Customer Reviews

Toward a Just and Caring Society: Christian Responses to Poverty in America

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I am most surprised this book has garnered so little attention because it is a solid and informed work on poverty in the United States from several evangelical scholars.

Biblical ethicists Stephen Mott and Ronald Sider start off by illuminating the biblical vision of economic justice, preparing us to consider what that looks like in our day. What follows are essays from a variety of evangelical social scientists covering topics from broad economic theory, to data on wealth inequality, to the nitty gritty details of anti-poverty policies, charity, and empowerment initiatives. The result is a book that covers poverty in the U.S. with breadth and proficiency while still being quite accessible (especially since the reader is free to tackle each topic in a piecemeal fashion). This is a true blessing because it elevates the Christian discourse on poverty by helping us grapple with the various economic and social realities faced by the poor, allowing us to better serve and empower them according to their needs.

(The main drawback to this book is simply its age: being from 1999, many essays are likely in need of some updated research, though it is still immensely informative.)