试论中世纪天主教会高利贷观念的嬗变

On the Evolution of the Usury Concept of the Medieval Church

长期以来,学界的一个主流观点是:在西欧社会转型过程中,新教具有促进作用,天主教则是一种保守力量。言其保守,一个重要理由是认为天主教的高利贷禁令阻碍了商人发家致富。其实,这种观点没有注意到教会本身对高利贷态度的变化。在千余年的中古时代,教会精英与神学家面对社会经济发展的现实,也在不断地改变传统的看法,使其不断与社会现实相适应。

It is generally accepted that Catholic Church hindered the transition of the western society because its usury policy negated the commercial activities. By approaching the usury policy of the medieval church, the author affirms that the schoolmen and canonists constantly modified their views on usury to fit in with the social and economic development in the late medieval and early modern period.