Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity

by Ronald J. Sider

Do you want to make a true difference in the world? Dr. Ron Sider does. He has, since before he first published Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger in 1978. Despite a dramatic reduction in world hunger since then, 34,000 children still die daily of starvation and preventable disease, and 1.3 billion people, worldwide, remain in abject poverty. So, the professor of theology went back to re-examine the issues by twenty-first century standards. Finding that Conservatives blame morally reprehensible individual choices, and Liberals blame constrictive social and economic policy, Dr. Sider finds himself agreeing with both sides. In this new look at an age-old problem, he offers not only a detailed explanation of the causes, but also a comprehensive series of practical solutions, in the hopes that Christians like him will choose to make a difference.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Theology, Christianity, Religion, Social Justice, Faith

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Ronald J. Sider (PhD, Yale University) is the founder and president emeritus of Evangelicals for Social Action and distinguished professor of theology, holistic ministry, and public policy at Palmer Theological Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. He is the author of numerous books, including The Early Church on Killing, the bestselling Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, and The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience.

Reviews

[CalebA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST READ for every Christ follower (particularly those in the affluent West). With a title like this, you would expect the author to be mostly led by warm fuzzy feelings and few pieces of scripture twisted out of context. This book really gave new meaning to the old saying "you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover!"

This book is loaded with scripture which I found just about completely in context (A few passages on environmentalism I could not connect a proper exegesis). I took more notes on this book than any I've read before, mostly scripture passages, talking about wealth, greed, poverty, and stewardship. It is downright frightening to realize how much scripture has to say about money! Here are just a few of the passages that really spoke to me, Prob 19:17, Psalms 140:12, Psalms 146:5-9, Matt 8:20, Matt 25:35-40, James 2:5, Luke 6:20-25, James 5:1, James 5:3-5, Jer 22:13, 17, Ezek 16:49-50, 1 John 3:17-18, 2 Corin 8:1-15, and Prov 23:4. How have we chosen to glaze over this issue so close to God's heart?!

There are plenty of powerful statistics and charts fully cited in the massive appendix in the back. I learned how the poor really are powerless. Most of them have no option of lifting themselves out of poverty. Governments, large institutions or wealthy individuals carry most of the power and carry huge responsibilities to assist the poor. If the powerful don't help the powerless, their conditions simply won't change.

The last 1/3 of the book you may find controversial, or just disagree with. The author takes what economics knowledge he has to suggest ways we can tackle issues of poverty today. He will offend some by bashing the American capitalistic model, but even if you disagree his points are worth a listen. Think about an economic system sustained by a backbone of greed. If the Bible labels greed as a major sin (enough to excommunicate someone from a local congregation 1 Cor 5:1-10), should we use this as a major ingredient to propel society? Will this system ultimately crash due to it's rebellion from God's design? It gets very political, but there are some really interesting points to think about!

Western Christians are proven skeptical in their giving towards the local church. Giving percentages are dropping each year. How ironic to think that we, as members, are not the ones misusing God's blessings and kingdom resources!

[Josette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I figured that if I actually read this book, I would have a responsibility to act on what I learned. I am still processing what that might look like, but it's definitely true. American Christians are woefully out of touch with the situation of many in the world. My eyes were opened not only to the plight of a "billion hungry neighbors", but also to the concern that God has for the poor of this world, as evidenced in His word. It seems that almost every time I open my Bible now, I am seeing verses about the poor and oppressed. While I believe I need to make changes in my thinking and spending as a result of this book, I would also love to connect w/ other believers who have been equally moved by this book and are ready to act.

