The Trinity and the economy: The God who cares about human welfare

Abstract

This article investigates how Trinitarian theology can ground an economic ethic oriented towards human welfare, by synthesising Michael Novak’s moral capitalism and Kathryn Tanner’s economy of grace. Focusing on the household (oikos) and oikonomia
motifs, the article proposes a “prosperous oikos” model that integrates individual initiative and responsibility with solidarity, redistribution, and ecological stewardship. The article employs qualitative literature analysis and constructive theological reflection to evaluate tensions and complementarities between Novak and Tanner within a Trinitarian framework. The article argues that the
intra-Trinitarian relations of love and mutuality provide a normative shape for economic institutions and practices that prioritise communal well-being. Practically, the proposed model recommends policy-relevant measures such as co-ownership, progressive social provisioning, and local ecological communality, while emphasising the formation of moral dispositions. The article concludes that
a Trinitarian-based oikonomia can reorient market logic towards human flourishing without collapsing either moral agency or social solidarity.