The Art of Manliness Podcast

Episode: Money and Meaning — What Faith Traditions Teach Us About Personal Finance
Guest: Tom Levinson
Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Brett McKay

Overview

This episode explores how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam view personal finance—not just as a practical matter, but as a deeply meaningful, even spiritual, dimension of life. Brett McKay speaks with Tom Levinson, a financial advisor with a background in religious studies from Harvard Divinity School, about what faith traditions can teach us about money, values, and living well.

Key Topics & Insights

Tom Levinson’s Unlikely Journey from Religion Student to Financial Advisor

[02:49–05:20]

• Tom didn’t grow up religious but became intrigued by spirituality after taking a religion class in high school ("I am a very unlikely religion nerd...I found myself getting really energized by the subject matter." — Tom, 03:05).
• At Harvard Divinity School, Tom considered becoming a rabbi, seeking to integrate religious ideals into everyday life.
• Volunteered at a maximum-security prison leading spiritual discussion groups, which became his “most important classroom.”
• Inspired by Martin Buber’s idea (from I and Thou) that “we find the divine in the space between each other,” he learned that dialog and relationships can foster deep spiritual encounters (07:14).

Road Trip Across America: Learning from Everyday Spiritual Life

[08:19–11:41]

• Tom wrote All That's Holy after driving across the U.S. to talk to ordinary people about their spirituality.
• He met an incredible diversity of people: “Muslim shopkeeper in Dayton, Ohio...Pentecostal preachers in Northern California, Buddhists, Orthodox Jews, Mormons, missionaries…” (09:58).
• These stories shaped his own relationship with faith and highlighted the value of wrestling with big questions through honest conversation.

“Money Conversations Are About Much More Than Money”

[11:41–14:13]

• Tom’s transition to financial advising was a natural fit: “When I have conversations with people about money, the conversations are always about more than money. They're about their hopes and dreams and aspirations, and they are about their fears and anxieties and insecurities.” (11:48)
• He sees his work as paralleling the pastoral role of a rabbi, helping people navigate not only portfolios but deeper life questions.

Money in Ancient Scriptures: More Than Just Practical Advice

[15:16–18:51]

• Money is one of the most common themes in ancient texts; Jesus talked about it more than almost anything else, and economic rules are central in the Torah.
• “Our wisdom traditions...are clear eyed and practical, and on the other hand they are aspirational and inspiring and they are saying, like, there's another world that's possible and like, here's the roadmap for trying to accomplish it.” (15:42)
• The ethical and spiritual questions around money remain unchanged: “There's not that much new under the sun.” — Brett (18:51)

What Judaism Teaches About Money

[19:01–32:04]

• Central idea: Money is “a vehicle for divine service” and fundamentally intertwined with spiritual life.
• Deuteronomy 6: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being and all your might [which Rashi interprets as property/money/wealth].”
• Material and spiritual needs are linked: Pirke Avot—“Without flour, there’s no Torah, and without Torah, there’s no flour.” Balancing material sufficiency and spiritual guidance is key.
• Idolatry and Money: The Hebrew Bible repeatedly warns against making money an idol (26:17). “Judaism takes seriously the prospect that money can rise to the level of a kind of godly state...with affluence and comfort, Moses is expressing this really deep anxiousness about how will you behave...” — Tom (26:17)
• Ecclesiastes: Highlights the emptiness of striving for wealth alone; even “incredible worldly success...yet at the same time he feels this emptiness and this sense that, you know, all is vanity...” — Tom (26:17)
• Practices:
  • Tzedakah (charity/justice)—giving is not just charity, but a way to repair the world. (29:53)
  • Shabbat (Sabbath)—resting from work reinforces the idea that human worth isn't just in productivity. "We've celebrated and observed Shabbat as a family for 25 years... It's an important grounding, anchoring practice, no matter what's going on in your life." — Tom (31:00)

What Christianity Teaches About Money

[32:04–37:16]

• Jesus spoke frequently about money, offering seemingly diverse (even contradictory) teachings.
• Core message: Money is not evil in itself; “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” (First Timothy 6, 32:56)
• "Jesus is really focused on, what are your priorities? What are your points of emphasis in the life you live? And how do you keep money in a place of perspective imbalance and not let it overwhelm all these other really important domains of our lives." — Tom (35:26)
• Parables like the Rich Young Ruler and the Widow’s Mite highlight personalized teachings: some are warned about loving possessions too much; others are praised for generosity regardless of amount.
• “It's all about your relationship to money. And maybe that idea can help us square some of Jesus's diverse teachings about it, because he's addressing the different ways that money can become a problem...” — Brett (35:34)