[Simon Wiebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puhh. Das Buch hat es wirklich in sich. Ich persönlich fand es sehr herausfordernd. Es wird mich noch weiter beschäftigen. Sider findet eine gesunde Mischung zwischen biblischem Befund und der heutigen Lebenswelt. Da er schon recht starke Thesen raushaut, hat dies Buch nicht umsonst für viel Aufsehen in den Staaten gesorgt.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

A passionate plea for social justice, this book, first published in 1967 but regularly revised and updated, still stirs the conscience. Is still powerful. Unfortunately it can longer be read with the degree of hope that originally greeted it, with the hope that all Christians could unite in changing society - that the hungry would be fed, the wounded healed, the oppressed freed. Reading it today is depressing because it describes a road not taken. The intervening years have destroyed any hope that evangelicals, the "moral majority", the fundamentalist churches, would be convinced by Sider's Biblical arguments and would become a force for social justice. And it is in them that Sider placed his hope. To them, he addressed his argument. Based it completely on the Bible. Filled his book with "proof texts" (at tedious length) to convince them. Used the words of the Old Testament prophets, the words of Christ, to argue that Christianity must be about more than interior spirituality, that there must be a balance in emphasis between personal transformation and the transformation of society - that the faith must be about creating a Christian community of brotherly love, creating a just society for all, creating God's reign on earth. However, the response to Sider's trumpet call has been meager - only a few evangelicals answered it (e.g., Jim Wallis and his Sojourner Group). The majority have not. Have taken a different path. Some are expecting an imminent rapture when they, the elect, will be lifted up into heaven and escape the "time of tribulations" - viewing the suffering of others, at that time as well as now, as inevitable and deserved. Others, not so apocalyptic, are satisfied with current social and economic arrangements, and regard the capitalistic market forces as the invisible hand of God, see economic Darwinism as part of God's inscrutable providence, and believe their own and their nation's wealth and power to be a divine blessing, a reward for their righteousness. Any interest these folks have in changing society is to make it as "righteous" as they are - in improving it only by forcing a general conformity to their own beliefs and practices. None of these folks are ever going to accept Sider's argument, no matter how Biblical it is. They are not going to answer his call for structural change. And so, sadly, Sider's argument is "useless" - "a chasing after the wind" - but although "useless", it is still persuasive. Striving for justice, feeding the hungry, caring for the sick is an integral part of what it means to follow Jesus. It is the narrow path.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really floored by this book. The author first presents some startling and informative statistics on world hunger and poverty, where we have been and what is projected. Then he talks about God's intense love for the poor, and that if we want to "be imitators of God" we must as Christians learn to share in that love. I left this book really wanting to do more to make a difference... even with specific ideas how! The best thing about this book was also the worst thing - sooo much information. Never before have a seen a pastor (no offense John haha) talk so intelligently about ALL facets of poverty. Politics, economics, environment, sociology, religion - these topics were all included in great detail and from a Christian perspective. I have not seen anything more complete out there. That said, it was also very overwhelming (as it probably should be). The book was first published 30 years ago, but this new addition has substantial updates and was published in 2005.

Many of us avoid reading books like this, afraid that God will inevitably ask something of us. After reading this, I find myself welcoming God to start asking.

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ronald Sider is nothing short of a modern day prophet. The fact that this book has been in print for over 40 years (with meaningful updates), and continues to go mostly unheeded in most of western Christianity says more about the audience than the author. Much like the experience of Biblical prophets, hard truths are easy to ignore and rationalize away.

I have some theological quibbles with the author, but they don’t detract too much from the overall message of the book. And early on I was concerned that he was going too light on systemic injustice, and it seemed like he believed throwing money at the problem of poverty would solve it. Part 3 of the book is much more nuanced and thoughtful about appropriate Christian responses and how it isn’t as easy as living frugally and being more generous.

Having said that, he gives a ton of practical steps we can take to move toward the heart of God on this issue. It may seem painful, but that illustrates how deceived we’ve become by a culture of affluence and materialism. I feel compelled to make changes to the way I live my life so that I can be more generous with the resources that have been entrusted to me, and invest in organizations that are fighting systemic injustice among the poorest populations.

[Frits Haverkamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is right on. However, my adult discussion group I read it with struggled with it. They questioned the very backbone of the book biblical analysis, especially the concept of the Jubilee. The book starts with Biblical analysis from an evangelical conservative perspective. Moves to an economic review of the world which the author reminds us is much less trustworthy than his biblical analysis and then to prescriptions for Christians. Demanding without being overbearing the 5th edition of the book is a worthy read if you are concerned about Jesus beatitude Blessed are the poor and his alternate woe to the rich!

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just plain bad.

