EARLY CHRISTIAN CARE FOR THE POOR

Beginning with Jesuss ministry in the villages of Galilee and continuing over the course of the first three centuries as the movement expanded geographically and numerically throughout the Roman world, the Christians organized their house churches, at least in part, to provide subsistence insurance for their needy members. While the Pax Romana created conditions of relative peace and growing prosperity, the problem of poverty persisted in Romes fundamentally agrarian economy. Modeling their economic values and practices on the traditional patterns of the rural village, the Christians created an alternative subsistence strategy in the cities of the Roman empire by emphasizing need, rather than virtue, as the main criterion for determining the recipients of their generous giving. Did the early Christians have a different view toward feeding the hungry than the Greek and Roman pagans? Did the churchs view on charity for the poor change over time? These are questions answered by Richardsons monograph. In the process, he may not only set the record straight but admonish the contemporary church. This is a timely and important study. Both professors and pastors should read it. --David A. Fiensy, Author of Christian Origins and the Ancient Economy Scholar and student alike will benefit from K.C. Richardsons book--scholars by virtue of his extensive references and students from the books readability. Every reader will enjoy learning about the early Christians creation of an alternative subsistence strategy in the cities of the Roman empire. --Rick Talbott, Chair, Religious Studies Department, CSUN It takes a village. Richardsons case for an alternative subsistence strategy better accounts for the literary evidence than other, more ideologically driven treatments of the topic. The result is a book impressive in its scope, balanced in its presentation, and judicious in its conclusions. --David L. Matson, Professor, Hope International University Richardson has given us a r