Ah, the tangled web of economic rents, taxation, and unholy alliances that keep it all happening. Rent-seeking in the economic sense–i.e. profiting from control over scarce resources, like land, without adding value–translates into incredible political clout. Those who hoard such misbegotten wealth can lobby, donate, and shape policies to perpetuate the system, while the rest of us get caught on our earned incomes and on consumption taxes. It’s a setup that would have Adam Smith rolling in his grave.

There’s a real tension in Christian thought and practice. On one hand, the Bible is replete with passages decrying exploitation and calling for justice—i.e. Leviticus 25 on jubilee and debt forgiveness, or Jesus flipping tables in the temple over profiteering. However, many modern Christian leaders, especially in evangelical conservative circles, frame progressive economic reforms–like land value taxes, wealth redistribution, or universal basic income–as ‘socialist’, echoing Cold War-era fears of communism. The critique is not quite universal: there remains some tradition of Christian socialism and liberation theology (e.g., figures like Dorothy Day, or Martin Luther King Jr., who saw economic justice, in place of charity, as a critical core of religious faith).

Pope Francis was pretty vocal against unchecked capitalism, calling it “the dung of the devil”, which ruffles feathers in wealthier congregations. The cosy relationship has been a thing since Constantine made Christianity the state religion in the 4th century. Power does beget power. In the U.S. today, megachurches often align with pro-business policies, arguing that free markets reflect divine order or individual stewardship. Critics (including some theologians) call this out as cherry-picking scripture to justify inequality, while ignoring a preferential option for the poor. If we’re judging by the ethical frameworks of much Christian teaching, there’s hypocrisy afoot when leaders are able to prioritize donor-friendly stances over systemic reform. Not all religious figures are in on it—plenty advocate for ‘just economic reform’ without the ‘red-scare’ label. If we’re into truth telling, religion, like politics, has been well and truly co-opted by the powerful.

More transparency in political funding would greatly assist to break the unholy relationship.