The Holy Ledger.
The financial practices of religious institutions are a matter of public record and legitimate scholarly enquiry. This section examines those practices against the Red Letters, drawing on documented financial data, investigative journalism, and academic research.
Follow the Money
Where the tithes actually go. The global ledger of institutional religion: the property portfolios, the tax exemptions, the executive salaries, and the gap between what is preached and what is practised.
ReadThe Tithe System
An ancient agricultural tax repurposed as a perpetual income stream. The history of the tithe, what it was originally for, why you should not give it to any institution, and where your generosity should actually go.
ReadProsperity Gospel
God as investment vehicle. The theology that promises financial return on spiritual investment, who invented it, who profits from it, and why it is most aggressively marketed to the poorest communities on earth.
ReadRESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Financial claims in this section are drawn from publicly available data, including IRS filings, investigative journalism, and academic studies on religious economics. Key sources include the work of Ryan Cragun on church finances, investigative reporting by outlets including ProPublica and the Washington Post, and academic research on the prosperity gospel by Kate Bowler. Biblical analysis draws on mainstream New Testament scholarship. We welcome corrections and additions from researchers and journalists.
"You cannot serve both God and money."
Matthew 6:24