RELIST
With his trademark directness, Giles Fraser recounts a dramatic conversion experience that took place in a Notting Hill street café and reflects on its life-changing implications.

A paid up, left leaning socialist, conversion to Christianity had only strengthened his belief that wealth creation was another name for greed. With its 'eye of a needle' theology, Christianity surely stood against all forms of capitalism. Then, over a latte, watching a street market in action, it all changed and a moral and theological vision of market capitalism took hold.

Here he argues that market economics can sit alongside progressive Christian theology. He explores why Christianity has been so snooty about money (unlike Judaism and Islam) and the popular misconceptions that fuel the church's narrow minded antipathy.

If the market is a crucial means to underwriting human freedom, maintaining social diversity, encouraging peaceful relationships between people and, not least, making poor people richer, then could the Church take a few lessons from it and discover how to harness some of its energy?