Introduction
On a
hillside in Galilee nearly two millennia ago, Jesus spoke the words that have
echoed throughout the centuries – “Blessed are you who are poor” (Luke 6:20a).[1] Who are
the poor? Why are they blessed? What did Jesus mean when he said this and other
things concerning the poor? The poor and the wealthy have a long history that
can be borne out through textual and historical examples and considerations.
By
examining the history of how Christians have treated the poor and the idea of
the poor, we are able to then bridge the gap between the poor seen in the
canonical Biblical texts and today’s poor. The Second Vatican Council declared
that each human being was created in the image of God and has inherent value.
If this is the case – what has and does Christianity teach theologically in
regard to the poor, and how have Christians throughout history lived out their
views?
This paper
is an attempt to describe modern efforts to help the poor – often called the
“preferential option for the poor” – what is being done about the poor, and how
our theology has shifted. As a result, the intention is not only to provide
further clarification and understanding to ancient Biblical passages on the
poor as well as various Christian historical developments, but also to treat
the human being as that – a human being. Popes toward the end of the 1800s as
well as several Popes in the last century – such as Pope Saint John Paul II and
Pope Francis – dealt with this enormous topic and problem that has been facing
our world for centuries.
Part of
this is influenced by Vatican II, which shifted the theological emphasis on the
poor and the effects are still being felt today. By examining the past, then,
we are able to venture forth into the future. There are certainly several
political, social, economic and other factors that deal with the poor and
poverty overall, but although there will be usage of such elements, this paper
is intended to be historically and theologically based, so despite a variety of
other considerations, they do not fall within the scope of the paper.
Judeo-Christian Views in Antiquity
on Poverty
In Greek times, there were two
common terms used for the poor - penes
and ptochos, which have a variety of
meanings. The term penes generally
means “the working poor” and ptochos
means “the destitute beggar who is outside or at the fringes of society.”[2]
However, the terms do not always necessarily mean absolute poverty. They can
also “refer to someone who is not wealthy enough to lead a life of leisure and
independence, and therefore, could be considered one of the common people, or
as someone with a low income.”[3]
There were other terms, such as endeomenos
(the needy; as in Didache 4:8) and hysteroumenos (lacking; as in Hermas 5.3.7), that were used in early
Christian contexts.[4]
Bearing this in mind, by the time of
Jesus in the 1st century AD, although the poor did not themselves
constitute an actual social class, much of Christian focus was on the poor and
poverty. In fact, in not only the New Testament but also in the Old, much of
canonical Scripture either relates directly or indirectly to the poor, so that
if all the relevant text was cut out, there would be very few pages left of
Scripture.[5]
It is therefore relevant to examine the Biblical texts which inform so much of
Christian social teaching and current views on poverty. During the Greco-Roman
times, there was a prominent belief that poverty was a curse from the gods or
the result of demonic activity, as well as the idea that the poor were utterly
unworthy of attention, of compassion and of solace.[6]
This was the context in which
Christianity began. A cursory glance at various texts provides different
aspects on the poor and how it affects the poor. For example, the Revelation of John condemns imperialism,
the Letter of Jacob[7]
is a local prophetic critique of poverty, Dr. Luke’s Acts of the Apostles displays a charity model, the Shepherd of Hermas shows God-given
wealth, and the Didache emphasizes
siblinghood as a reason to share possessions. Evidently, there were a variety
of thoughts on poverty and a myriad of approaches. But what does the canonical
Scriptures actually say?
According to the Hebrew Bible, God
promises to bless those who bless the poor (Psalm 41:1-3, 112; Proverbs 14:21, 31; 19:17, 22:9, 28:27; Isaiah 58:6-10) but to judge those who oppress and denounce the poor (Deuteronomy 27:19; Proverbs 17:5, 21:13, 22:16, 28:27; Isaiah 10:1-4; Ezekiel 16:49, 18:12-13). Similarly, God is seen in various roles throughout Scripture.
In relation to the poor, he is seen as defender of the fatherless and the oppressed (Deuteronomy
10:18; Psalm 10:16-18; 40:17, 68:5; Jeremiah 22:16), the protector
of the poor (Psalm 12:5), the rescuer
of the poor (1st Samuel 2:8; Psalm 35:10, 72:4, 12-14; Isaiah 19:20; Jeremiah 20:13), the provider
of the poor (Psalm 68:10, 146:7; Isaiah 41:17), the savior of
the poor (Psalm 34:6, 109:31) and the refuge of the poor (Psalm 14:6; Isaiah 25:4).
