Wealth and Poverty in the Teachings of the Church Fathers

Wealth and Poverty in the Teachings of the Church Fathers
By James Thornton

While we often hear of the `social gospel' that seeks to alleviate the poverty and suffering of the citizenry, Fr. James' book reminds us that such a call is simply the perennial call of Christianity. Of course, helping the poor is not the heart of the gospel of Christ, but doing so opens us up to the heart of the gospel of Christ: namely, our God is a God is not far from us, but very near to us in our very own humanity. For, in the words of Jesus, `whatsoever you do unto the least of these my brethren, you do unto me'. There is an ontological, real, substantial unity between humanity and God owing to the incarnation, and this book reminds us that the Faith is not a cerebral exercise, but a lived out reality of that unity between Christ and the world. It is most lived out in actions of love, and those in need of such actions are very often the unwilling poor.

Along with a very thorough treatment of the topic from the patristic sources, I also appreciate Fr. James' review of the impact of Christian charity upon society in the Greco-Roman era as well as the modern age. This slim volume is very much a devotional resource as well as a scholarly trove. I would add that is also demonstrates why it matters that we as Christians affirm our understanding of the trinitarian revelation of God. Our God is not removed as in Islam or mythical as in Hinduism. Our God shows His love by uniting with us in our suffering and life. For the Muslims, law revelas the heart of God, for Christians, it is love incarnate.

Other books of interest may include: On Wealth and PovertyWealth and Poverty in Early Church and Society (Holy Cross Studies in Patristic Theology and History), Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life and Cross of the Son of God for a theological and sociological treatment of the meaning of God incarnating and dying on a cross as a criminal. Very useful.