Wealth and Poverty in the Teachings of the Church Fathers

Publication Data: Berkeley, CA: Saint John Chrysostom Press, 1993
Format: softcover
Number of Pages: 166
Dimensions (l × w × h): 21.3 cm × 13.8 cm × 0.9 cm
ISBN: 0‒9634692‒1‒5

   
Father James Thornton

“Contemporary tradition-minded Christians are frequently critical of the society in which they live. They believe that our modern, rootless, commercially-oriented culture is filled with selfishness, contempt for life, obsessions about money and material things, and a general falling away from any sincere regard for values and concepts of a transcendent nature—values and concepts which, for the most part, our forebears held in high esteem. Despite its emphasis on things transcendent and the social criticism of today’s traditional Christians, however, it would be wrong to assume that the contemporary Church, by advocating social activism, is suddenly interjecting itself into the midst of such issues for the purpose of responding tardily to an agenda which, at least in recent centuries, has seemed to be primarily the domain of the forces of secularism. Rather, social concerns are as old as the Faith itself. The very structure of the Church witnesses to this.”
—“INTRODUCTION”

CONTENTS

Introduction
Chapter
   I Wealth and Poverty in the Age of the Fathers
   II The Theological Foundation of Patristic Social Teaching
   III The Voice of the Fathers on Wealth and Poverty
   IV Philanthropy in Græco-Roman Society
   V Patristic Philanthropy in the Modern Age
Bibliography
Index of Names