When
the Israelites received the Mosaic Law (sometime between
AD 1400-1200), there were a number of points which concerned the poor. The poor
were given the right to glean fields (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 24:19, 21), during the
sabbatical year, the poor were able to get food by sharing in the produce from
the vineyards and the fields (Exodus 23:11; Leviticus 25:6). Further,
during the year of Jubilee, the poor could have their property returned (Leviticus 25:25-30), those who
borrowed from the poor had to return the possession before the setting of the
sun (Exodus 22:25-27; Deuteronomy 24:10-13), and the rich
were commanded to be charitable toward the poor (Deuteronomy 15:7-11). There are
other points mentioned – the poor were to share in feats (Deuteronomy 16:11, 14; Nehemiah 8:10) and part of
tithes were to be given to the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; 26:12-13). Intertestamental literature
highlights the generosity and virtues of the righteous rich, such as Abraham,
Job, Judith and Susanna, and their goodness in caring for the poor is seen as
essential in the apocryphal wisdom literature (Jubilees 16:22-25; Testament
of Abraham. 1:5; Testament of Job
9-13; Susanna; Sirach 3:30-31; 4:1-10; Tobit
1:8; Wisdom 19:14-15, etc.). Also, in Intertestamental literature, charitable practices
were understood as a ransom for sins (as in Tobit
4:10, “Giving to charity frees a person from death.”).
In
the New Testament we
find similar references to treatment of the poor as in the Hebrew Bible (Luke 3:11, 14:13; Acts 6:1; Galatians 2:10; James 2:15-16). St. Paul entreats
us to “Remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10) and cautions against a
love of money (1st Timothy
6:10), but not proper usage of money. Also, it is worth noting that Dr. Luke’s
gospel portrays Jesus as being born into poor conditions; 2nd Corinthians 8:9 describes Jesus becoming poor for us
so that we may become rich. Another aspect of the poor seen in the New
Testament is begging. Begging was not common in Hebrew Bible times, but it was
during the 1st century in Palestine (see Luke 16:20-21, for example). However,
it was forbidden to beg if you were able to work, and you were called as a
Christian to “work with [your] own hands” (1st Thessalonians 4:11; 2nd Thessalonians
3:7-13; Ephesians 4:28).
Elsewhere
in the New Testament, the word “poor” is used in the figurative context (Matthew 5:3; Luke 6:20; 2nd
Corinthians 8:9; Revelation 3:17). It is here
that the Beatitudes
enter into discussion. There are two varying accounts of the Beatitudes, one
recorded in Matthew’s gospel and the other recorded in Dr. Luke’s gospel.
Matthew’s version contains nine beatitudes whereas Dr. Luke’s has only four.
The first three found in both Matthew
and Luke are in line with Jewish tradition, particularly that of Isaiah
and the Psalms. Attention is called
to those who are in lowly conditions, those who are captive and those who live
in ruined cities according to the prophet Isaiah. The mission of Christ, then,
is seen in both Matthew and Luke as helping others: those who are in
need morally, economically and socially. For the earliest Christians, Matthew’s
beatitudes were used as the basis of requirements for Christian living (as in the
Didache, which is primarily based on
Matthew’s gospel). Later on, St. Augustine, St. Gregory and Martin Luther also
used the beatitudes to show concern for the poor.
We can also grasp Scripture’s view
of poverty by examining various aspects of the life of Christ. Consider that in
Luke 2:8-20, the shepherds come to
bear witness to Christ after being visited by an angelic host. As one scholar
pointed out, “Why such a special invitation for lowly shepherds, at the bottom
of the cultural barrel? Most Bible experts see a theme in this story: empathy
and compassion for the poor. Jesus came in humility to bring the good news of
salvation to the poorest people. Some thirty years later, Jesus said as much
during a worship service in his hometown of Nazareth: ‘The Spirit of the LORD
is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor’ (Luke 4:18).”[8]
Jesus’ words on the poor and his
approach to the poor can be seen in light of the imago Dei. Since we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) and have the Spirit of
God within us, by treating others poorly or hurting others, we are hurting God.
