There Shall Be No Poor Among You

There Shall Be No Poor Among You is a careful and comprehensive but not overly technical study of the biblical portrait of the poor and poverty. Hoppe introduces the study with the socioeconomic structures of ancient Israel and Roman Palestine, then proceeds systematically to examine the biblical evidence, including that of the Old Testament, New Testament, Apocrypha, and rabbinic literature. The Bible describes the poor and poverty in a variety of ways. Sometimes poverty is a curse; other times it is a blessing. Sometimes the text is concerned about material poverty exclusively; other times poverty becomes a metaphor for another reality. Hoppe describes the various ways the Bible deals with the poor, but his fundamental conclusion is that the Bible never idealizes the reality of material poverty and the oppression of the poor by the rich. Even when the Bible speaks of "poverty of the spirit" as a positive religious metaphor, God requires humans to seek social justice. Hoppe suggests that just as poverty is not idealized in the Bible, so the poor should be a priority of every community of faith. Ancient Israel, early Judaism, Jesus, and the first Christians did not forget the poor, and if believers today wish to be faithful to their biblical heritage, neither can they. This book provides a practical background for scholars and is a primer for a significant theological motif. It will be useful in the classroom (in college and seminary courses in biblical ethics and social justice), as well as in serious Bible study. Study questions will help readers and students further probe history, theology, and application.

According to the authors, the doctrine of inerrancy has been standard, accepted teaching for more than 1,000 years. In 1978, the famous "Chicago Statement" on inerrancy was adopted by the Evangelical Theological Society, and for decades it has been the accepted conservative evangelical doctrine of the Scriptures. However, in recent years, some prominent evangelical authors have challenged this statement in their writings. Now eminent apologist and bestselling author Norman L. Geisler, who was one of the original drafters of the "Chicago Statement," and his coauthor, William C. Roach, present a defense of the traditional understanding of inerrancy for a new generation of Christians who are being assaulted with challenges to the nature of God, truth, and language. Pastors, students, and armchair theologians will appreciate this clear, reasoned response to the current crisis.

TBC

Presents a global view of stratification in an interesting but theoretically sound way, using an effective combination of academic works, lively stories, and news reports. Helps to educate the social science major or general student about social and cultural differences across the world, and teaches about growing global interdependence and how this is connected to contemporary social problems.

Insights, Ideas, and Thoughtful Questions for Discussing Jewish Approaches to Social Justice with Students A step-by-step guide to creative use of There Shall Be No Needy: Pursing Social Justice through Jewish Law & Tradition in adult education, college, and advanced high school classes. Each lesson includes: Clearly stated goals Trigger exercises to draw out participants' own experiences Intriguing discussion questions that facilitate the use of There Shall Be No Needy in the classroom Text studies that engage students in a personal exploration of classical and contemporary Jewish approaches to the most important social justice issues of our time A glossary of important terms This comprehensive teaching tool will help students to gain a deeper understanding of Jewish perspectives on key social justice issues, and to explore what we can do to make a difference in our communities.