Money and Power

Jacques Ellul's Money and Power emerges from the French theologian's broader critique of technological society and his conviction that Christians have fundamentally misunderstood the spiritual dimensions of economic life. Writing in the late 1970s as Western capitalism reached new heights of influence, Ellul sought to expose what he saw as the church's accommodation to mammon and its failure to grasp the theological implications of money as a spiritual power.

Ellul argues that money functions not merely as an economic tool but as a rival god that demands absolute allegiance and shapes human consciousness. He traces how money creates its own logic and values, transforming social relationships and corrupting human judgment about what matters. The work examines Jesus's teachings about wealth not as moral guidelines but as revelations of money's spiritual nature as a power that actively opposes God's kingdom. Ellul contends that Christians cannot serve both God and money because money itself possesses a spiritual dynamism that transforms those who serve it. He explores how the pursuit of efficiency, growth, and accumulation becomes a kind of religious practice that shapes entire societies around its demands.

The book has remained influential among Christians seeking to understand the spiritual dimensions of economic life and the theological problems posed by consumer capitalism. Ellul's analysis anticipated many contemporary concerns about economic inequality and the cultural dominance of market values, while his theological framework continues to challenge both prosperity theology and purely political approaches to economic justice.

Who should read this: Christians troubled by the relationship between faith and money, particularly those suspicious of both wealth-positive Christianity and purely secular economic analysis. This is not for readers seeking practical financial advice or step-by-step guides to Christian money management.