According to Proverbs 14:31, “Those
who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who are kind to the needy
honor their Maker.” This idea is echoed in the words of Christ in Matthew 25:40, “whatever you did for one
of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” On a
theological level, man is responsible for his fellow man. When God asked Cain
where his brother Abel was, Cain replied, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9b). The implied answer is
“yes,” we are to care for our brother and sister, including those who are poor.
Christian tradition follows these considerations from both the Old and New
Testament, and textual as well as historical examples of how Christians have
carried out this mission since provide for further thought.
One example of this Christian
mission is seen in the alms boxes. "By the door of all Jewish
Synagogues... were placed two alms boxes, one to provide for the poor of
Jerusalem and the other for local charities... Paul, a convert from Judaism,
simply followed this example of alms collection for the poor in his own later missionary
travels during the first century AD."[9]
Further, examples from various Christian documents also bear out this care for
the poor and needy. The Sentences of
Sextus, a 2nd century collection of Christian moral aphorisms
from Alexandria, approves the practice of fasting in order to provide food for
the poor; this is also seen in the Shepherd
of Hermas[10] and
later, the Didascalia and Apostolic Constitutions echo this idea. In
the Acts of Paul, the queen sends
“much clothing and gold… [to Paul] for the service of the poor” (27, 41). In
the Gnostic Hymn of the Pearl, wealth
is viewed as the recognition of your soul in relation to its origin, so it is
seen in intellectual terms, which is echoed in the Gospel of Thomas. Taking food to the poor and sick is mentioned in
the Testament of Joseph 1:29-30,
where the writer says, “I skipped my meals for three days, taking the food to
the poor and sick.”
The Judeo-Christian treatment of the
poor can be considered radical, given the socio-historical context in which
these texts come out of. Following the composition of the canonical New Testament,
a number of other Christian writers continued to share these views on the poor
and poverty, which is seen most prominently within the writings of the early
Church Fathers.
Treatment of the Poor in Patristic
Writings
The first
three centuries are mainly responsible for the self-definition of Christianity,
especially in relation to poverty.[11]
Notably, most of the Christian literature of this era comes from the elite and
not the poor, even when they write about the poor and poverty.[12] As a
result, there is a rather glaring lack of voice of the poor within these texts,[13] so the
early writings are in this sense a disadvantage in investigating. In fact, even
when Christian literature does mention the poor, the texts very rarely offer an
extended look, but what we do have is usually concerning charity, and in this
model, the wealthy provide for the poor and the poor pray for the wealthy.[14]
Since
these writings come from the elite, the Greek patristic texts rarely denounce
the rich for being rich, and rarely do they call for the abolition of slavery.[15]
Instead, the Patristics seem to accept poverty as a part of the natural order
to life. For those who did call for these things, we may see a possible inconsistency:
they would call for the rich to help the poor, yet preached in highly ornate
churches. Did they ever comment on or recognize this inconsistency? Yes – but
no. The church fathers held that wealth used in service of God is a good thing,
it is only when wealth is misused and outside of the church that it ought to go
to the poor. St. Thomas Aquinas later had comments on this, as had St. Ambrose,
arguing that "even the vessels consecrated to divine worship are to be
sold for the ransom of prisoners and other needs of the poor."[16] We see
then, that even consecrated vessels were considered as a way in which to help
the poor.
Clement of
Alexandria (AD 150-215) is one of the earliest authors known to have discussed
questions of wealth and poverty in way that is comprehensive and cohesive.[17] His
work was Quis dives salvetur?, the
first full-fledged biblical commentary on wealth and poverty. He believed that
it was not good to ever be poor, unless you were poor in spirit, and quotes Proverbs 10:4, which seems to imply that
poverty can humiliate a person. Instead, Clement defends actual wealth as an
instrument of doing good and sharing it with others.[18]
Other
Church Fathers took a different approach. In fact, three of the Cappadocian
Fathers – Basil of Caesarea, his brother Gregory of Nyssa and their friend
Gregory of Nazianzus – had a lot to say about wealth and poverty. St. Basil
wrote quite simply, “Surely the more you abound in wealth, the more you are
lacking in love!“[19] Another
early Church writer (who came more toward the close of the fourth century), St.
