This paper discusses four specific topics dealing with moral/theological issues and their interface with economics. The first topic relates to the question as to whether Griffith (1984, pp. 65-91) provided a satisfactory response to moral/theological criticisms of capitalism. The major criticisms based on ethical and moral grounds that relate to a market-driven economy are discussed hereafter. The first criticism has to do with the part played by the profit motive and self-interest, which in many writings have been associated with a corrupting influence. However, the Christian accepts that self-interest as well as selfishness are hallmarks in a world in which we live. The second criticism has to do with the nature and effects of competitive markets. Is competition Christian? Since competition is a method of dealing with scarcity which remains of fundamental importance in the world in which we live, the case for competitive markets is that in a world of scarcity they are superior to other practical forms of economic organizations in terms of allocating resources.
Another moral objection to the market economy is that it produces inequality in wages, which is impossible to justify on Christian grounds. However, in a market economy, wage differentials are determined by scarcity and not by the intrinsic moral worth of a job being done. Given basic differences of skills, energy and ambition, and given the freedom to work and trade, individuals will find themselves wi
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