Abstract

Neo-liberalism is ideologically rooted in nineteenth-century laissez-faire capitalism, a form of economics that asserts the free market, unencumbered by government restraint, is the only path to human social and economic fulfillment. Canadian Catholic social teaching has approached neo-liberalism through the door of social ethics. However, some liberation and critical theologians believe that neo-liberalism contains a covert religious dimension complete with an absolutist dogma, a spirituality, a value system, a soteriology and embedded "God-concepts." These theologians maintain that when considered theologically, neo-liberalism is consistent with Scripture's perspective on idolatry. The study suggests that the theological theme of idolatry provides significant insight into the religious dimension that sustains neo-liberalism as an oppressive system of domination and a structure of social sin. The study includes recommendations for incorporating the theme of idolatry into Canadian Catholic social teaching so that the struggle for economic justice is presented as an issue of Christian faith as well an issue for social ethics.