Augustine of Hippo said in his Confessions
that the key factor of conversion for St. Anthony of the Desert was his
response to the gospel, “go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor,” so
it seems that some early Christians were taking a literal approach to Christ’s
words.[20] Many of
these individuals were the Desert Fathers, which is seen through early Egyptian
papyri. These texts demonstrate that there was a number of charitable works
going on as a result of the Egyptian Christians, such as wine being distributed
to poor widows.[21]
The Desert
Fathers held that one should “seek economic sufficiency,
not economic security. Sufficiency
represents a state of vulnerability.”[22]
Evagrius Ponticus (AD 345-399), an early Christian monk, was one who objected
to the poor, saying that “the poor person has other sources of financial help,
while I do not; I do not have enough for both me and the poor person; the
person is not very poor or at least not as poor as others are, and besides, he
is lazy and will not work; I would just make myself poor; [and] the poor person
is my enemy.”[23]
Interestingly, it was monks who usually took a vow of poverty, and Evagrius
would have been one of these men. Under the vow of poverty, however, you would
not live in absolute poverty but rather not own private property, sharing all
things in common with other monks as early Christians did in Acts of the Apostles.
Around the
same time as Evagrius, John Chrysostom (AD 347-407) criticized the excess of
wealth for people in his area, saying “Countless people have to go hungry so
that you can wear a single ruby.”[24] Chrysostom
was well known for his sermons, and in a homily on Matthew he writes, “Do you
make him a cup of gold, while you fail to give him a cup of water?”[25] In a
sermon on 1st Corinthians,
John argues that being rich is not itself a sin. It was a sin, however, to not
share one’s riches with the poor.[26] It is
also in John’s writings that we can see how the fathers viewed alms. Chrysostom
felt wrote that gold was “good for almsgiving, for the relief of the poor,
unprofitable when it is hoarded up or buried in the earth… It was discovered
for this end: that with it we should loose the captives, not form it into a
chain to enslave the children of God.”[27]
Giving
alms was a common Christian practice. The Canons
of Athanasius, of Egyptian origin in the late fourth or early fifth
century, implores bishops to give alms to those in need - including widows and
the fatherless - on a weekly basis. Also, generous gifts were to be given
during the great feasts of the Epiphany, Pentecost, and Easter.[28] These
Christians felt that as a result of the words of Christ, when you “Minister to
a poor person and you have served Christ,” as noted by St. Ambrose.[29] Similarly,
St. Jerome wrote to Christians that “your duty is of a different kind. It is
yours to clothe Christ in the poor.”[30] There
are certainly a number of different approaches the fathers took, much of which
was informed by their context or their particular theological understanding. These
differences sometimes took the form of differences in living out an approach to
poverty. Eusebius, a fourth century Christian historian, mentioned an early
Jewish-Christian sect known as the Ebionites,[31] which
meant “the poor ones” in Hebrew, and were likely named as such because of their
state of voluntary poverty."[32] This
form of voluntary poverty was carried on in Christian history, well into the
Middle Ages and up to today.
The Church in History: Mendicant
Orders, Charities and Almsgiving
A number of
groups have taken on voluntary poverty. During the AD 1200s, St. Francis of
Assisi began the Franciscan movement. This movement was a Mendicant Order, a
kind of order that depended on others for charity. The Dominicans were also a
Mendicant Order. Franciscans took a vow of poverty, and early Franciscans were
quite literal in this vow, having no possessions whatsoever. Over time,
however, some followers disagreed with absolute poverty and began to change
their approach, but one of the things that the Franciscans were famous for is
living with the poor, begging with them and for them, and helping the poor and
the needy in whatever way they could. This form of helping the poor is seen
later in Christian history via the preferential
option for the poor.
There are
other historical examples of those who have responded to the Gospel in the same
way as St. Francis of Assisi as well as St. Anthony of the Desert. One of these
examples is seen in the life of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231), the
daughter of King Andrew II. As aforementioned, she did what Jesus once asked of
a rich young man, ‘Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor” (Matthew 19:21). When Elizabeth was about
21 years old, she “liquidated her wealth and use the money to feed the poor and
build hospitals.”[33] Although
other Christians did not follow this example, it is certain that charity
continued. During the Greek middle ages, despite poverty, civil wars, attacks
by the Ottoman Turks, as well as confusion from the council of Florence, the
Greek Orthodox Church continued to find ways of being charitable to the poor
and needy.[34]
In the
tenth century, we see other examples which include St. Mary the Younger and St.
