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The Bonds of Capital and the Freedom of a Christian

This essay is a reflection on freedom that begins from two very different claims about what freedom is. On the one hand, there is capitalist freedom—the freedom of individuals to choose in the hope of maximizing their interests in accord with the dictates of an insatiable desire. On the other hand, there is freedom in Christ to give oneself in unceasing generosity in love and service to others. It concludes that capitalism is not realistic in its acquiescence to sin, but nihilistic—denying God's sanctifying presence here and now—and that human relations need not be a matter of commercial war, of struggle and conflict (barely) managed by the capitalist market. Rather, in Christ we have an opportunity to live in peace. In Christ, humanity is invited to participate in the divine gift economy where we are redeemed from the agony of sin and human relations are renewed in a Christological pattern of offering, sharing, gift giving, cooperation, and ceaseless generosity.