How was financial profit viewed in Medieval Europe?

Question

What was the attitude of people in Medieval Europe towards earning money, making a profit etc. I know that in some places Jews were well established as merchants because, from the point of the view of Christians, it was not moral to deal with money in speculative way.

Answer 1

Financial profit in the Middle Ages, along with almost all aspects of life, was viewed within the context of Christendom; that is, everything belonged to God and His church (i.e. Catholicism). This is why we do not see as many peasant uprisings or revolutions in Medieval Europe compared to the Enlightenment or early 20th-century Russia. Medieval Europeans viewed class systems as instituted by God - not just the classes, but those within them. For example, a king was such because he was appointed by God, and a peasant was such because he or she was appointed by God. Therefore, it was their duty to live out their calling as best they could. Financial profit fit within this context. There were exceptions, however. During the Crusades, many in poverty left for the Holy Land in pursuit of riches. However, the general consensus was that all earthly material belonged to God first and foremost.