Some Aspects of Christian Normative Doctrine on Interest
The Law of Moses prohibited to lend money and natural goods on interest, but a serious indulgence was made — it was permitted to lend on interest to a foreigner. In the New Testament there is no explicit prohibition of charging loan interest. According to Christian doctrine, a perfect man should have such an internal disposition, that he gives loans without worrying about the return of the debt. It implied that he lent money not because of interest. Orthodox authors, giving, in general, a negative regulatory assessment of usury, were not inclined to categorical prohibition of interest in business practice. In modern Catholic teaching there exists a more liberal view of interest based on the difference between investment and consumer loans.