific questions and differences that emerged on “lending at interest” especially through the Middle Ages, the chapter identifies some of the basic principles that were established through the iterative process of the tradition, refined further through the Catholic Social Teaching tradition and intended to be practically applied to specific transactions or practices. The opportunity to align faith with practices in the financial sector as a concern for all believers both in their personal financial activities and their professional lives is discussed and specific recommendations for action are offered. The chapter also discusses the historical examination of financial systems in papal encyclicals and identifies principles needed in a system if it is to serve the common good and protect the planet for future generations.