[Justin Tapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Can overfed, comfortably clothed, and luxuriously housed persons understand poverty?" is how the book opens. The first chapter closes with this summary of what the book talks about:

"Imagine what one quarter of the world's Christians could do if they became truly generous. A few of us could move...to desperately poor areas. The rest of us could defy surrounding materialism. We could refuse to let our affluent world squeeze us into its consumeristic mold. Instead, we could become generous non-conformists who love Jesus more than wealth. In obedience to our Lord, we could empower the poor through small loans, community development, and better societal systems. And in the process, we would learn again his paradoxical truth that true happiness flows from generosity."


Sider gets much of the economics correct in this book, and I wouldn't skip over any of the more "technical" chapters. He is advocating not just confronting the system with our choices, but fundamentally advocating changing the unjust system itself. This is where he steps on toes, but my only concern was that I think some liberal-leaning Christians use this book to say things that Sider does not say.
For example, Sider understands the incredible potential for free trade to empower poor people in developing countries to move up the economic ladder. However, because the North (wealthy countries) uses its enormous leverage to negotiate trade deals in a manner that benefits the North rather than the South (poor countries) the poor don't get as large a benefit as they should. I know some misguided Christians who take this and begin advocating against free trade deals, not understanding (as Sider does) that some trade is better than no trade.

Sider, like James Halteman, calls for a more Book of Acts style community way of living. To help each other make consumption decisions and to find ways to better invest in our communities. Sider is basically talking about house churches and deep community. Of choosing to live at a lower standard of living so that your income can be given to others.

I struggle with thinking of these aspects as they relate to economic development.

Let's suppose that tomorrow all Christians in the U.S. lived more simply-- buying much less stuff, refusing to buy on credit, growing much of their own food, and sharing their possessions as needed rather than replacing items. This would have an immediate negative impact on U.S. GDP. Prices would fall, output would decline, and unemployment would rise. As much of the stuff we buy comes directly or indirectly from developing countries, the negative impact would be felt there as well. Christians would all be healthier and happier (and the environment would be better off) but what about the rest of the world?

It's plausible that, providing income remains constant, the decrease in consumption would increase private saving and national saving. As that occurs, money would flow abroad to foreign countries, funding investment opportunities there, lowering interest rates for poor people to borrow to start new businesses, etc.

This is a question not fully explored in any text I've read. I think the implicit assumption is that so few Christians would choose to adopt a simpler lifestyle that it's overall effects would be nil. We would essentially still free ride off the consumption habits of everyone else (and hence, still have jobs).

While I agree with 95% of Sider's book, I just struggle with the overall macroeconomic picture. Is it better to send your $10 to sponsor a World Vision child, or spend your money on stuff that the child (or her parents) manufacture in a factory where they live?
My basic answer is that one should be aware of the consequences of your choices. If you're spending $10 on a meal, are you aware that that $10 could go to feed a child somewhere else for a month? Are your repeated purchases of new electronics helping fuel the war and rape in the Congo, where the valuable raw materials are mined? No easy answers.

I give the book 4.5 stars out of 5. It's a book that I think every Christian should read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book was amazingly awkward and uncomfortable for me and, yet, exactly what I needed to hear. I read a copy published in 1979 so some of the stats were off. Off, but still alarming. The world Sider writes about is a terrible place to be poor. And at the time of publication, many Christians were doing little to change the structures that kept poor people poor.

What's disturbing to me is the realization of how little has changed since "Rich Christians" came out. If anything, the divide between have and have-nots in this world has grown exponentially wider. Sider calls on Christians to live mindfully, with intention, and with regard to all those living in poverty, everywhere. This is not a quaint call to give more money to your church, volunteer at a homeless shelter, or hold a canned food drive at Thanksgiving. All these things are good deeds, but this author demands nothing short of revolution in our personal lives, the life of the Church, the life of our nation, and the life of the world--if we are to address poverty as Christ calls us to do.

[Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gut punch to 21st century American Christians. I can see from personal experience that while I am aware of injustices in the world, I am often too overwhelmed by the thought of them that I put my head in the sand as a result. I know I am not alone in that fear or in that practice. This book outlines a crystal clear, biblical foundation and principle for christians to be involved in economic justice wherever they can. The end of the book provides examples of several companies and organizations that need Rich Christian’s to support them. I will be looking into these companies and orgs soon.