Michael Maleinos. Mary was a saint who paid off the debts of the poor, borrowed
money for individuals who could not pay their taxes, and before she died, she
ordered that the rest of her goods and possessions were to be sold off in order
to pay for the debts of the poor and the needy.[35]
Maleinos, who lived around the same time, sold his patrimony and gave the
proceeds to those who are poor. These individuals are only two examples of how
Christian charity continued centuries after the first followers. Even Thomas
Aquinas, well-known for his intellectual and theological work, felt that in
some cases corporal alms were much more valuable to the poor than spiritual
alms - a hungry person ought to be given food instead of being taught
philosophy.[36]
Other Christians throughout the centuries have done much to help the poor, such
as the Order of Malta, the Knights of Columbus, and the Missionaries of Charity
founded by Mother Teresa. As with Mother Teresa, in recent years, particularly
in Catholic circles, the preferential option for the poor has become a major
approach.
Preferential Option for the Poor
Since the later half of the 1970s, the phrase “preferential option for
the poor” has been used to make members of the society think: how do laws and
decisions affect those who are sick, those who are young, and those who are in
poor economic or social standing? To go about changing injustice, Pope Saint John
Paul II held that we needed to listen to the poor and share their experience
with them, or rather to stand by and with them. Only by doing this can we truly
know how decisions in politics and economics affect the poor. The Pope also
connected “preferential option for the poor” and “action for social justice”
with the “duty of solidarity.” This solidarity is not simply the desire to
change but the will to incite and enact change, and a call to commitment and
servitude. In fact, according to Mark’s gospel, those who wish to become great
must become a servant, and those who wish to be first must be last – they must
become a servant to all.
The lives of various saints also bear out this concern for the poor, as
seen in past examples. Monastic life was directed specifically at those who are
poor, and more famously the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi bear
out this concern for the poor. The Franciscans held that as disciples of
Christ, they were to share in experience and life with the poor, including
those who were sick and those who were in poor social standing. Religious
hospitals, orphanages, schools and various other services have been provided
through the ages that are sometimes directed specifically at the poor. Now, the
mission toward the poor is connected and concerned with the future of the
church for a number of reasons, but it is worth pointing out that concern for
individuals and the future of humanity as a whole drives the concern and
mission of the Church. The Christian Church is not only to be concerned with
the individual salvation of people, but with the salvation of the entire world.
This would include how we care for our planet, our resources, how we treat
outer space as we now have access to it, how we treat the poor and how we treat
animals.
The option
for the poor is one in Christian theology that attempts to respond to the
question, “How can one live a Christian life in a world of destitution?”[37] The
preferential option for the poor “has to do with a lifestyle and not with
sporadic acts of proximity or assistance to the poor,”[38] and is
preferential in the sense that God loves all of his creation, but he has a
preferential or a special kind of love for the poor due to their destitute
position in our unequal and discriminating society. Therefore, the option for
the poor means that we are trying to share in their lives, to be friends with
them, to be committed to their particular social class – to live with them, as
we see that Mother Teresa and the Franciscans did.
In recent
years, several papal encyclicals have either directly or indirectly addressed
the poor, such as the 1991 encyclical from Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, which notes that new
forms of poverty have arisen in recent times, requiring an expansion of our
definition of the poor and that the Church’s teaching on social justice should
not be a mere theory but a motivation for action.[39] Prior
to this, directly before the Second Vatican Council in September 1962, Pope Saint
John XXIII suggested “an innovative pastoral and theological perspective when
he spoke of the church of the poor. ‘Before the underdeveloped countries,’ he
said in an oft-cited text, ‘the church is, and wants to be, the church of all
people and especially the church of the poor.’”[40] Due to
the efforts of Popes such as John Paul II and John XXIII, the Church began
shifting their approach to and concern for the poor. As a result, the lay
people and local bishops began reconsidering their own theological vision,
bringing about various theologies. One of the more prominent theologies to come
out of the last century is liberation theology.