What Islam Teaches About Money

[37:16–41:13]

• Islam recognizes economic activity as central to life; Muhammad himself was a merchant.
• Business conducted with honesty and integrity is spiritually significant: “His wife Khadijah, who was a wealthy person, proposed to Muhammad because of the character traits that he exhibited in his business life.” — Tom (37:19)
• No voluntary poverty: “Living a comfortable life, that’s okay. But hoarding? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. That's not okay.” (37:19)
• Marketplace as community-building: The market built in Medina encouraged tribes to interact peacefully.
• Zakat (charitable giving) is one of Islam’s five pillars, and fasting during Ramadan fosters empathy for the poor and recommits believers to generosity.

Common Threads Across Traditions

[41:13–42:02]

• While doctrinal details differ, all three faiths agree:
  • Money is necessary and can be positive, if kept in balance.
  • Excessive focus on money risks idolatry and harms connection to others.
  • Generosity and care for the vulnerable are non-negotiable.

Financial Practices as Spiritual Disciplines

[42:02–44:34]

• Budgeting as mindfulness:
  • Inspired by Jesse Mecham (You Need a Budget): “Budgeting is an exercise for both intention and attention... that's a discipline and that's a kind of mindfulness practice.” — Tom (42:19)
• Spending aligned with values:
  • Small choices (like where you shop) can help shape the world you want to live in.
  • “Aligning your spending with your values is really important. What kind of world do we want to be living in?” — Tom (42:19)
• Reviewing calendars and checkbooks:
  • “How you spend your time and your money reveals your true priorities in life.” — Brett (44:34)

Raising Kids & Countercultural Practices

[45:00–47:05]

• Shabbat as countercultural: Regular rest and celebration outside of productivity culture can ground children in values deeper than consumerism.
• Charitable giving: Don’t automate all generosity—make aspects of giving personal and relational.
• “Culture is a powerful liturgist...there are ways that you don't want to automate — you want the focus to be on relationship and not on transaction." — Tom (45:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “When I have conversations with people about money, the conversations are always about more than money. They're about their hopes and dreams and aspirations, and they are about their fears and anxieties and insecurities.” — Tom Levinson [11:48]
• “Money is a vehicle for divine service.” — Tom [19:14]
• On Ecclesiastes: “Part of what Ecclesiastes is saying is, like, hey, this is a person who has achieved everything...and yet at the same time he feels this emptiness...” — Tom [26:17]
• “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” — Tom [35:26]
• “Aligning your spending with your values is really important. What kind of world do we want to be living in?” — Tom [42:19]
• “You look at their calendar and their checkbook. Because how you spend your time and your money reveals your true priorities in life.” — Brett [44:34]
• “Culture is a powerful liturgist...you want the focus to be on relationship and not on transaction.” — Tom [45:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:49 — Tom’s background & path to studying religion
• 05:28 — Prison discussion groups as true “classroom” for spirituality
• 08:39 — Cross-country road trip to learn about American spirituality
• 11:41 — Moving from divinity school to financial advising
• 15:16 — Why ancient scriptures talk about money so much
• 19:01 — Jewish perspective: Deuteronomy, Talmud, Ecclesiastes
• 26:17 — Idolatry & money in the Hebrew Bible
• 29:53 — Jewish practices: Tzedakah, Shabbat
• 32:04 — Christianity: Jesus’ diverse teaching on money
• 37:16 — Islam: Muhammad’s life, zakat, Ramadan, and markets
• 42:02 — Budgets & spending as spiritual disciplines
• 45:00 — Raising countercultural kids: Shabbat, giving, resisting consumerism

Resources & Further Exploration

• Money, Meet Meaning Podcast — Hosted by Tom Levinson, exploring spirituality and money
• All That's Holy: A Young Guy, An Old Car, and the Search for God in America by Tom Levinson
• “You Need a Budget” (Jesse Mecham)

Conclusion

Money, far from being just a practical concern, is deeply woven into our values and spiritual lives. Ancient scriptures and faith traditions contend with the same questions about money we do today: How do we acquire it, manage it, and share it without letting it dominate us? By turning financial habits into spiritual disciplines, and cultivating practices like generosity, rest, and mindful spending, anyone—regardless of religious affiliation—can find meaning (and peace) in how they navigate their financial life.

(Summary compiled for listeners who want key insights and a practical distillation of this episode of The Art of Manliness Podcast.)