[Jacob Aitken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some Good Points

He has a fairly decent take on the Sabbatical year (83ff). I don’t think he realizes that his master, The United Nations, isn’t that concerned with biblical law. Further, I like how he notes that Scripture “prescribes justice” (83; cf. Dt 15:9-10). Sider even approaches (and at times affirms) the godly principle that “sinful persons and societies will always produce poor people” (83). Amen, and amen. I have to ask though, if Sider can name some societies in the 20th century that adopted his principles and if they were sinful and produced poor people. One such society had four letters in its abbreviation.

Sider has some surprisingly astute comments on interest and he realizes that Christendom’s painful back-and-forth on interest wasn’t pretty and so we shouldn’t generalize (85).

He further notes that Marxists and Capitalists worship the same god: Economic forces (105). Of course, Sider himself labours (pun) for world revolutionary forces, so he can’t be taken all that seriously. Further, he rightly criticises the business model that has infected churches today (107).

He has an excellent section on asceticism (111ff) and its false ontology/anthropology. He writes, “Christian asceticism has a long history, but Jesus’s life undermines its basic assumptions” (112). Of course, a lot of the biblical examples Sider cites assume that one can legitimately spend one’s wealth on grain, alcohol, or feasts without feeling guilty by socialist agitators.

Criticisms

Hidden assumptions
Sider makes routine comments like “And justice, as we have seen, means things like the Jubilee and sabbatical remission of debts” (115; statements like these are throughout the book). It raises the obvious question: Who will enforce this? Laws without sanctions are no different than PCA “recommendations.”

Holier than God?

Sider has modified his tone from his first edition where he was adding to the gospel (yea, preaching another gospel). Still, he makes comments like “It is sinful abomination for one part of the world’s Christians to grow richer year by year while our brothers and sisters in the third world suffer” (98). This would be a true statement if a number of other conditions were met. Are North American Christians causing other Christians to suffer? If they are, Sider has given us no argument nor shown any evidence. Further, would he have N.A. Christians be just as poor? If so, then how could they help? If they didn’t have any wealth, then how could Sider’s globalist masters take it from them? He hasn’t thought these things through.

Vague Terminology

He notes that conservative pastors speak on “personal sins” but rarely on “structural sins” (119). He does cite some texts trying to prove the existence of “structural sins,” but the texts mention sophisticated personal sins (ala Amos 2:6-7). If there is such a category of structural sins--by which he seems to mean a certain way of society in which participation is sinful--they usually appear as a complex of personal sins in a social setting. It’s hard to really talk about structural evils outside of presupposing Marx.

The institutional evils that Sider does criticize are in fact evil. I just worry about using a Marxist term to categorize it. But are the evils perversions of goods (private property) or are they embedded in the nature of things (private property, discipline use of scarce resources)? Sider has elsewhere affirmed private property, so it isn’t clear exactly what he has to say here.

To be fair, Sider does define what he means by structural evils: “Initial injustices, unless corrected, mushroom” (127). This is actually insightful, but he never disentangles his rhetoric from Marxist terminology. Marx saw society as inherently violent and could only progress by historical dialectic, which itself would probably be violent.

Plainly Misreads Texts
The most glaring misreading of texts is his appeal to the Jubilee principle (80ff). While he correctly notes that the text says “all land should be returned to original owners,” and that “it was the poor person’s right to receive back his inheritance” (81). While he doesn’t draw the conclusion, this is a brilliant argument against the evil and satanic practice of Federal inheritance taxes.

He does correctly note that Yahweh says “The Land is mine” (Lev. 25:23), but what principle should we draw from that? Only the dominum can thus distribute the land. This is the same dominion economics that Wyclif argued. Well and good, but one suspects that Sider has another dominum in mind: The State.

I don’t know how he thinks his model will work. He says “the specific provisions of the Jubilee year aren’t binding today” (85). I agree with him, so how does he apply it? Why is this law binding today but the ones about stoning sodomites and idolaters not? He gives us no answer.

