Digital stewardship: Towards theology of digital banking

Abstract

The article explored the intersection of financial technology and Christian ethics, proposing a framework for a Theology of Digital Banking centred on digital stewardship. As banking transitions from the physical space of brick-and-mortar to invisible streams of data, the traditional theological frameworks of stewardship, ethics and the concept of success face new opportunities and challenges. In digital banking, talent is not just money; it is data, digital assets, and financial literacy. The study posited that societies must better navigate the digital economy, advocating for a human-centred digital banking system that prioritizes high-frequency trading, human flourishing and the common good over algorithmic extraction. It concludes that a robust digital stewardship requires more than technical proficiency; it demands a liturgical approach to finance that prioritizes human dignity, transparency, and the common good in an increasingly digitized world. The article recommends that zero growth and digital banking illiteracy are social wickedness to which the banking industry must respond with a public literacy campaign beyond the National Banking College and banking professionals, especially with the emergence and spread of financial technology, digital and AI banking.