It was Calvin and Knox that removed the Usury taboo from Christianity

Reader comment on: Capitalism and the Jews

Submitted by Lyle (United States), Feb 1, 2010 16:17

It is not clear that the Roman church is still fully comfortable with the concept of interest. It was Calvin in Geneva and Knox in Scotland who changed the rules for usury in christianity. This lead to the takeoff of the Netherlands in the 17th century, despite being in a war for indpendence from Spain. Then William III came to England and shortly thereafter England and Scotland were unified, leading the Church of England to relax its opposition to loaning money at interest. The enlightenment/diminshment of religion on the continent finshed the taboo off. Islam has not made the transition so that usury is still a sin there, leading to the lagging growth there.

Of course everyone hates his creditors except when the loan is made, that is by definition.

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