External Contradictions with Scripture
Sider’s most notorious point is the graduated tithe. I just want to point out one Scriptural difficulty with it. The Bible tells us that a godly man leaves an inheritance for his seed (Prov. 13:22). Yet, if Sider has his way it’s hard to see how this could happen. There would be no inheritance. It would all have been given away!

Internal Contradictions with Logic

Sider’s book is riddle with inconsistencies. He notes (rightly) that “the right of each person to have means to earn his own way takes precedence over a purchaser’s property rights” (81). Absolutely. But when the state is interfering with regulations, how can he seriously claim the above?

Further, if Sider complains about world debt (and I don’t really disagree with him) yet he presupposes structures like the World Bank and the United Nations (which, ironically, are structural evils!), then his problem shouldn’t be with right-wing Christians but with his own statist overlords.

He complains about LDC (limited developing countries) “protein deficiency,” yet he ignores a concrete solution to the problem. A country like India with such a deficiency has a lot of cattle. Unfortunately, they worship the cows instead of eating them. Idolatry and economic devastation are connected. Sider doesn’t seem to see it.

Keynes or Smith?
Sider urges us not to make an idol of private property nor seek the advice of “that deist Adam Smith” (102). In the next paragraph he praises the Keynesian revolution. If we are going to make irrelevant comments about Adam Smith’s religious views, is now the time to mention that Keynes liked to molest little black Tunisian boys?

Fat Cat Corporations
I won’t address the sections on corporatism. A lot has changed in 30 years (both good and bad) and neither Sider nor I am really competent to speak on these matters. I would simply challenge him that his beloved World Bank is probably culpable in a lot of these international corporate schemes.

‘Merica
There is a lot of America-bashing in this book. For all of America’s evils, real or supposed, I do suspect that if America were to disappear, millions more would d

Our Reaction

Am I guilty?
Jesus asked, “Is your eye evil because mine is good?” I refuse to let socialist agitators make me hate God’s blessings. Still, per Sider’s recommendations, I really don’t eat all that much beef (for reasons other than guilt-trips), both of my cars were made in the last millennium (and breaking now, for what it’s worth), both churches I was a member of in the last ten years contributed to concrete, local charities that actually made a difference.

Sider’s Recommendations

Graduated tithe: he realizes he can’t make this binding on Christians today, so I will ignore it.
Communal Living: This is almost funny. One should study the history of communal living in America. Besides a nigh-100% failure rate, they more often than not end up being sex orgies. In any case, the agrarian in me does gravitate towards simplicity, but not because of Sider’s guilt trips.

How should we live in response to Sider? For one, who are these cozy, fat-cat, presumably white and conservative Christians that are so callous to the poor? He doesn’t list any names. Further, I am not aware of conservative churches that don’t give money to charities (who are better able to manage it than some bureaucrat in Washington).

The danger isn’t that my feelings are hurt because Sider shamelessly libeled his brothers in Christ. No, he isn’t stupid. He is against charitable giving. Therefore, the only solution is the Government. But even here we have a problem. At least in theory, America’s government is democratic. Those white males don’t elect socialists. That’s no problem, though, for Sider has a stronger play: The United Nations.

Sider is long on saying governments should adopt biblical principles (79, 144, 194) but I get the sneaky suspicion that this is merely suppressing fire for a globalist order. He says America and Russia have biblical obligations to give their resources to poorer countries (194), yet he lists no bible verses proving these obligations.

He says this is not a call for a violent revolution (194). Okay, how will you enforce it then? What if I say no to your demands. What are you going to do then? At this point Sider has two options: something like PCA recommendations or the point of a bayonet.

Because I love my country, I won’t take up arms against the Government (unless I am led by a godly lesser magistrate; then I would be on the front line). I will fight to the death any bureaucrat from Brussels or wherever).

