“It depends on what you mean by capitalism,” Pope John Paul II told a young Andreas Widmer, author of The Art of Principled Entrepreneurship and one of the guest speakers at the Daniels School’s 2025 Cornerstone for Business Conference, when Widmer asked if a Christian could be a capitalist.
Widmer came to the opportunity to query John Paul II while, as a member of the Swiss Guard assigned to the Vatican, he protected the Pope. During that time, his faith deepened and through his interactions with John Paul II, he experienced profound spiritual awakening.
“I also consider myself a convert to the American ideal, to the American dream, to American exceptionalism, to the free-market economy and to capitalism,” Widmer told the Daniels School's Dave Randich.
Arguably, popes aren’t known for being economists, but Widmer learned John Paul had a solid grasp on the subject.
John Paul’s “classic answer was ‘It depends what you mean by capitalism. If you mean the free market economy, that has three components to it — freedom of association, economic association and the moral public culture,’” Widmer said. The Pope told him, “This is the ideal environment to promote prosperity and human flourishing.”
Widmer’s early life in a small Swiss farming village of 400 people was far from the world of business. He describes himself as a poor student, more comfortable outdoors than in a classroom. He went from a restless young man to leadership roles at OTF Group, Eprise Corporation, Dragon Systems and FTP Software.
All the while, Widmer sought to deepen his understanding. He pursued a master’s in ministry and joined Monitor Group, a business consulting firm, seeking both spiritual and practical frameworks. Eventually, he wrote The Pope and the CEO, which explores the integration of faith and business leadership.
Widmer’s philosophy centers on the idea that work and entrepreneurship are fundamentally about service and asking, “How may I help you?” He stresses that true business is about value creation, not mere profit extraction. Drawing on both scripture and business experience, he likens entrepreneurship to participating in the divine act of creation: bringing new value to the world, serving others and striving for excellence.
He critiques both the “greed is good” caricature of capitalism and the notion that business is inherently dirty and must be redeemed through philanthropy. Instead, Widmer insists that business, when done rightly, is a net positive — a path to human flourishing.
Widmer is passionate about the role of education in shaping business leaders who create value rather than harvesting from others’ success. His teaching at Catholic University reflects this: every business student must start a business, discover their talents and learn that business is about solving problems and striving for excellence, not just making money.
Widmer’s philosophy of capitalism and entrepreneurship is the product of lived experience — success and failure, spiritual awakening, and intellectual curiosity. The true purpose of business, according to Widmer, is to create enduring value by serving others, nurturing human potential, and building networks of opportunity. For Widmer, capitalism, at its best, is not just compatible with faith and human dignity. It is a powerful engine for both.
