This article was first published on LinkedIn on 25 January 2026 by Lawrence Chong and is republished here with permission.
In response to the global “rupture” of the traditional economic order, this op-ed argues that the era of mere interfaith dialogue must evolve into a Creative Change Economy powered by Generative Covenant. With religious institutions owning 8% of habitable land and Islamic finance nearing $5 trillion, the faith sector represents a sleeping economic giant capable of replacing failing foreign aid models with independent, resilient infrastructure.
To operationalise this, we are launching the Multifaith Economy Mark (MEM)—a rigorous, auditable asset class governed by the 1/3 by 1/3 Covenant (1/3 reinvestment, 1/3 poverty alleviation, 1/3 investor yield) and benchmarked against the REDI Index and Economy of Communion standards. We invite global changemaker leaders and faith-based investors to London on October 15th at the Shape the World Summit to ratify this new taxonomy and transform billions in dormant faith assets into a stabilizing force for a fractured world.
At the recent World Economic Forum, Mark Carney did not offer the usual Davos platitudes about “transition.” He spoke instead of a “rupture.” The implicit guarantee of the American-led order—which for decades provided a security umbrella and a financial backstop for the world order—has fractured. We have entered an era where an integrated economy is being used as a tool for subjugation.
But this rupture is not just geopolitical; it is a moral and structural failure of the market itself. It is the precise crisis Pope Francis anticipated in 2017, when he addressed 1,200 entrepreneurs of the Economy of Communion at the Vatican. He offered a challenge that has haunted the faith-based business world for nearly a decade:
“We must work toward changing the rules of the game of the socio-economic system. Imitating the Good Samaritan of the Gospel is not enough… We must build a system where there are fewer victims.”
For nine years, we in the Economy of Communion movement, a faith-inspired economic model, have struggled to answer that challenge. We have played by the old rules, offering philanthropy as a band-aid for systemic bleeding. But the rupture demands more than charity; it demands a new operating system.
The time has come to retire the era of mere dialogue, old models of philanthropy, and inaugurate the era of Generative Capital, harnessing faith assets.
The Maturity of the Market
The infrastructure to “change the rules” is already built; it simply hasn’t been connected.
We are standing on the shoulders of 80 years of interfaith dialogue, dating back to the World Congress of Faiths in 1936. We have spent eight decades mastering the art of convening. While noble, this “diplomacy of gestures” is structurally inadequate for the moment we face. I myself have been involved in various roles in the interfaith world for more than 21 years, and I can say this model is now at a crossroads. There is certainly more we can do together.
Simultaneously, the financial tools have matured. In 2010, Consulus worked on the transformation of Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam, and it was an illuminating experience on how a faith-inspired financial system works. Modern Islamic Finance, which is recognised by the global financial markets, is approaching its 50th anniversary (marked by the founding of the Dubai Islamic Bank in 1975). This is not a niche experiment; it is a market-tested faith-led financial sector valued at $4.5 trillion and projected to hit $6.7 trillion by 2027. It has been proven that a financial system inspired by faith values, built on risk-sharing, can weather global crises better than its secular counterparts.
When you combine this with the broader “faith sector,” which alone contributes roughly $1.2 trillion annually to the U.S. economy, and if you add in that the world’s religions own 8% of the world’s habitable land, you do not have a charity sector. You have a sleeping economic superpower.
Our answer to Pope Francis’s Challenge: The Multifaith Economy Mark
While Davos was going on, Brian J. Grim, Matthew Jones and I were in London for key meetings with financial and faith institutions seeking to operationalize Pope Francis’s call to “change the rules,” we are establishing the Global Multifaith Economy Council (GMEC) that will comprise of financial and faith investment professionals to introduce a new asset class: the Multifaith Economy Mark (MEM).
The MEM will be a technical taxonomy designed to stand up to the scrutiny of financial markets. Strategically managed by Consulus, it serves as a risk-mitigation tool for the post-rupture era, anchored by two pillars of rigor:
- The REDI Index (Religious Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion): In a polarized world, religious homogeneity is a liability. The REDI Index, already adopted by Fortune 500 leaders like Intel, Dell, and American Airlines, benchmarks corporate ability to be faith-friendly workplaces.