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has taken me months to finish. Sometimes the reasons were as simple as I was too tired to invest energy into learning more about Gross National Incomes, Foreign Polices or Multinational Corporations in Developing Countries. However, most of the time it was because it was difficult to read. Not difficult because it had complicated words, but difficult because it presented complicated problems and even more complicated suggestions for personal change.
The original book was written more than 40 years ago. It has been quoted and referenced in multiple books I’ve read over the years and I was determined to read it for myself. The sixth edition, that was released 2015, is full of thoughts, ideas, information and facts that are hard to take in all at once. The book deserves time to process the material. It was life altering.
In my opinion, part 2 of the 4 part book should be read by every believer. In this section, Ron Sider gave a thorough Biblical overview of God’s love and concern He has for the poor. On Page 52 he declares, “According to Scripture, defending the weak, the stranger, and the oppressed is as much an expression of God’s essence as creating the universe.”
Mr. Sider challenges us, his readers, to live differently, spend differently, love differently and sacrifice differently. The book has reiterated the urgency of living simply so others may simply live. This continues to be an ongoing conversation in our family as to what that actually looks like. Thankfully this book has provided plenty of real life examples.

[Caleb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whether or not you agree with all of his assertions or proposals, Ronald Sider forces Christian readers to confront the reality of poverty and our responsibility to the poor and dispossessed. This is important in a self-satisfied age such as ours that, to quote Amitav Ghosh, "so congratulates itself on its self-awareness" and, I would add, its 'woke' empathy. As Sider points out, charitable donations have dropped significantly compared to the spring of my grandparents' generation (late 1960s).

The book is a (still) timely reminder that Christianity is a-capitalist: it pre-dates capitalism and will remain after it is gone. Having said that, Sider is remarkably centrist and genuflects before the 'wisdom' of economists perhaps too much in response to criticism of earlier additions. Still, it is important to figure out the implications for our current socioeconomic norms and values of things like: Jubilee, the Sabbatical Year, tithing and gleaning, and the NT's many (many) statements regarding the poor? And which poor? There is plenty of misery and poverty in our own neighborhoods and nations that is complicated enough - how do you redress global poverty rooted in a complex global economy that renders us all complicit?

If you let it, "Rich Christians" will challenge you.

[Rachel B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much-needed book for today's Christians, especially those living in the West. Sider invites readers to compare their budgets and lifestyles not to their affluent neighbors, like usual, but to the poorest half of the world's people.

This book makes some very good, important points. The focus is on extreme, global poverty, and the large systems that perpetuate deep poverty; problems and solutions are both very big-picture.

Certainly, systemic issues need to be brought to light and remedied, but I think Sider downplayed how important "small" acts by individuals are, and how influential they can be.

Parts 3 and 4 were a bit difficult to get through - there were so many numbers/statistics that they all seemed to blur together after a bit. (And that's coming from someone who enjoys stats.) They also were somewhat repetitive and could have been combined/condensed.

I do wish the author had offered a few more options for giving more generously other than just his "graduated tithe" system, which seemed cumbersome.

He also is a proponent of "population control" in the form of higher education for women, family planning, etc. While I have nothing against education for women or natural family planning, I disagree that humans "should" limit reproduction as a norm. (And education for women should be happening for reasons other than population control!) I believe that children are always a blessing, no matter what circumstances they're born into. I don't think this means everyone needs to get married and have as many children as possible. But I wish Sider had emphasized that if all Christians were living in ways that honored God, children wouldn't be going hungry and the earth wouldn't be being destroyed at the rate it currently is. The solution is not population control, it's obedience to God.

There are many people in our churches today who have never really considered issues of poverty, and I think this would be an excellent resource for a small group Bible study, since members can encourage and support each other through making lifestyle changes, and perhaps choose one organization to generously support financially - together.

[Noah Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good, very thorough, very convicting. Covers more than you’d assume from the title.

[Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was kind of what I expected. Long, confusing at times, but also full of lots of information.

We can all do a lot more to change our lifestyles to be less wasteful and more generous to help the world's poor.

Cultural and institutional change is a big project to manage and he offers some good ideas and suggestions; but I felt that his description of the massive, complex problems was underscored by what I considered simplistic answers and solutions - ("end corruption, decrease military spending,increase aid to the poorest of the poor, increase taxes to decrease usage of fossil fuels".)

I just didn't trust all his analysis and/or all of his solutions. (I understand that he believes that God judged the Israelite people for their unjust treatment of the poor. I believe that was a symptom of a larger problem. I understand that the core issue was that the Lord's covenant people fell away from living and worshiping their covenant God. Their mistreatment of others was a symptom of them failing to live in relationship to their covenant God. They were no longer a blessing to other people. - Gen 12)

He certainly is motivated to work on the problem and his work motivates me to do what I can do.

