Remember when the existence of an Islamic studies program at Harvard Law that included instruction in Sharia-compliant finance was touted as evidence that Justice Elena Kagan would support the imposition of Taliban-style Islamic law in the United States? Well we’ve got another stealth jihad co-conspirator in the mix — Pope Benedict XVI:

The Vatican has taken the unusual step of expressing support for Islamic banking, suggesting in a 2009 issue of its publication L’Osservatore Romano that conventional banks can regain clients’ trust by adopting the “ethical principles” that form the cornerstone of Islamic finance.

What kind of stealth jihadist doesn’t want like an all-American predatory loan? The reality is that the only way to stop the growth of Islamic finance is to stop capitalism.

Good luck with that.

Adam Serwer is a writing fellow at The American Prospect and a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He also blogs at Jack and Jill Politics and has written for The Village Voice, The Washington Post, The Root, and the Daily News. Follow @adamserwer