Book Review 2

Pope & Bankers by Jack Cashill Review

If you are interested in finance and economics, history and Christian thought, then this book is for you. As I read the TIME magazine pretty much cover to cover, I skip the financial section (even though I was a business major). But Caleb is really interested in it so I decided to get this book through BookSneeze (a great way to get free books when you review them on your blog from Thomas Nelson publishing).

The subtitle of A Cultural History on Credit and Debt from Aristotle to AIG could have replaced those with Moses to Dennis Ramsey. The title isn’t openly religious but in the introduction it is clear where Jack Cashill is writing from and he leaves no doubt to his opinions on matters either. The first chapter tells how term usury was used in the past (I do it as I have received interest in a savings account and pay it in our mortgage). The beginning historical chapters were fascinating to me. He uses the KJV of the Bible for his prophet and Jesus chapters (which fit the feel). It began to drag for me personally once we got into European banking systems. New thoughts; Jewish and Italian importance in developing modern economies and moral problems in our current crisis.

Overall the writing is insightful and sometime humorous. My favorite paragraph: “In reading Calvin and Luther, one cannot help but be impressed by their super-sized certitude…church fathers…moved forward but always probingly, with continual backward glances at the wise men who preceded them…For Calvin and Luther, it was pedal o the metal, with no looking back until they got to Jesus.”

While his history is great, his call to act is lacking.