Faith & Economics
NUMBER 46, Fall 2005
Symposium: The Economics of Religion
Economics of Religion: Debating the Costs and Benefits of a New Field
Laurence R. Iannaccone
Comments on the Economics of Religion
Derek Neal
Religion and Economics
Peter Boettke
Importing Religion into Economics
Deidre McCloskey
Article
A Biblical and Economic Analysis of Jubilee Property Provisions
John E. Anderson
Abstract: The focus of this paper is on understanding biblical relationships between God, the chosen people of Israel, and the Promised Land. That is done by examining the covenantal relationships between these three entities and considering the economic implications for property ownership, land use, and valuation that result. The objective is to determine how covenantal relationships recorded in scripture provide insight regarding property relationships that are also relevant in contemporary economies. The paper includes an examination of the land and its covenantal context, setting the stage for examination of the economics of land use and land value. It begins by examining land allocation processes implemented within the covenant community. Then, it considers land use both within and without the covenant community noting differences in the lawʼs provisions on land use and redemption rules. Finally, given the institutional context provided by the law and its ownership and redemption provisions, the paper considers simple models of land value and analyzes the economic implications.
JEL: A13, R14, Z12
Book Reviews
The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time
by Jeffrey D. Sachs
Reviewed by Christopher B. Barrett
Cash Values: Money and the Erosion of Meaning in Today’s Society
by Craig M. Gay
Reviewed by Jim Halteman
The Boundaries of Technique: Ordering Positive and Normative Concerns in Economic Research
by Andrew Yuengert
Reviewed by Bruce Webb
Economy and Economic Analysis
by Robert Black
Reviewed by Paul R. Koch
Turn Neither to the Right Nor to the Left: A Thinking Christian’s Guide to Politics and Public Policy
by D. Eric Schansberg
Reviewed by Hadley T. Mitchell
A Short History of Distributive Justice
by Samuel Fleischacker
Reviewed by Jim Halteman