Leonard Theological College Subject: Jesus' Movement in Pauline Circle Topic: Unit-VI Paul and Poverty Submitted to: Ashok Ram Rana Subitted by: Victor James Date: 29 th (original) (raw)
Related papers
Towards constructing Paul’s economic vision on poverty: The Jerusalem collection
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi, 2000
Set against a broader discussion of Paul’s economical perspectives, the emphasis of this article is on some of his directives concerning poverty. As much as the Pauline letters cannot be seen as a textbook for economic theory and practice, they offer no ready-made answers for addressing poverty, ancient or modern, either. It is in particular when addressing poverty – which he never did in abstract - that Paul’s considerable concern for the socio-economical situation of the communities he addressed becomes apparent. For Paul, evidently, poverty is not disconnected from other matters in the community such as righteousness and fellowship. These matters can easily be observed in Paul’s motivation of the collection for the churches in Jerusalem. Some implications of Paul’s treatment of poverty for theological thinking in this regard, are briefly explored.
Paul, Poverty, and Economic Justice
Published in Human Flourishing: Economic Wisdom for a Fruitful Christian Vision of the Good Life, edited by Greg Forster and Anthony R. Cross. Eugene, Pickwick,, 2020
The purpose of this paper is to investigate Paul’s understanding of economic justice, as evidenced in his letters. Twenty-first century debates such as that between equality of outcome and equality of opportunity do not enter into Paul’s first-century letters. Nevertheless, given that Paul does discuss issues such as wealth and poverty, giving practices, and master-slave relationships, it is worth asking whether Paul has in mind some particular vision of economic justice, and so, how does Paul envisage that justice coming about? The paper compares attitudes and responses to poverty and justice found in Greco-Roman and Jewish sources with Paul. Jewish and Greco-Roman reflections on poverty have significant parallels. Study of Paul shows also some overlaps, despite the brevity of the corpus of his letters. Paul is content whether he is poor or affluent. He accepts the poverty that he suffers as a persecuted apostle of Christ, knowing that God has put him in that position, and he chooses to remain in his calling. He exhorts believers to work hard with their own hands, and not become dependent on others, and seeks to set an example of this practice in his own life. He urges and organizes acts of generosity to the poor, especially to fellow believers. Concerning justice there are several key conclusions. First, as with Romans and Jews, there is no evidence that Paul, who is both Jewish and a Roman citizen, sees poverty in itself as evidence that injustice has been committed. There is no call for mandatory redistribution. Second, Paul upholds the obligation for justice in certain relationships, such as the obligation on families to look after their own elderly widows. Third, Paul sees justice, or equality, being worked out through the mutual care of believers for one another over time, as they give voluntarily, generously and in proportion to their means, shaped by the self-giving of Christ himself. And ultimately, for Paul, hope is in God, not on riches in this age. Life in this age is like shivering in a tent, waiting for the sun to rise—for mortality to be swallowed up by immortality (2 Cor. 5:4).
Poverty, Prosperity and the Gospel: Is there Economic Good News for the Poor in Paul?
Journal of Baptist Theology and Ministry, 2022
This article explores a Pauline theology of divine provision. In the light of the growth of the so-called ‘prosperity gospel’, or faith movement, it looks at key Pauline texts, including some used by prosperity-gospel advocates, in their first-century context, and asks what was Paul’s attitude to poverty, and how he saw economic needs being met. It examines the role of work, family and church in meeting the needs of the poor. It shows that generosity, and to some extent faith, often seen as the keys to wealth in the prosperity-gospel system, do have roles to play in a Pauline theology of provision, but only alongside other important values, practices and beliefs, and need to be set in Christological and eschatological context.
Poverty in the Early Church and Today: A Conversation
Poverty in the Early Church and Today: A Conversation , 2019
This innovative volume focuses on the significance of early Christianity for modern means of addressing poverty, by offering a rigorous study of deprivation and its alleviation in both earliest Christianity and today’s world. The contributors seek to present the complex ways in which early Christian ideas and practices relate to modern ideas and practices, and vice versa. In this light, the book covers seven major areas of poverty and its causes, benefaction, patronage, donation, wealth and dehumanization, ‘the undeserving poor’, and responsibility. Each area features an expert in early Christianity in its Jewish and Graeco-Roman settings, paired with an expert in modern strategies for addressing poverty and benefaction; each author engages with the same topic from their respective area of expertise, and responds to their partner’s essay. Giving careful attention toboth the continuities and discontinuities between the ancient world and today, the contributors seek to inform and engage church leaders, those working in NGOs concerned with poverty, and all interested in these crucial issues, both Christian and not.
Subsistence, Swapping, and Paul's Rhetoric of Generosity (JBL 137 [2018])
2018
Although there is broad consensus that the majority of the early Christ-followers were poor, descriptions of the economic practices of their assemblies have focused on the contributions of a surplus-possessing minority. This article employs ethnographic accounts of the economic activities of the poor to challenge the assumption that Paul’s injunctions to generosity were targeted primarily at wealthier members. Since there is ample evidence from numerous societies of sharing among the poor, one cannot deduce from the fact that Paul commends generosity that he is addressing those with surplus resources. Moreover, the moral rhetoric employed by Paul addresses just such concerns as commonly arise when the poor participate in networks of reciprocal exchange. What Paul envisions and seeks to nurture are local networks of Christ-followers who utilize their mostly subsistence-level resources for their mutual benefit.
THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE TO POVERTY: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE 21st CENTURY CHURCH
Journal of Community Positive Practices, 2021
The concept of poverty is multifaceted as regards to humanity because of its description as being spiritual and material. From its antiquity, poverty has contributed to hunger and other related effects such as diseases which have fuelled the devastations of global community in matters of food production. This article focuses on the Christian response to poverty and its implications to the 21st century Church. It addresses the nature of poverty as absolute and relative. The causes based on the Church's historical proponents, theologians and biblical causes are highlighted. In its implications, one should take a holistic approach towards human sustenance of good life. God is the source of this wealth and material possessions are good and valuable, that man should not pride with it in exclusion of God. In conclusion, transformation of the sinful humanity is the beginning of the alleviation of both spiritual and material poverty. Stewardship and generosity are the gateway out of poverty.
Bible in Africa Studies 12, 2013
The article focuses on the beatitude of the poor in the social and religious con-text of historical Jesus. The original version of this makarism has to be seen as a religious statement which is not meant as a program of social reform. Yet it has political and socio-ethical implications as it connects the poor with God and his kingdom. Those who are searching God have to go to the poor. A pos-sible function of the beatitude of the poor in the struggle against poverty can be seen in the spiritual empowerment it gives to the poor themselves: Poverty is against God’s will; it is no divine punishment and does not separate from God. The poor are people with a future; they will be liberated from suffering. Poverty has no place in God’s Kingdom but will be eradicated.