# Jesus Christ — Religion and the Rise of Capitalism character guide

> Jesus Christ in Religion and the Rise of Capitalism by R. H. Tawney.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Jesus Christ, Christ, Christe

**First appearance:** 0003-religion-and-the-rise-of-capitalism

## Snapshot

The moral compass early modern theologians keep invoking to judge usury, prices, and profit, even as Calvinists argue His teachings leave room for interest.

## Who they are

In Tawney's account, Jesus Christ functions less as a doctrinal figure than as the ultimate court of appeal in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century debates over lending, pricing, and enclosure. Reformers like Calvin and his followers insist His words forbid interest on loans to the needy but not interest in principle, while Puritan preachers cite His ethic to denounce those who buy cheap and sell dear. The tension is that every faction claims His authority for opposite conclusions about the new commercial world, making Him the contested standard against which the morality of capitalism is measured.

## Relationships

### [The Puritan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/religion_and_the_rise_of_capitalism_se/characters/the_puritan)

_psychological_

The Puritan movement centers on a personal, rigorous emulation of Christ's moral teachings, viewing Christ as the ultimate model for conduct.

### [Mr. Badman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/religion_and_the_rise_of_capitalism_se/characters/mr_badman)

_psychological_

Mr. Badman, as a character embodying sin and greed, stands in stark moral opposition to the teachings of Christ, serving as a cautionary figure.

### [The Puritan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/religion_and_the_rise_of_capitalism_se/characters/the_puritan)

_psychological_

The Puritan movement centers on a personal, rigorous emulation of Christ's moral teachings, viewing Christ as the ultimate model for conduct.

## In the story

### [III: The Ideal and the Reality](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/religion_and_the_rise_of_capitalism_se/chapters/iii-the-ideal-and-the-reality)

Christ's teaching on freedom is mentioned as a basis for peasant revolts, contrasting with the Church's stance.

### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/religion_and_the_rise_of_capitalism_se/chapters/v-conclusion)

Mentioned as the Founder of the Christian Faith, whose teachings are opposed to the modern idolatry of wealth.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/religion_and_the_rise_of_capitalism_se/characters/jesus_christ
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/religion_and_the_rise_of_capitalism_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/religion_and_the_rise_of_capitalism_se/characters