Customer Reviews

In Pursuit of the Almighty's Dollar: A History of Money and American Protestantism (Caravan Book)

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I read this book after reading Russell Kelly's book about tithing. Local church support in the US was once funded locally as a collective responsibility via taxes. The local denomination depended on the colony. Pew rental and the all member canvass followed. It was interesting to me that into the 20th century some churches kept non-members waiting outside until all paid up members were seated. Tithing was discovered later but even in denominations that teach a version of tithing a minority of members contribute 10% of their income. Overall, support for activities outside the local church has been falling in recent decades with a growing proportion of spending allocated toward local church activities. An interesting book. I hadn't realized that the current funding crisis is nothing new at all. This book doesn't discuss the scriptural basis for or against tithing in any detail.

Highly recommended reading for anyone interested in American religious history. The author is a premier historian and an excellent writer. He blends a strong institutional sensitivity with his study of primary sources, making this a unique and extremely valuable documentation of North American Protestantism.In Pursuit of the Almighty's Dollar: A History of Money and American Protestantism (Caravan Book)

When I encountered Professor Hudnut-Beumler's book, I had just finished a popular book that critiques the legitmacy of tithes as a mandatory Christian practice (See "Shakedown: A Critique of Church & Money Written In Love"). Even though the author is a distinguished historian of American Religion, he has written an accessible book that traces the origins and motivations for Christian clergy building a "tithe theology" in America. I will let you read his book to understand the creation of this practice in American church traditions, but let me add this fact to help you understand the book's importance: I ordered a used copy of the book last year. It was published in 2007 and my copy was first purchased by Great Neck Library in Great Neck, NY in September 2007. But by March of 2008, Great Neck Library had withdrawn the book from circulation and whomever they sold it to resold it to me in April 2008. Now, why would a library purchase a book in September 2007 and withdraw it from circulation by March 2008? Answer: Because it contains information that they did not want to be seen by their patrons. Information about the manufacturing of a tradition of tithing that has very little to do with stewardship, but more to do with capitalist expansion and pastors as successful salary and fund rasiers. I am a Professor of Philosophy at Tuskegee University and, in my professional opinion, it is a carefully and well written book. Get it if you desire an informed historical perspective.

A Book Review by Russell Earl Kelly

Having completed my Ph. D. on the subject of tithing, I thought this book complements mine. Each book fills in the holes which the other does not discuss.

This book points out that before 1870 tithing was not a subject of any importance in the Protestant churches in the USA. However, by 1890 it was the most important theme for church support at least from professional educated ministers. It took longer for the laity to begin accepting it. It would take several more decades before pew rentals and other fund-raising schemes were replaced.

The book is very helpful to understand the methodology of church support and the surprisingly high salaries received in the upper scale churches. It does not go into what I thought was the farmer-merchant-preacher of the plains states and the wild West who I thought were mostly self-supporting.

I was impressed how the 1791 Bill of Rights removed state and local supported taxes from the churches and forced them to search for other means of support.

The book agrees with my conclusions that tithing has not always been a doctrine in the established churches either inside or outside of the U. S. until around 1900 and beyond.

Don't expect biblical arguments of every tithing text in this book. That is not its purpose.

Russell Earl Kelly, Author of Should the Church Teach Tithing? A Theologian's Conclusions about a Taboo Doctrine.

As a denominational stewardship leader at the Conference level, I found this book extremely helpful in understanding our history of financing Protestant churches. It brings to mind the wisdom that "there is nothing new under the sun".