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Unlock This CourseIn Rich and Poor: Charity, Justice and Compassion you met the gap between rich and poor and the ideas of charity, justice and compassion. This lesson looks at what Christians believe about it, and what they do. For Christians, love is not only a feeling. It must show in action. Jesus taught that how we treat people in need is a test of how much we really love God.
Key terms:
In Matthew 25, Jesus describes a judgment in which people are separated like sheep and goats. Those who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, welcomed strangers, clothed the poor and visited the sick and prisoners are welcomed. Jesus says that whatever they did for "the least of these", they did for him. Those who ignored the needy are turned away.
In Luke 16:19-31, a rich man in fine clothes feasts every day. A poor man called Lazarus, covered in sores, lies at his gate. Both die. Lazarus is comforted, but the rich man is in torment. His fault was not that he was rich. It was that he saw need at his gate every day and did nothing.
In Mark 10:17-25, a man asks Jesus how to gain eternal life. He says he has kept the commandments. Jesus, looking at him with love, says he lacks one thing: he should sell what he owns, give the money to the poor, and follow Jesus. The man goes away sad because he is very wealthy. Jesus then says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" The letter says that love of God and ignoring the poor cannot go together.
The first three come from the Gospels, so they show Jesus' own teaching. Notice what they have in common: Christians are meant to notice people in need, and to act. The Last Judgment itself belongs to Heaven, Hell, Judgment and Resurrection. Here we use Matthew 25 only for what it says about the poor.
Many Christians draw three ideas from these teachings.
The three ideals from the spec are also Christian ideals. Charity is giving to help. Compassion is feeling for someone and wanting to ease their suffering, as Jesus did. Justice is fairness. Christians who stress justice ask why people are poor and try to change unfair systems, as well as helping people day by day. Many Christians use both together.
The early Christians set an example. Acts 2:44-45 says that the first believers shared what they had and sold property to give to anyone in need. Today, Christians and churches do the same in many ways.
Christian Aid was started in 1945 by British and Irish churches to help refugees after the Second World War. CAFOD is the overseas aid charity of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Both support projects abroad and respond to emergencies, and both campaign for fairer treatment of poor countries.
Many food banks in the UK are run in church halls by volunteers from local churches. The Trussell Trust, which runs a large network of food banks, began as a Christian charity. They give food to people who cannot afford it, whatever their beliefs.
William and Catherine Booth began the work that became the Salvation Army in London in 1865. It is a Christian church and a charity. It runs shelters for homeless people and gives support to those in need.
All three examples link back to the teachings above. Volunteers at a food bank are feeding the hungry, just as the sheep in Matthew 25 did. Christian Aid and CAFOD act on 1 John 3:17 by refusing to look away from needs overseas. The Salvation Army shows love through action, not only words. These are Christian communities and groups, not only individuals, being generous.
(a) Identify three Christian groups or charities that help the poor. [3 marks]
(b) Outline two Christian teachings that encourage wealthy people to help the poor. [4 marks]
(c) Explain why many Christians believe wealth is a responsibility. [6 marks]
(d) "Wealthy countries have a greater duty to help the poor than anyone else." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks]
(a) Christian Aid (1); CAFOD (1); the Salvation Army (1).
(b) In the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25, people who fed the hungry and clothed the poor are welcomed by Jesus, who says that what they did for the least of these, they did for him (1+1). 1 John 3:17 asks how the love of God can be in anyone who has possessions, sees a person in need and does nothing (1+1).
(c) Christians believe that everything they have is a gift from God, so it should be used to do good and not just kept. In Mark 10, Jesus tells a rich man to give to the poor, which shows that wealth can stop people following him. The story of the rich man and Lazarus shows that ignoring need at your door is a serious failing. Christians also believe that every person is made in the image of God, so the poor are as valuable as the rich. Agape means love in action, so it is not enough to feel sorry for the poor. They should give help. (Several developed reasons with teachings, as here, reach the top of the 6 marks.)
(d) Plan. For: wealthy countries have more resources, and Luke 16 condemns ignoring need when you can help; Christian agencies such as CAFOD campaign for fair treatment and aid from rich countries. Against: Jesus teaches that every Christian has a duty to love their neighbour, whether rich or poor; individuals and communities, such as local churches running food banks, must act without waiting for governments; poorer people and countries can also be generous. Other view: some non-religious people say duty depends on conscience or reason, though many would agree that those with more should give more. Judgement: the argument for wealthy countries is strong because of their resources, but it does not make everyone else's duty disappear. Possible conclusion: wealthy countries have a greater duty, but not the only duty, since Christian teaching asks all believers to act.
In an "Explain" question, attach each reason to a named teaching, such as Matthew 25, Luke 16:19-31, Mark 10 or 1 John 3:17, and say why it makes Christians act.