The Promise of Financial Peace: Congregations, Personal Financial Literacy Teaching, and the Unique Appeal of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University
This paper engages congregational studies from the aperture of a particular practice claimed by more than a third of United States congregations: personal financial literacy teaching in the congregational context. Proceeding on the basis of a statistical analysis of the National Study of Congregations' Economic Practices (NSCEP), the paper investigates what kinds of congregations engage in personal financial literacy teaching, as well as correlated practices and possible outcomes of this practice. A key finding is that Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University is the only external curriculum named in the NSCEP by congregations who use external curricula for their personal financial literacy teaching. A qualitative textual analysis of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University curriculum follows, and findings are analyzed to discover and describe cultural, sociological, and theological narratives and frames to better understand the unique appeal and popularity of this mode of financial literacy teaching. Recommendations for congregational leaders and practitioners are offered, based on these findings.
congregations, Dave Ramsey, economics, financial literacy, Financial Peace University, pastor
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