My reading list.

To teach Bitcoin and Catholic Social Teaching better - your recs appreciated

Updated: January 2025

My team and I are creating a course called Bitcoin and Catholic Social Teaching. In this post, I outline my one-year reading list to enhance my question-answering ability and make the next version of the course even better.

Our goal is to inspire learners to pursue life’s greatest purposes, strengthen their hope, faith, and charity, regardless of their religious affiliation. By teaching sound economic foundations, we aim to build stronger communities focused on eternity.

Please share your book recommendations if you have any.

TL;DR on goals: teach Bitcoin economics. Share truths of the faith.

How long is the study plan?

One year and a bit, to the end of 2025.

Why now?

Bitcoin runs on a four-year cycle, and we’re currently in the year where society tends to take notice again. I anticipate that more of our brothers and sisters struggling with inflation will be open to Bitcoin’s proposed solution.

Who are you?

I’m a professional course creator and curriculum developer. I came back to the faith hanging out with Bitcoiner friends in 2021. I love teaching and I love these subjects.

What’s not in the list?

Here’s my background, so while relevant to the course, you won’t find much in the list on these subjects:

Education

• Bachelor of Science, Process Engineering

• Bachelor of Arts, Economics

• Master of Science, Data Science (self-directed)

Work

• Summer Intern in Private Equity

• Process Intern in Mining

• Economics & Scheduling Intern in Energy

• Curriculum Developer & Writer in Data Science Online Education

• Content Developer in Data Science Online Education

• Curriculum Manager in Data Science Online Education

Bitcoin study

I’ve studied Bitcoin, monetary history, and finance since spring 2020. Not much for these on the list either.

Faith study - main goal

My catechesis was non-existent in 2021. It’s much better now, with self-study, Bible study, and RCIA. It’s the main focus of the list.

The list

Here’s the learning plan so far. A review to accompany each resource.

Austrian economics

Bitcoin has roots in Austrian theory.

• Carl Menger - Principles of Economics (1871) (PROGRESS: 60%)

• Dr. Jesús Huerta de Soto - Money, Bank Credit, and Economic Cycles (4th edition, 2020) (PROGRESS: 5%)

• More Dr. Huerta de Soto books I’ve yet to list here

Spanish econ scholastics

School of Salamanca (16th-17th centuries), a precursor to the Austrian school.

• Look up later - Dr. Jesús Huerta de Soto, an Austrian economics professor in Madrid, gifted us in Nov 2024 a set of books that incorporates the history and teachings of the School of Salamanca. That makes this section moot.

Distributism

When I tell my Catholic friends I’m teaching Bitcoin and econ, more than 3 times now has someone brought up distributism.

• Hilaire Belloc - The Servile State (1912)

• Hilaire Belloc - An Essay on the Restoration of Property (1936)

• Alexander William Salter - The Political Economy of Distributism: Property, Liberty, and the Common Good (2023)

Church and history

Bitcoiners love to interpret history through the lens of money. Many miss the lens of the Church.

• Hilaire Belloc - Europe and the Faith (1920) (DONE)

• G. K. Chesterton - The Everlasting Man (1925)

• Joseph Pearce - The Good, the Bad, and the Beautiful (2023)

Other Belloc books

Belloc seems like the guy.

• Hilare Belloc - The Great Heresies (1911)

• Hilare Belloc - Essays of a Catholic (1931)

• Hilare Belloc - The Path to Rome (1902)

Italian / Spanish

Visiting grandparents’ Italy for the first time this fall. Madrid for a Spanish faith community event. El Salvador for a Catholic Bitcoin retreat. Wait to see which to prioritize.

• Speak Abroad Academy - Learn Italian Fast for Adult Beginners (2024) - this book has many errors and now has Amazon reviews that reflect it

• Barbara Bregstein - Complete Spanish Step-by-Step (2016) - focusing on Italian

• Pimsleur - Italian 1

Bitcoin tech

Less savvy on under-the-hood software development than practical Bitcoin tech.

• Sjors Provoost - Bitcoin: A Work in Progress (2022)

Finance

Considering writing CFA level I exam to get the badge of trust. I have a DIY education and real-life experience in most exam areas. 300 hours of study.

• Ethical and Professional Standards

• Quantitative Methods

• Economics

• Financial Statement Analysis

• Corporate Issuers

• Equity Investments

• Fixed Income

• Derivatives

• Alternative Investments

• Portfolio Management and Wealth Planning

When Dr. Huerta de Soto gifted us his books in the Austrian economics section, I told my teammate, “So I’m not taking the CFA.” Too ambitious for this year.

Philosophy

• Not sure - review suggestions in comments

Theology

• Not sure - review suggestions in comments

Bible

• The Word on Fire Bible (Volume I): The Gospels (PROGRESS: 20%)

• The Word on Fire Bible (Volume II): Acts, Letters and Revelation

• The Word on Fire Bible (Volume III): The Pentateuch

Econ encyclicals

• Pope Leo XIII - Rerum Novarum (On the Condition of Labor) (1891)

• Pope Pius XI - Quadragesimo Anno (The Fortieth Year) (1931)

• Pope Paul VI - Populorum Progressio (On the Development of Peoples) (1967)

• Pope John Paul II - Centesimus Annus (On the Hundredth Year) (1991)

• Pope Benedict XVI - Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) (2009)

• Pope Francis - Laudato si’ (On Care for Our Common Home) (2015)

Others subject areas?

Your suggestions appreciated.

Goals: teach Bitcoin economics. Share truths of the faith.

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Course launch - spread the word

Bitcoin & Catholic Social Teaching is a Catholic adaptation of My First Bitcoin’s Diploma that El Salvador has used to graduate 30,000 students. I’ve added insights from the Bible, the Catechism, and Catholic economists. Please send me a message if you’d like to help by providing feedback before it goes live.