Religious Giving

by Smith, David H.

• ISBN13: 9780253221889
• ISBN10: 0253221889
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-03-16
• Publisher: Indiana Univ Pr

Summary

Religious Giving considers the connection between religion and giving within the Abrahamic traditions. Each contributor begins with the assumption that there is something inherently right or natural about the connection. But what exactly is it? To whom should we give, how much should we give, what is the relationship between our giving and our relationship to God? Writing for the introspective donor, congregational leader, or student interested in ways of meeting human needs, the authors focus on the philosophical or theological dimensions of giving. The contributors' goal is not to report on institutional practices, but to provide thoughtful, constructive guidance to the reader -- informed by a critical understanding of the religious traditions under review.

Author Biography

David H. Smith is Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics at Yale University and Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University Bloomington where he was also Adjunct Professor of both Medicine and Philanthropic Studies and Director of the Poynter Center for the Study of Ethics and American Institutions. He is author of Entrusted: The Moral Responsibilities of Trustees (IUP, 1995), Early Warning (IUP, 1998), and Good Intentions (IUP, 2005).

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Dispelling Common Beliefs about Giving to Religious Institutions in the United States	p. 1
Giving in the Way of God: Muslim Philanthropy in the United States	p. 28
Jewish Giving by Doing: Tikkun Ha-Olam	p. 49
What Does God Require of Us?	p. 65
"Freely Give": The Paradox of Obligatory Generosity in Christian Thought	p. 85
A Catholic Theology of Philanthropy	p. 99
Religious Discernment of Philanthropic Decisions in the Age of Affluence	p. 125
Consumer Debt and Christian Money Management: Messages from the Large U.S. Denominations	p. 147
Paging Dr. Shylock! Jewish Hospitals and the Prudent Reinvestment of Jewish Philanthropy	p. 162
One Man's Extrapolations: Conclusions after Two Years of Listening	p. 185
List of Contributors	p. 195
Index	p. 197
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