Liberation Theology
What we
call "liberation theology” came out of a conference of Latin American
bishops in Medillin, Colombia, in 1968. Liberation theologians fixated on the Exodus
from Egyptian slavery in the Hebrew Bible as their central scriptural motif,
which spawned a number of contextual theologies. These theologies began with
reflections on the struggles of oppressed and marginalized people, as opposed
to abstract theological ideas and traditions. For many Catholics as well as
Protestants, a certain kind of social-scientific analysis now seems to be
integral to addressing poverty. However, this kind of reliance by Catholic
theologians on economic analysis has been looked down on by the Vatican,
resulting in tension between the Official Church and Popular Catholicism.[41]
Since
liberation theologians such as Elizondo, Guiterrez, and others began to write
about poverty and liberation in the late 1960s, in many ways the situation of
the poor today has actually gotten worse, not better. In fact, “more than half
of the planet still lives on less than two dollars a day…. [early Christians
were clear that they needed] ‘to be mindful of the poor’ (Gal. 2:10),”[42] and
part of the changes from Vatican II and from Liberation Theology have focused
on actual human experience and helping to make this situation better. One of
the individuals who has lived this out is the Archbishop Oscar Romero.
Romero,
like Jesus, was martyred. When he first became Archbishop, he was more
head-based than heart-based in his approach. But over time, as he watched the
oppression, the needless violence and suffering in his country of El Salvador,
his views changed. Romero once said, “I rejoice in the fact that our church is
persecuted, precisely for its preferential option for the poor, and for trying
to incarnate itself in the interest of the poor.”[43] Romero
wanted his homilies to be the voice of the people, including those who lived in
poverty.[44]
It is people like Romero who live out the Christian message and the Christian
mission, and it is individuals like Romero who provide hope for the hopeless.
Poor and Poverty Today
The
current pope, Pope Francis, is also putting great emphasis on the poor and
poverty. Pope Francis has recently said,
“May
we never get used to the poverty and decay around us. A Christian must act.”[45] He
has noted elsewhere that the Church needs to refocus itself and have a greater
concern for the poor and the needy in our world than on bookish concerns. As
the Second Vatican Council discussed, we are human beings created in the imago Dei, and have inherent value,
worth and dignity. With this dignity, we are all to care for one another and
love one another.
The
Catechism (2437-2449, 2544-2547) speaks about the poor, poverty, poverty in
riches and poverty of the heart, the poverty that Christ lived in, social
justice and other factors. One section (2447-2448) notes:
The
works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our
neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. [Cf. Isa 58:6-7; Heb 13:3]
Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as
are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist
especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked,
visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. [Cf. Mt 25:31-46] Among
all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal
charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God: [Cf. Tob 4:5-11; Sir
17:22; Mt 6:2-4]… In its various forms - material deprivation, unjust
oppression, physical and psychological illness and death - human misery is the
obvious sign of the inherited condition of frailty and need for salvation in
which man finds himself as a consequence of original sin. This misery elicited
the compassion of Christ the Savior, who willingly took it upon himself and
identified himself with the least of his brethren. Hence, those who are
oppressed by poverty are the object of a preferential love on the part of the
Church which, since her origin and in spite of the failings of many of her
members, has not ceased to work for their relief, defense, and liberation
through numerous works of charity which remain indispensable always and
everywhere.[46]
Although
there are great strides being made by various organizations or groups
previously mentioned, such as the Missionaries of Charity, the Franciscans, the
Order of Malta, and the Knights of Columbus, it must be noted that there is
also a difference in opinion on how to view poverty. Throughout history, there
has been a debate between individuals who see poverty as humiliating (and
therefore an evil) and those who see in poverty a kind of simplicity, which
some take on as a vocation. The history of voluntary poverty, as mentioned
earlier, goes back at least to St. Anthony in the AD 300s, although St. Francis
is probably the most famous promoter of this tradition.[47] This
tension between supporters of poverty and opponents of poverty continues to
shape current perceptions, though more seem to oppose poverty than support it.
In light of this, it is pertinent to make a theological comment in regard to
the rich and the poor in Luke 16.
The Rich Man and the Poor Man
In the
parable of Jesus as recorded in Dr. Luke’s gospel, the poor man, whose name is
given as Lazarus, begs at the gate of a rich man, who is not named. Dogs come
and lick his sores, and Lazarus is never let in, even to take the scraps of
food off the floor of the rich man’s house. At death, the rich man goes to
the underworld, but the poor man goes to paradise. The rich man became poor spiritually,
so to speak, whereas the poor man became rich in spirit (i.e., “blessed are the
poor in spirit”, see also James 2:1-9). What does this say about
views on the rich and the poor? It seems that the rich man failed to provide
for his fellow man and became poor in spirit as a result. It is worth noting
that the poor beggar is given a name whereas the rich man is not given a name.
