Author: Brian J. Grim (Georgetown University), Greg Clark (Brigham Young University), and Robert Edward Snyder (Brigham Young University)

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ABSTRACT

Against a global backdrop of steadily rising religious restrictions and hostilities, we expand the religious economies theory by articulating how religious freedom contributes to better economic and business outcomes. Most important, we expand on previous empirical work on the social impact of denying religious freedom, first by examining and finding a positive relationship between global economic competitiveness and religious freedom as exemplified by low government restrictions on religion and low social hostilities involving religion. Second, going beyond correlational relationship, we empirically test and find the tandem effects of religious restrictions and hostilities to be detrimental to economic growth while controlling for other theoretical, economic, political, social, and demographic factors. We conclude that religious freedom contributes to better economic and business outcomes, as is suggested by the religious economies theory.