ABSTRACT
There are many taken-for-granted assumptions about socialism and Christianity respectively that make them an unlikely if not incongruous pairing. Both terms evoke strong reactions, both positive and negative, among many. While placing socialism and Christianity in conversation does not seem to make much sense to some, there is growing interest from others based on new embodiments of socialism and Christianity. This chapter provides an introduction to what Christianity and socialism have to do with each other, offers a brief overview of attempts to bridge socialism and Christianity, and proposes a rapprochement between Christianity and socialism built on a vision of socialism as a platform for economic and political democracy. Parallels of socialism and Christianity are sometimes seen in an ethos of sharing. References in the book of Acts (2:42–47; 4:32–36), in which the early Christian communities are described as holding everything in common, serve as an example. By contrast, this chapter advances a more down-to-earth socialism that understands the question of sharing as related to the question of production, including ownership of the so-called “means of production” – tools, machines, and other assets of corporations – involving not only shareholders but also the workers themselves. Accordingly, the focus on distribution is complemented and informed by a focus on production.