It seems to me that he trips over his left wing bias much too often.

[Estelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A convicting and unapologetic call to "rich" Christians living in the affluent global superpower of the United States to take seriously the claims of the Bible in general and Jesus in particular relevant to money, the poor, and economic justice. Sider makes a strong biblical case spanning throughout Scripture from Levitical "Jubilee" law to Jesus' words to the rich young ruler, from Amos' scathing critique of Israel's unchecked material prosperity at the expense of the poor, to Paul's plea to the Corinthians to live simply. Not content to bring conviction without action, Sider moves from theological weightiness to the hard realities of economic disparity in the globalized world today. He reveals sobering statistics and vivid word pictures of poverty and suffering worldwide that the United States is responsible for today, and concludes with a practical method for Christians to give away a significant percentage of their income to help combat the injustice of some Christians living in incredible comfort and others making a few dollars a month for their families.

[Mike E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sider calls for rich Christians to live modestly and give generously. In general, Sider is against charity/handouts. He is for wealth-generating micro-enterprsies.

I recommend this highly for all Christians—especially those of us who teach and disciple others about stewardship. This book should be read along with John R. Schneider's book, "The Good of Affluence." The combined reading of these two opposing books will help Christ's servant discern both biblical teaching on wealth as well as assist in making personal decisions about saving, giving, spending, and investing.

Sider's passion is for Christians to live modestly in order to advance the gospel and help the poor develop wealth. He calls Christians to live radically modest lives, forsaking unnecessary material possessions in order to advance the kingdom of God. He gives specific examples on how to do this with a clear aim to avoid legalism.

===============

Quotes:


Affluence is the god of twentieth-century North Americans, and the adman is his prophet (191).

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every western follower of Jesus should read this book, but beware: don't read it if you're not open to having your mind changed by Scripture. It's not a comfortable book, but has been a crucial part of my discipleship--it's shaped my worldview profoundly. The book has 3 parts: Sider does a fantastic job of exploring (1) the biblical teaching on wealth and poverty, (2) the realities of wealth and poverty in our world, and (3) creative ways of responding as believers. His biblical work was well-balanced, challenging, and eye-opening. The current realities were informative, challenging, and eye-opening. And his creative responses were encouraging and hope-producing--lots of real-life examples of what people are currently doing to live in response to the Scriptures and the problems in our world.

[Robb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much info, inspiring, Biblical, whet my appetite to learn more about what we can do in America to not ignore the billions of our neighbors around the world who are barely or not surviving, and how our actions affect them without our even realizing it. Great balance of evangelical and social justice, and advocacy of capitalism with some restraints. Primary theme seems to be the idea of the Jubilee from the Old Testament where some type of redistribution needs to happen, otherwise the rich will get richer and the poor will die in hunger and disease at an even faster rate than they do. Some readers may glaze over some of the stats, and there were probably some theological thoughts I don't entirely resonate with, but definitely thought provoking and has discussion questions after each chapter.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you a Christian? Do you live in one of the G8 countries? You're wealthy. Get over yourself and help end hunger.

I tend to be impressed when a Christian book deviates from fluffy, regurgitated religious topics. While some might say quoting the Bible extensively is classic regurgitation, this one does so with practical conviction and a format for enacting real, worldwide change.

Full of facts and yet amazingly humble, I can't believe I hadn't read this book before now. Ronald Sider's opponents are many, but then again, so are Jesus'.

This book is my new instant recommendation for all Christians. Heck, any human who claims to generally care about humanity will find its truth illuminating.

[Aubrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am being totally rocked by this book. It's radical and I love it, but am simultaneously challenged by its Truth. The statistics in Section One are outdated due to this edition's publish date of 1984... Yet, the other sections relay timeless Biblical Truths and Sider highlights lots of Scripture. I've also found a great Appendix of Social Action Organizations (many of them Christian), which I am particularly excited about. I feel stirred to personalize and apply these principles in my life and my family's-- and perhaps eventually use my public policy training to more overtly work for Kingdom principles. All this thought generated by words on a page. Now that's a great read.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some say his controversial or communist. Perhaps in earlier editions he was more radical. This seemed to me to be balanced and sensible. I may contend with some of his interpretations, but the general tenor, I don't contend with. If anything, I would say the Scriptures are more radical. His call for Christians to move past their mass consumption to concern and sacrificial generosity for the poor is biblical. But he doesn't even ask us to sacrifice all that much. He is asking for the biblical minimum.

