Shows how economics functions as the dominant religion in America today In this provocative book Scott Gustafson argues that economics functions in our current global culture as religions have functioned in other cultures. He describes and analyzes the rituals; pilgrimage sites; myths; prophets; sacraments; and mission of Economics to show how the Economy is our de facto God. Discussing such topics as debt; economic terrorism; globalization; and money as the Economy's sacrament; Gustafson's At the Altar of Wall Street encompasses a broad sweep of history; philosophy; culture studies; economic ideas; and religion in its trenchant analysis.
#1279772 in Books 2011-05-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.12 x 6.00l; 1.62 #File Name: 0802862608542 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. For the interested amateur Bible student like me; this is very usefulBy Andrew McLarenFor the interested amateur Bible student like me; this is very useful; broad-ranging survery of Biblical scholarship. I probably won't ever get around to reading Martin Noth (for example) in the original; so this book let me put him; and all the other scholars discussed; in perspective. The authors seem to know their material; I was confident I was reading an informed view reflecting current academic scholarship. The book gives a very balanced view of the "Minimalist vs Maximalist" debate; letting the reader decide for themselves.As other reviews note; the BIG shortcoming of this book is its writing style: very long-winded; repetitive and often tedious. The language is quite accessible and clear - there's so damn much of it! A good editor would have shunk the text down to at least half its current length. Despite that; I am glad I bought the book; I learnt a lot from it. Just be prepared to scan quickly through paragraphs and pages of filler; looking for the good bits.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Fantastic piece; as someone who has read manyBy JonathanFantastic piece; as someone who has read many; many of the original sources with which Moore and Kelle work; this book brings everything together well. A must have for seminary and divinity students; pastors; and aspiring biblical scholars.16 of 19 people found the following review helpful. Comprehensive accessible survey; if long-windedBy Dr GarrySimply a great survey; easy to read even by those (like me) who are new to the field.I'm an interested amateur researching the topic towards making a teaching resource chart of Old Testament history. When doing such research; a major problem an ingenue such as myself encounters is sorting out the nutters; or; if you like; weighing the various factions. For example; I had earlier read Israel Finkelstein's The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts but I had no idea if he was a reputable scholar; or just some nutcase with an interesting-but-easily-refuted-idea; like David Rohl (A Test of Time).The archaeology of ancient Palestine/Israel is a subject riven by political and religious agendas. What; exactly; is the current state of the field?This book is an easy-to-read survey of the archaeology and historiography of ancient Palestine/Israel; from the early 20th century to date. It makes no claims to original research; and uses no technical verbiage. It shows how all the major archaeologists in the field fit into the grand picture; and how interpretations of Israel/Palestine's past have changed in the light of new evidence over the past 50 years. It clearly identifies the various factions. This is invaluable for further reading. This survey clearly locates Finkelstein; for example; in scholarship.What surprised me most was how rapidly scholarship has moved in the past few decades. In 1980; the Old Testament was taken to be a reliable historical source by everyone in the field; and the whole purpose of Middle Eastern archaeology was to find the evidence for specific events in the OT; such as the Exodus; Joshua's destruction of Jericho; or Solomon's temple. By 1990 that was being questioned; and by 2000; all that had gone. Archaeology had moved from justifying a specific text to standing on its own two feet; with an independent agenda.I was also surprised to read how recently modern techniques haven been deployed in the field; such as radiocarbon dating; a technology available for 60 years. The authors tippy-toe around the core issue; but the brute fact is that until about 1990 it was nigh on politically impossible for archaeologists and other researchers to even question the narratives in the Old Testament. Techniques such as radiocarbon dating were avoided lest they question the historicity of this narrative.The book is long-winded; repetitive; and ungracefully written: you will quote it for its facts; but never for its turn of phrase. If you are reading other books on the subject; this one will help you locate that author in the field of biblical studies. It is a treasure-trove of information; though. I recommend it to any interested layperson; and were I teaching this subject; I would make it a mandatory text for entry-level graduates.
