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    Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity
    Unavailable
    Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity
    Unavailable
    Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity
    Ebook528 pages7 hours

    Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity

    By Ronald J. Sider

    3.5/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Do you want to make a true difference in the world? Dr. Ron Sider does. He has, since before he first published Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger in 1978. Despite a dramatic reduction in world hunger since then, 34,000 children still die daily of starvation and preventable disease, and 1.3 billion people, worldwide, remain in abject poverty. So, the professor of theology went back to re-examine the issues by twenty-first century standards. Finding that Conservatives blame morally reprehensible individual choices, and Liberals blame constrictive social and economic policy, Dr. Sider finds himself agreeing with both sides. In this new look at an age-old problem, he offers not only a detailed explanation of the causes, but also a comprehensive series of practical solutions, in the hopes that Christians like him will choose to make a difference.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson
    Release dateApr 10, 2005
    ISBN9781418575694
    Unavailable
    Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity
    Author

    Ronald J. Sider

    Ronald J. Sider, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Theology at Eastern Seminary. He serves as president of Evangelicals for Social Action, and has published more than twenty books.

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    Reviews for Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

    3.5/5

    5 ratings4 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Rereading the first edition after so many years, the numbers Sider cited are all way out of date, as are some of the issues but the core of his argument, that people of faith have a moral obligation to live simply and to work to change unjust social structures, still resonates as strongly as ever.
    • 4/5
      This book is certainly well researched and includes a lot of valuable information. I believe there was too much trying to be accomplished by this one book, however, so I really look forward to reading his others where I can get a more comprehensive look at the different aspects he brought up in this book. This should be required reading for anyone, not just Christians. Ideally we would all be convicted in a sense that if we were to try and live more simply, we could aid others to simply live. A little goes a long way. This definitely leaves me thinking, especially after just getting married and beginning to think of our budget, etc.
    • 1/5
      Really all the book does is prove that world poverty exists in terrible proportions. He complains of social justice but does not define it nor does he give examples. In reality Christians should help the poor based on a motivation of compassion, not justice.
    • 4/5
      Ronald Sider: Rich Christians in an Age of HungerA Review by Joseph EspositoTracing the Thesis:In addressing the responsibility of Christians in response to our neighbors, Sider says:“The biblical understanding of “economic equality” or equity, demands at least this: God wants every person and family to have the equality of economic opportunity, at least to the point of having access to the resources necessary (land, money, education), so that by working responsibly they can earn a decent living and participate as dignified members of their community. ”This very basic understanding of what the justice of God actively demands for all persons firmly undergirds all of what Sider does throughout the text. Indeed, by perversely subverting this justice, Sider says: “most of the rich countries are at least nominally Christian. What an ironic tragedy that an affluent, “Christian” minority in the world continues to hoard its wealth while hundreds of millions of people hover on the edge of starvation! ” It is plain that there is a radical disconnect between what God’s justice demands, and what is practiced in reality. Recognizing this, Sider goes on to say that “in an age of affluence and poverty, most Christians, regardless of theological labels, are tempted to succumb to the heresy of following society’s materialistic values rather than biblical truth…enjoying our affluence while neglecting billions of poor neighbors. ” In one of the most striking, if short, comments in the whole text, Sider says that in regards to taking seriously the plight of the poor and oppressed, “religion plays no significant role at all! ”Most obviously, Sider argues that while the state of affairs is such that those who claim to be Christian by and large do not take justice for others seriously, this ought not to be the case. Indeed, as we previously mentioned, this kind of “Christianity” is left wanting by way of its radical disconnection from God’s own justice. Sider solemnly reminds us that with regards to God’s people, YHWH’s “passion for justice was a two-edged sword. When they were oppressed, it led to their freedom. But when they became the oppressors, it led to their destruction. ” Further, “God’s Word teaches a very hard, disturbing truth. Those who neglect to poor and oppressed are really not God’s people at all—no matter how frequently they practice their religious rituals nor how orthodox are their creeds and confessions. ” “Regardless of what we do or say at 11:00 AM on Sunday morning, rich Christians who neglect the poor are not the people of God. ”Symptomatic of this problem that is inherent in much of popular Christianity, is the adherence to a doctrine of “separate spheres”—understanding that the spiritual world and the material world have no inherent connection, even that the material is itself a hindrance to the spirituality of humanity . This needs to be reinterpreted as fundamentally Gnostic/Manichean and not Judeo Christian and freshly pronounced heresy again. In fact, as we reinterpret all of creation eucharistically, we come to see that all of this material is a gift from God that we are to use not as an end in itself, but instead to return these good gifts as thanksgiving back to God and those God cares about . Within this truly Christian construct, God is the God of creation and has pronounced it good and very good. Thus, there can be no area of our existence which remains unaffected by our reorientation back into God’s purposes. Indeed, “God requires radically transformed economic relationships among his people because sin has alienated us from God and from each other. The result is personal selfishness, structural injustice, and economic oppression…however…the community of the redeemed is to display a dramatically new set of personal, social, and economic relationships. ” Most fundamental to this affirmation is that YHWH’s “ownership of everything is the presupposition…God, the landowner, permits his people to sojourn on his good earth, cultivate it, eat its produce, and enjoy its beauty. But we are only stewards. ” Only stewards, but given a responsibility to care for not only the earth, but all those within the life giving environment provided by God. How then shall we live? “Economic activity, like every other area of life, is to be subject to God’s will and revelation. ” What then is God’s will and revelation? Scripture affirms that God wants persons to have sufficient resources of production so that all have the capability to simply live. God also wants those who have been blessed with an abundance to in turn bless others who are not able to work to produce life sustaining goods . Thus, because of poverty, oppression, starvation and disease that overwhelms, “Christians today must lower their standard of living” . Further, the systemic realities of sin and injustice require yet further commitment by Christians to combat injustice, not merely on a personal level, but at whatever level they find it. In the final sections (3 and 4), Sider visits the causes of poverty in the world, and destroys the idea that the poor are such because they choose to be. We do not live in a meritocracy, where persons are able to work and earn a decent living . Poverty cannot be traced to one cause, but is rather a multi-faceted reality. After discussing these at length, Sider makes some proposals for implementation of these convictions. It is not necessary to discuss these at length here, only to mention that Sider does well to invite critique and conversation about the remedies of poverty and oppression since he recognizes that these realities are not easily changed. Yet, Christians are called to combat poverty wherever it is found, and in whatever form it comes, until the kingdom of God comes in its fullness—and this means adjusting our own affluence radically. We must “live more simply, so that others may simply live”. Personal Reflection:This study is a well structured and thought out introduction to the problem of extreme affluence and the contingent problem of extreme poverty. Sider helps us face the danger and reality of affluence squarely and faithfully. While describing the problem and helping us see the poverty and oppression, Sider also helps us move in practical ways toward solutions. One of the things that I appreciate about Sider’s suggestions for moving in ways of generosity, is that he suggests transitioning over a period of time into this way of life. There is a recognition that while God certainly calls us to the sort of generosity that Sider proposes, the movement away from affluence is one that takes time when one is ‘plugged in’ to the system. There is room at the table for those who are even now seceding from the American dream and attempting to discern what that must mean as we begin to live into God’s kingdom.