Some assumed that capitalist ideas grew and flourished during the Enlightenment in the 18th century, which was famous for being a time of diminishing role for religion in society, but in reality the medieval ecclesiastical institution was the main location of the first shoots of capitalism.

German sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920) linked the origins of capitalism to modern Protestant cities, as monasteries and the church that owned up to a third of the lands in Europe began to rationalize economic life with practices similar to the rule of law, bureaucracy, conflict resolution mechanisms, specialization, institutional permanence, and the accumulation of capital that they provided Modern capitalism.

Weber said that Protestantism, which cares about the joys of life, is closer to capitalism than Catholicism, "more separated from the world."

Thus, capitalism and Christianity were not in conflict, as Weber argued in his book "Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism" (in 1905) that the initial "spirit" of capitalism may not have been itself Christian, but Protestant Christianity and Calvinist theology stimulated the rise of modern capitalism, and capitalism was compatible Almost with Christian practices, however, Weber noted that this spirit had already departed from its religious roots.

In the 21st century, at the time of "capitalism dominated by finance", Catherine Tanner of Yale University adopted a different reading of the current scene, and in the introduction to her book "Christianity and the New Spirit of Capitalism" she says is critical of the current spirit of capitalism for its belief that its Christian obligations require it.

"But I also suggest throughout the book's chapters that the current organization of capitalism deserves such criticism, whatever its religious obligations, because of its undesirable effects on people and population, and its distorting effects on the way people understand themselves and their relationships with others."

She goes on to say that capitalism today and modern economic theory have become more individual and vastly expanded to the extent that they "pretend to be infinitely inclusive, and that there is nothing outside" and that they constitute behavior and human beings of their own nature.

Tanner compares concepts such as final loyalties (your job, boss, or god?) And also compares the bond market and debt service to the condition of slavery, and studies how today's investment world distorts our perception of time and our sense of place.

Most of the discussion in the book focuses on the devastating effects of debt and the mechanisms that perpetuate the debt culture. The author says we live in a world almost entirely driven by the credit and financial sector of the economy - which represents the lion's share of the global economy today - and although it is not visible to most people, it is like the air we breathe.

contradiction
In her report, published by the American “Marginalia” website, writer Christina McCurry said that the book “Christianity and the New Spirit of Capitalism” is an extension of Weber's idea, as Tanner argued that in the past century, the situation moved from bad to worse, and the compatibility between Christianity and Capitalism seemed to be completely lost. They even became opposing essences.

The writer added that Tanner’s interest is based on the methods that capitalism uses to train us to act, think, desire, conceive and even fear, and she says, “We need this perspective in order to notice the crisis that we have fallen into, especially since capitalism disguises itself as a normal normal life, and prevents us from thinking outside its constraints.” .

She reported that Tanner's approach departed from the details in order to see the bigger picture. Critical theorists have shown that this method is especially useful when facts and data are created within an ideological system, where they cannot be trusted to reveal the whole truth.

Capitalisms
In the case of theoretical and critical thinking of capitalism, it becomes important to realize what capitalism we are talking about, but this is difficult because the term "capitalism" remains "a fundamentally contested concept." What is more, the set of phenomena, practices, values, and institutional arrangements that the term refers to is constantly changing. Therefore, summarizing all of these matters as one “soul” will be a difficult task.

McCurry stated that the book "The New Spirit" began by explaining that the spirit he is discussing is the current "financial" capitalism that the reader understands through the spirit of operating in the American financial sector before 2008, and sometimes from the experience of those who face the repercussions of economic crises and acute poverty.

The author showed that the exciting image of capitalism in the "new spirit" may be very helpful. It can be read as a set of questions, the most important of which is how people outside the finance sector can learn about the pressures that Tanner sets out in their private lives and how they understand the values ​​they criticize. Next, how can the faith they proclaim be useful for reorienting their priorities and interests?

Cash
The author notes that the author of "The New Spirit" confirms that capitalism itself has one spirit and is internally consistent, and described this spirit as completely malicious and evil, either it leaves corrupt effects, or that it has no positive or morally neutral effects.

Yet McCurry is critical of this idea, seeing it as vague and its moral context complex, and there are practical and moral positives to capitalist thought despite their grievances and disadvantages.

She fears that the book "The New Spirit" will become the final word on the relationship of Christianity and capitalism today, as the book sees capitalism as "hostile to the soul" and the antithesis of divine grace and even the synonym of paganism.

In a critical criticism of the author and his idea, McCurry says that the book's findings may lead to a fragile, “anti-business” ethic and perhaps anti-money and debt, anti-jobs, and any form of social organization or distribution of power.

She continues her criticism, considering that the book comes out with the conclusion that neither work nor any other economic practice capable of rewarding effort should have a place in the life of a devout Christian, yet the idea of ​​the book does not appear to be new in its kind. Christian criticism of capitalism has become customary in recent times.

Several years ago, Francesco Pope described capitalist Vatican as the cause of inequality at the very least or fatal in the worst case, and considered that "we can no longer trust in the invisible forces and the invisible hand of the market."

In the debate between the idea of ​​the book and its criticism, the difference appears between the capitalism that Weber wrote about as being closely related to Protestant Christianity, and capitalism in its latest version, which emphasizes the author's separation from morality and religion due to the selfish motives condemned by religious teachings.