The latest IRS statistics...
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The latest IRS statistics indicate that the gap between rich and poor in America reached levels in 2013 which are unprecedented. The gap has never been greater since 1928 (prior to the Depression). The top 10% of income earners captured 48.2% of the total U.S. income. And 95% of income gains since June 2009 have been pocketed by America's wealthiest 1%! Our lesson's reminder that the earliest Christians shared their wealth is a prophetic "nay" to these economic trends.
Famed modern theologian Karl Barth has lamented that we exploit each other economically (Church Dogmatics, Vol. III/4, p. 544ff). Elsewhere he comments on the disciples' sharing of goods: "And it will always be inevitable that there should be impulses in this direction wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed and heard" (Ibid., Vol. IV/2, p. 178).
Regarding love for the poor Martin Luther writes: "All the gifts we have should serve those who do not have them... to love those who are weak, troublesome, and unlearned -- this indeed is to love truly. Otherwise there is no brotherhood, but there is carnality" (Luther's Works, Vol. 30, p. 279).
Contrary to popular opinion, such leveling off wealth is the American way -- at least James Madison's version of it: "[T]he great objection should be to combat the evil [of faction] by withholding unnecessary opportunities from a few... By the silent operation of laws, which without violating the rights of property reduce extreme wealth toward a state of mediocrity and raise extreme indigence toward a state of comfort" (Papers, Vol. 14, p. 197).
Famed modern theologian Karl Barth has lamented that we exploit each other economically (Church Dogmatics, Vol. III/4, p. 544ff). Elsewhere he comments on the disciples' sharing of goods: "And it will always be inevitable that there should be impulses in this direction wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed and heard" (Ibid., Vol. IV/2, p. 178).
Regarding love for the poor Martin Luther writes: "All the gifts we have should serve those who do not have them... to love those who are weak, troublesome, and unlearned -- this indeed is to love truly. Otherwise there is no brotherhood, but there is carnality" (Luther's Works, Vol. 30, p. 279).
Contrary to popular opinion, such leveling off wealth is the American way -- at least James Madison's version of it: "[T]he great objection should be to combat the evil [of faction] by withholding unnecessary opportunities from a few... By the silent operation of laws, which without violating the rights of property reduce extreme wealth toward a state of mediocrity and raise extreme indigence toward a state of comfort" (Papers, Vol. 14, p. 197).