- The Economy of Communion (EoC): This is the MEM’s “operating system.” Going beyond ESG commitments, the EoC is supported by over 400 peer-reviewed scientific papers documenting the resilience of firms that prioritize reciprocity.
The New Rule of the Game: 1/3 rule inspired by EoC
Pope Francis asked for new rules. The Multifaith Economy Mark (MEM) will propose a specific impact model inspired by the call of all faiths to be sustainable and impact-oriented. I call it the Generative Covenant, which is inspired by the Economy of Communion approach:
- 1/3 Reinvestment: Locked reserves to ensure firm stability.
- 1/3 Impact Dividend: Disbursed directly to local poverty alleviation (the “Good Samaritan” function, but structural).
- 1/3 Investor Yield: Market-rate returns for sovereign and institutional partners.
This is Generative Capital, inspired by the core essence of all faith values. It does not rely on the benevolence of a donor state. It creates a closed-loop system where the asset funds the social safety net, all while providing a competitive yield to the investor. The Trump 2.0 era has accelerated the demise of the fantasy that American aid will be perpetual. It is time to create virtuous cycles of capital and be responsible stewards, instead of aid or philanthropy alone.
Converging in London: An Invitation to Act
We are not working in a vacuum. Since we began this project from the Vatican in June at the last Shape the World Summit, we have engaged in deep discussions with stakeholders from major financial institutions and global faith institutions. Many are already thinking along these lines, recognizing that the old silos between faith and finance are crumbling in the face of the rupture.
To formalise this convergence, we will unveil the full technical details of this taxonomy and the Multifaith Economy Mark at the Shape the World Summit in London on October 15th this year. It is a part of the Dare to Overcome Week of events.
We invite all leaders—sovereign, spiritual, and corporate—to join us there. The time has come to answer Pope Francis’s challenge. The era of the “Interfaith Dialogue” sign has passed. It is time to put up the sign of “Multifaith Economy Now.”
About the Author
Lawrence Chong is a global strategist and has advised faith institutions in finance, healthcare, and education in his role as the Group CEO of Consulus. A recognized leader in the faith-and-business sector, he was appointed by Pope Francis in 2020 and reappointed by Pope Leo XIV in 2025 as a Consultor to the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue (2020–Present). He serves as the Chair for the Economy of Communion in Asia Pacific and is the Convenor of the Shape the World Summit. In 2024, he was named a King Hussein Global Business and Intercultural Peace Awardee for his work in bridging faith and economy. He is the Chair for the Hosting Committee for the 50th anniversary of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace and a Council member of the Interreligious Organisation Singapore, the world’s oldest interfaith group.
About Consulus
Founded in Singapore in 2004, Consulus is a global creative change firm working with persons, organisations, and cities in their transfiguration toward an Economy of Communion. With a presence in 23 countries, Consulus believes that purpose and unity are essential to innovation and inclusive growth. Consulus shapes economic impact through indexes, such as the Economy of Communion, Design and Impact, and Multifaith Economy.
References:
- Mark Carney on “The Rupture”: Mark Carney, World Economic Forum, Davos, 2026.
- Pope Francis’s Challenge (2017): Address to Participants in the Meeting “Economy of Communion”, Paul VI Audience Hall, Feb 4, 2017. (Source: Vatican Archives).
- Lawrence Chong: Dialogue Is Crucial In An Increasingly Polarised World by A+ Magazine
- Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Transformation by Consulus: Bruneian at Heart
- Islamic Finance Growth: S&P Global Ratings, “Islamic Finance 2024-2025: Resilient Growth Amid Global Uncertainty,” citing the $4.5T valuation and 50-year maturity since 1975.
- The Faith Economy Valuation: Grim, B. J., & Grim, M. E. (2016). “The Socio-economic Contribution of Religion to American Society,” Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion. (Source for the $1.2T figure).
- Faith-Owned Land: Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) & UNEP Data, estimating roughly 7-8% of habitable land is owned by religious groups.
- REDI Index Adoption: Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF), “Corporate Religious Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Index 2023,” listing Intel, Dell, and American Airlines as top performers.
- Economy of Communion Rigor: EoC Scientific Committee Database listing 400+ papers and theses globally.
- Interfaith History: World Congress of Faiths (est. 1936) marks the ~80-year timeline of formal dialogue.
