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The oldest denominations of Christianity, Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy neither encouraged nor supported the competitive nature of capitalism as an economic system, "for blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth." And they routinely relied on European governments to pay for the construction of their churches, and if some government threatened not to, the leader was excommunicated until he did.
The denominations that encouraged the growth of capitalism were Protestant sects that believed in predestination, largely the Calvinists. That some people are destined for heaven or hell before they are born. However, in their beliefs, it was believed that a person destined for heaven would show it in the fortune that he received/earned... thus a rich man was clearly destined for heaven because God had made it his destiny. This change in religious beliefs inspired a large number of Calvinists to embrace a capitalistic economy, as the competitiveness would enable them to accumulate more wealth to prove that they had God's favor.
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How did Christianity provide a boost for the emergence of Capitalism?
