He was one of the co-founders of the influential Departamento Ecuménico de Investigaciones in Sabanilla, Costa Rica, along with Hugo Assmann and Pablo Richard.

After the Pinochet coup, he went to the Departmento Ecuménico de Investigaciones in Sabanilla, Costa Rica.

He wrote extensively and critically about the neoliberal economic model, anti-utopian and anti-socialist views within religion and politics as well as the syncretism of Marxism and Christianity.

His criticisms include those of the economists Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek as well as the philosopher Karl Popper.

In 2012 Jim Finn made a portrait documentary called Sunday School with Franz Hinkelammert.