Liminal Living 139: Matt Tebbe: Reimagining God Beyond Empire Economics Pt 2 of 2
Oct 8, 2025
Matt Tebbe, pastor and author rethinking Christianity’s relationship to money and culture. He explores how Enlightenment thought moved God away from material life. Topics include debt relief as a biblical concern, how capitalism shapes faith, Christian nationalism’s distortions, and small communal experiments—like local banking and meal co-ops—that push back against mammon.
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God Removed From Material Life
- Capitalism and the Enlightenment moved God out of material life into private abstractions, separating money from spiritual claims.
- Matt Tebbe argues Jesus saw the material as spiritual, so treating money as purely economic evacuates faith from communal life.
Pushback After Defending Debt Relief
- Matt Tebbe described posting pro-debt-relief scripture and getting called by his ecclesial superior to stop sharing it.
- Christianity Today published his piece alongside anti-relief voices, exposing denominational resistance to celebrating debt cancellation.
Debt Relief Is A Biblical Value Missing Today
- Tebbe highlights that Scripture consistently celebrates debt relief, yet modern Christians often view debt purely as personal fault.
- This blind spot reveals capitalism's hold where releasing debt isn't seen as a spiritual good.