Usury was prohibited in Christianity until not that long ago.

"At the time, usury was interest of any kind, and the canon forbade the clergy to lend money at interest rates even as low as 1 percent per year. Later ecumenical councils applied this regulation to the laity." - https://www.jstor.org/stable/3161033?seq=1#page_scan_tab_con...

I read somewhere that this is behind the awful stereotypes in the merchant of venice. Because of the historical prohibitions within the religion, loans were taken out with lenders from outside the religion.

It's been some time since my Bible studies but isn't there something in the Old Testament against loans / lending money with interest?

According to the following, it's prohibited:

[1] https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Leviticus+25:36%E2%80%9325...

[2] https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Exodus+22:25

No. It says the borrower is a slave to the lender and to be aware. But it is not against the Church.

Leviticus 25:36-37 says otherwise.

Judaism and Christianity. Although many of their followers strayed from the original teachings.