As Churches Push Donations, Congregants Balk (WSJ):
Can you put a price on faith? That is the question churchgoers are asking as the tradition of tithing -- giving 10% of your income to the church -- is increasingly challenged. Opponents of tithing say it is a misreading of the Bible, a practice created by man, not God. They say they should be free to donate whatever amount they choose, and they are arguing with pastors, writing letters and quitting congregations in protest. In response, some pastors have changed their teaching and rejected what has been a favored form of fund raising for decades. ...
Tithing has its roots in the Biblical tale of Abraham presenting a tenth of the war spoils to Melchizedek, the king of Salem. In the Old Testament, Jews brought 10% of their harvest to a storehouse as a welfare plan for the needy or in case of famine. That percentage, say pro-tithers, can be a useful guideline for Christians today. ...
Resistance to tithing has been increasing steadily in recent years, as more churchgoers have questioned the way their churches spend money. Like other philanthropists today, religious givers want to see exactly how their donations are being used. In some cases, the growth of megachurches, some with expensive worship centers equipped with coffee bars and widescreen TVs, have turned people off of tithing. And those who object are finding like-minded souls on the Web in theological forums. Many churchgoers also balk at the idea that a certain amount of money will ensure salvation.
I see the trend towards greater accountability to be a positive one. I'd be curious to see if there is any data showing whether or not there is a correlation in excessive church spending and reduced levels of giving.
HT to Paul Caron who also links to this tithing and tax trilogy by Adam Chodorow:
- Agricultural Tithing and (Flat) Tax Complexity, 68 U. Pitt. L. Rev. ___ (2007)
- Biblical Tax Systems and the Case for Progressivity, 23 J.L. & Relig. 101 (2007)
- God’s Income Tax: What Jewish Tithing Practices Can Teach Us about Tax Reform, 8 Fla. Tax Rev. 153 (2007)
1 comment:
Hi, I was the major contributor of names for the WSJ article. It was chopped up pretty badly by the editors. The definition of tithing was distorted and that ruined the tone of the aricle.
There are a lot of Christians complaining that too much of the church income is spent on buldings and salaries while the poor and even missions are given low priorities.
Today many of the most properous churches grow by offering gymnasiums, child serevices, rock and country bands and the small churches cannot compete to draw young people.
While the church buiding gets larger the poor feel inadequate because they cannot give as much as 10% while the rich are wrong by stopping at 10%. Tithing never paid building expenses in the Bible. It supported Levites who are now unpaid deacons and priests which have been replaced with the priestshood of believers.
The whole thing is an unbiblical scam in my opinion. Russell Earl Kelly, Author of Should the Church Teach Tithing?
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