Array
(
    [fullTitle] => ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INSIGHTS DERIVED FROM RELIGIOUS BELIEFS: THE CASE OF BASIL, THE GREAT AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY
    [abstract] => 
This paper explores the teachings of the influential theologian Basil, the Great (330-379), on social-economic justice, very little researched in view of the role of religion in conceiving economic insights. The purpose of this study is to attempt at historical recovery, showing that the economic and social insights of early Christian Church deserve particular attention. The cultural endeavor of investigating the economic and social thinking of the past can make the present research more productive. A qualitative research design was used comprising documentary, historical-contextual and textual data collection; theological analysis; biographical investigation, with a comparative and interdisciplinary approach. The study found out that early church economic ideas are not just an anticipation of the socialist thought, because their context, motivation and approach to the ideas’ implementation were quite different. It was discovered that Basil the Great’s major relevance for the present times rests in his teachings, which offer solutions to some current challenges like inequality, wealth distribution and responsible stewardship of the environment and common resources. These issues have always remained central for creating a just and sustainable society. The value added consists of emphasizing that the Basiliad - an institution founded by Basil (which continues to exist) is a form of material cultural practice with deep social reverberations and with practical implications in alleviating poverty. The study recommends that the current Christian church from all over the world should be more involved in charitable acts and in solving social issues, following the example of the Great Cappadocian Father. This study has its limitations because the research was conducted only for the translated sermons of Basil the Great. Fortunately, there is field for overcoming these limitations and for potential future research due to the new modern theological research, that started to use the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae database (TLG).

    [authors] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [givenName] => Ileana Tache
                    [affiliation] => Department of Marketing, Tourism-Services and International Business, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania.
                )

            [1] => Array
                (
                    [givenName] => Titus Suciu
                    [affiliation] => Department of Finance-Accounting and Economic Theory, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania
                )

        )

    [keywords] => Array
        (
            [0] => Early Christianity, Basil the Great, Economic and Social Justice, Inequality, Wealth Distribution, Basiliads
        )

    [doi] => 10.24204/ejpr.2025.4665
    [datePublished] => 2025-01-06
    [pdf] => https://www.philosophy-of-religion.eu/menuscript/index.php/ejpr/article/view/4665/version/2050/3643
)
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ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INSIGHTS DERIVED FROM RELIGIOUS BELIEFS: THE CASE OF BASIL, THE GREAT AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY

Ileana Tache
Department of Marketing, Tourism-Services and International Business, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania.

Titus Suciu
Department of Finance-Accounting and Economic Theory, Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24204/ejpr.2025.4665

Abstract

This paper explores the teachings of the influential theologian Basil, the Great (330-379), on social-economic justice, very little researched in view of the role of religion in conceiving economic insights. The purpose of this study is to attempt at historical recovery, showing that the economic and social insights of early Christian Church deserve particular attention. The cultural endeavor of investigating the economic and social thinking of the past can make the present research more productive. A qualitative research design was used comprising documentary, historical-contextual and textual data collection; theological analysis; biographical investigation, with a comparative and interdisciplinary approach. The study found out that early church economic ideas are not just an anticipation of the socialist thought, because their context, motivation and approach to the ideas’ implementation were quite different. It was discovered that Basil the Great’s major relevance for the present times rests in his teachings, which offer solutions to some current challenges like inequality, wealth distribution and responsible stewardship of the environment and common resources. These issues have always remained central for creating a just and sustainable society. The value added consists of emphasizing that the Basiliad - an institution founded by Basil (which continues to exist) is a form of material cultural practice with deep social reverberations and with practical implications in alleviating poverty. The study recommends that the current Christian church from all over the world should be more involved in charitable acts and in solving social issues, following the example of the Great Cappadocian Father. This study has its limitations because the research was conducted only for the translated sermons of Basil the Great. Fortunately, there is field for overcoming these limitations and for potential future research due to the new modern theological research, that started to use the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae database (TLG).

Keywords: Early Christianity, Basil the Great, Economic and Social Justice, Inequality, Wealth Distribution, Basiliads

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