[D.L. Mayfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

a clear and accessible introduction to ethical/Biblical questions surrounding affluence in an unequal and unjust society. I would recommend this book to everyone (there is a reason it has been a bestseller for so many years!)

[Daniel Kleven · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful and necessary book from a previous generation of evangelicals. I read the original 1977 edition, though I know it has been revised and updated, most recently in a 2015 6th edition. The book is broken into three sections: Part I, which lays out the situation (in the 1970s) of disparities, poverty, and hunger, using all kinds of public reports, statistics, government documents, budgets, and laying out the case that there really are massive inequities in the way the most fundamental resource in the world--food--is produced and distributed. I found this section truly eye-opening, and hungry for similar analysis on the situation in 2024. For example: "The United States devours about $246 million each day for current military purposes-more than the entire annual budget of hte UN World Food Program... Is that the way we want to divide our abundance?" (52).

Part II lays out "A Biblical Perspective on the Poor and Possessions," a rich exploration of topics such as how God identifies with the poor, what the Bible teaches about economic relationships, and principles such as Jubilee, Sabbaticals, Jesus' New Community of Christians, and what "koinonia" might mean. It covers the warnings the Bible gives to the rich, and addresses "Structural Evil and World Hunger."

Finally, Part III suggests some practical steps for "Implementation," which is full of practical suggestions for a more simple, generous, and equitable lifestyle. An appendix of additional resources and organizations is included to go further.

I highly recommend the book. Of course, there is an entire body of literature that the book created, including a book-length response from the Christian Reconstructionist movement (Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators: A Biblical Response to Ronald J. Sider. I haven't waded into the details of this debate (yet?), and I know that Sider revisited and revised some of the book in later editions. I would be curious to see the specifics, because as I read it, I didn't see anything objectionable in Sider's book from a biblical, theological, or practical standpoint. The one thing I was left hungry for was an up-to-date analysis of our current situation, which I imagine is fundamentally and structurally the same as it was in the 1970s.

The Apostle James sounded this warning: "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you."

Ronald Sider was one who took this warning, and others like it, with total seriousness, and this book was his effort to (prophetically?) wake up Rich Christians, who live in pleasure and luxury, to reality. Reviewing the decades since it was published, I don't see any evidence that we listened. Will a current generation have ears to hear?

[David Dagley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some ways this is a pretty convicting and even uncomfortable read as Ron Sider dives deeply into the realities of poverty, injustice, and suffering in the world as well as the biblical mandates for Christians to be much more generous than most of us in affluent nations are used to. It's also inspiring though, and packed with practical tips to live more simply, give money in meaningful ways to help the poor, and support policies that promote economic justice.

Sider includes a lot of scriptural backing for his views, and is not afraid to engage in politics in a way that disregards allegiance to any particular political party, which I appreciated.

The only critique I have is that I found the last section on political/economic policies to be a little long, and at the same time not detailed enough/maybe a little outside the scope of the main message of this book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I flip-flopped a lot about how many stars to give this book. I thought that its strengths were very strong and need desperately to be heard across the Christian community. But then, there would be small sus comments or assumptions that would really throw me for a loop and disappoint me. Overall, I love that this book called attention to the hypocrisy of Christians and the Church and asked people to more closely examine their giving, their environmental footprint, and their engagement in dismantling systems of oppression. I don't think Christians are held accountable for those last two things nearly enough. Because it's an old book, some of the economic statistics were dated, but the theology and philosophy were timeless.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 - This was a pretty convicting book - just realizing how much poverty could be eliminated if we in the Western world changed a few things about our lifestyle. Sometimes it’s pretty dense and slow to get through but it’s definitely an important read. Sometimes it’s a little idealistic but otherwise provides real facts and some really simple changes we can make that will make a difference in bringing global social and environmental justice.

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly thought out solutions to very real issues.