Perhaps the message to take away from this important parable is that God calls
his children to care for his other children, and as brothers and sisters
created by God, it is indeed our duty.
Conclusion
Today, we
may perhaps say that the core theological problem is not necessarily the
problem of the nonbeliever – although this is certainly highly important – but
rather the problem of individuals who are considered to be nonpersons by the
elite.[48]
Christians are therefore called to work toward the transformation not just of
an individual but indeed the transformation of the world and strive to uphold
hope where hope has been negated.[49] Christians
throughout history have continually responded to this call in a number of ways,
and lived out the gospel by lending a hand to the poor, the needy and the
oppressed. By examining the texts that make up the canonical corpus of
Judeo-Christian Scripture as well as various pieces of Christian literature and
examples of Christian saints and movements throughout history, we have seen the
way in which this call has been answered. To be sure, the poor remain and
poverty is still very prominent, but the Christian call will continue to be
answered, and the cardinal virtues of faith, hope and love will be granted unto the
poor as Christians and non-Christians alike work together to build a better
world for those who have lived as the poor in spirit and the economically poor.
[1]
It is worth noting that Matthew’s version has “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Also, Dr. Luke’s gospel says
that the sermon was delivered “on a level place” (6:17), where Matthew says
that it was “on a mountainside” (5:1). It may have been a level part of a
mountain.
[2]
Groody, Daniel G.
The Option for the Poor in Christian
Theology. 1st ed. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press,
2007. 42. Print.
[3]
Faherty, Vincent
E. "Social Welfare Before The Elizabethan Poor Laws: The Early Christian
Tradition, AD 33 To 313." Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare 33.2
(2006): 109. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
[4]
Groody 42.
[5] Ibid.
[6]
Holman, Susan R. Wealth and Poverty in Early Church and Society.
1st ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, 2008.
57. Print.
[7] The Epistle of James.
[8]
Miller, Stephen
M. The Jesus of the Bible. 1st ed.
Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour Publishing Inc., 2009. 57. Print.
[9] Faherty 111.
[10]
Rhee, Helen. Loving the Poor, Saving the Rich: Wealth,
Poverty and Early Christian Formation. 1st ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
Academic, 2012. 112. Print.
[11]
Ibid., XIV.
[12]
Ibid., XV.
[13]
Ibid., XVI.
[14]
Groody 37-38.
[15]
Holman 292.
[16]
Pope, Stephen J.
"Christian Love For The Poor: Almsgiving And The "Preferential
Option." Horizons 21.2 (1994): 293-294. ATLA Religion Database with
ATLASerials. Web. Feb. 2014.
[17]
Holman 69.
[18]
Ibid., 75.
[19]
Groody 84.
[20]
Holman 67.
[21]
Ibid., 88-102.
[22]
Ibid., 84.
[23]
Ibid., 86.
[24]
Ibid., 128.
[25]
Ibid., 134.
[26]
Ibid., 129.
[27]
Ibid., 212.
[28]
Ibid., 92.
[29] Rhee 182; from the De uiduis 9.54.
[30] Holman
213; from the Letter 130 to Demetrius 14.
[31]
Most famous for their Christological views. They denied the divinity of Jesus but
accepted him as Messiah.
[32]
Faherty 112.
[33]
Miller 229.
[34]
Holman 206.
[35]
Ibid., 250.
[36]
Pope 291.
[37]
Groody 5.
[38]
Ibid., 30.
[39]
Ibid., 58.
[40]
Ibid., 17.
[41]
Hillerbrand, Hans
J. Christianity: The Illustrated History.
1st ed. London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 2008. 118-119. Print.
[42]
Groody 3.
[43]
Ibid., 99.
[44]
Ibid.,100.
[45] Francis,
Pope (Pontifex). “May we never get used to the poverty and decay around us. A
Christian must act.” 3 Apr 2014, 1:03 a.m. Tweet.
[46]
Catechism of the Catholic Church 2447-2448.
[47] Hillerbrand 118-119.
[48]
Groody 119.
[49]
Ibid., 210.
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