Description

How Money Became God: Rethinking Wealth and Greed in Modern Society with Paul Vigna

Veteran Wall Street Journal Reporter and Financial Expert
Wednesday, November 11th 2026 at 1:00 PM CST
Register now for your private live link or find the recording after the event here.

Join us for an eye-opening conversation with veteran journalist Paul Vigna as we examine his provocative book, The Almightier: How Money Became God, Greed Became Virtue, and Debt Became Sin, in which he explores the question: how did money go from a tool of commerce into the dominant faith of modern society?

In The Almightier, Vigna takes readers on a sweeping historical journey from Renaissance Florence to today’s global financial markets, revealing how wealth accumulation evolved from a moral failing into an unspoken civic virtue. He uncovers the forgotten history of money, tracing the uneasy and often accidental alliance between wealth and religion as it developed from ancient city-states to today’s secular world, where religious devotion has receded and greed has stepped in to fill the void.

Through engaging anecdotes, original research, and fresh perspectives on the causes of the many challenges we face today, Vigna makes a compelling argument that money has no power apart from the power we give it.

Whether you are interested in economic history, personal finance, or the hidden cultural forces shaping modern life, this talk is sure to pique your interest.

Register today to learn more about how devotion to money has replaced religion as the foundation of our society.

About the Author:

Paul Vigna is an author, journalist, editor and speaker, with a particular focus on capital markets and cryptocurrencies. He is the author of Guts: The Anatomy of The Walking Dead and coauthor of The Age of Cryptocurrency and The Truth Machine. For 25 years, he was a reporter and editor for Dow Jones Newswires and the Wall Street Journal, pioneering coverage of the cryptocurrency sector. He has appeared on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox, and PBS.

All events are free and open to the public.  For more information or to register for the author talks, visit https://libraryc.org/danvillepubliclibrary or call 217-477-5220.

Brought to you in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium and a grant from Danville Library Foundation.

The Library is committed to making programs accessible to all. If you would like an accommodation, please email the Community Relations Administrator at btruscelli@danvillepubliclibrary.org or call 217-477-5220 ext. 111.

The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Danville Public Library.