It is not so much the asceticism of biblical teaching, as its call to creativity and inventiveness, that accounts for the dynamism of Jewish and Christian civilization, including economic dynamism.

While some aspects of asceticism are certainly helpful for a culture, such as the idea of deferred gratification, what really makes civilization thrive is when we act according to our being created in the image and likeness of God.  As our God is creative, so are His children.  As He is the redeemer, we should be agents of cultural redemption with creativity and inventiveness towards the problems of this fallen world.  While many Christians primarily think of spiritual dimension of redemption (and rightly so), we must not forget that we are to shine our light in whatever we do–to include our economic and political life.