Religion and the rise of capitalism

The study traces how religious ideas about social and economic life evolved between the medieval era and the early eighteenth century, arguing that shifts in doctrine and practice helped shape emerging economic categories. It surveys medieval attitudes toward social hierarchy and avarice; analyses continental Reformers' responses, especially Lutheran and Calvinist thought; examines the Church of England's positions on land, policy, and growing individualism; and follows Puritan debates over discipline, trade, and poverty relief. Throughout, it links theological arguments to changing social institutions and economic behavior, showing how religious ethics intersected with the rise of market-oriented virtues and new policies toward poverty.