Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity by Ronald J. Sider Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: Moving from Affluence to Generosity
Book Review: A Challenge to Affluence
Summary: 5 Stars
Many conservative reviewers would like to essentialize Ron Sider with ad hominem attacks like "liberal" or the ever popular slander "socialist." However these labels do not do justice to the complexity of Sider's argumentation. Even if one disagrees with the last section of his book (his policy proposals), one certainly cannot disagree with the the first two sections of his book on the huge degree of world hunger and on the Christian obligation to respond to these issues by placing the needs of the poor above their own needs. (Whether they do that privately or through the state is really a secondary issue, all are called to live justly despite their political leanings).
In lectures which took place at Wheaton College, Sider explained that the truly valuable contribution of his book takes place in these first two sections, because they force conservative christians to admit that they have a responsibility to "live justly" and follow the clear Biblical command layed out in I John 3:16-18, "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little chidren, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth." (NIV)
To his credit, Wheaton's professor and staunch defender of the free market, PJ Hill, admitted that even though he believed in private free market solutions to the problems that Sider outlined, he agreed with Sider that all Christians must be willing to live simply and place the needs of their brothers and sisters before themselves through humble charity.
This is a far cry from many of Sider's foes, who would equate poverty as a curse from God and who would label so called "third world" countries as "backward" because of this (as in Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators). Such Western arrogance forgets that the early disciple James said the exact opposite, "did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom?" (2:5).
Both conservatives and liberals alike must come to grips with issues of world poverty and the need to live justly in a world of increasing injustice. Sider's book is an invaluable tool in this journey.
Book Review: Insightful and Orthodox
Summary: 5 Stars
Sider presents us with a problem as Christians. We are filthy rich while others are extremely poor. While some will call this book "liberal" and "socialist," the best word for it is orthodox. One of the best points Dr. Sider makes is that while we try desperately to be theologically orthodox (and he is), in our actions we are heretics. The book of Acts describes the system of the early Christians regarding money quite well. The were essentially communists, but most importantly they shared and didn't care for material possesions. The same is true of the early Christians, they would take literally Jesus' words "Sell everything you have and give to the poor..." Sider's facts are shocking as to how poor suffering souls are over the world. The basic premise of this book is to show the extreme poverty of most of the world, and then show the Bible's opinion on this. He is a prophet against materialism and I like his style. He supports capitalism as I do, but he believes we as Christians are just as materialistic as the non-Christians. It was Jesus himself who said "Its easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." Finally a book that does not confuse Biblicism with conservative economics.Book Review: Getting to the heart of things
Summary: 5 Stars
Reading this book has helped me to see that this world does not revolve around me or the west. Mr. Sider goes through and gives pratical, challenging ways to implement loving the poor. This book has helped reshape the way I see and think about Jesus. It has helped to show me the Lord is not just concerned with the western world, but also for the majority of the world that does not live in the west. He came to set the prisoners free. This book challenges readers to do the same. I loved this book. It has the potential to change your life, if you let it.Book Review: Do all you can
Summary: 5 Stars
Contrary to the previous reviewer of this book, I believe that Sider makes a cogent argument from the Scriptures of God's concern from the poor, and His desire for radical involvement on the part of His people. Sider aptly draws the other side of statistics that are commonly pointed to, and sheds new light on old problems. What you will need to ask yourself is whether you wish to give the least that is required of you, or if you wish to do everything you can to labor with God for the evangelism of the world and the liberation of His people He has created from poverty.Book Review: Ron Sider is an unchristian liberal socialist who perverts..
Summary: 1 Stars
Ron Sider is an unchristian liberal socialist who perverts the clear teaching of scripture regarding the right of individuals to own and control private property. His book is filled with specious unbiblical reasoning that only a marxist would applaud. If you want to understand what the Bible teaches about economics you must read David Chilton's book "Productive Christians in an age of guilt manipulators: A Biblical response to Ronald J. Sider." Chilton's book was written in response to Siders book "Rich Christians in an age of Hunger." Chilton's book is a delightfully cogent presentation of Biblical economics. Siders book, typical of liberals, is full of emotional pleas and mush brained thinking. If you are a liberal, if you are a socialist, if you believe in big government and welfare programs, you will love Ron Sider's book. However, if you are a conservative, if you are logical and not given to being persuaded by the illogical, irrational and emotional pleas of liberals, if you believe in free market capitalism undergirded by a system of Christian morals and Biblical ethics, then you will be disgusted by Ron Sider's book, "Rich Christians in an age of hunger."