Jesus and Money
A Guide for Times of Financial Crisis
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Widespread unemployment. Record home foreclosures. A vulnerable stock market. Government bailouts. In the wake of a sobering global recession, many Christians realize they need to rethink their approach to money. Here respected New Testament scholar Ben Witherington III explores what the Bible does--and doesn't--say about money. He clearly and concisely examines what Jesus and his earliest followers taught about wealth and poverty, money and debt, and tithing and sacrificial giving to help readers understand the proper role of money in modern Christian life. Along the way, he critiques the faith promise and health-and-wealth approaches to these issues, showing what good stewardship of God's possessions really looks like. Church study groups, pastors, church leaders, students, and all who are concerned about making sense of money in a world of economic uncertainty will value this book.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this comprehensive review of statements in the Bible about economics, wealth and poverty, New Testament scholar and author Witherington (The Brother of Jesus) analyzes canonical texts and their contemporary applications for Christians. Aiming to help the faithful avoid perils of "selective misuse" of scripture (the sin of prosperity preachers who focus on the Jabez prayer and isolated wealth proverbs), Witherington uses a creation theology lens: "all things ultimately belong to God." While acknowledging the wisdom of Old Testament guidance, the author urges a "New Testament theology of stewardship and giving," which calls Christians, guided by the Lord's Prayer, beyond tithing to sacrificial giving. From unpacking perplexing gospel stories like "the dishonest steward" to offering concrete advice on how to separate from a culture of conspicuous consumption (discerning between necessities and luxuries and practicing debt forgiveness are among the practices he advocates), this cogent, accessible scholarly analysis contributes to the current economic conversation and urgently calls people of faith to review and reform their role as God's stewards. Appendixes include popular Christian myths about money, and a powerful and apt 18th-century sermon on money by John Wesley.
