Poverty in the early church and today : a conversation 23. The Undeserving Poor Today: The Rhetoric and Theological Development of a Problematic Category Hannah Swithinbank Tearfund UK 24. Response to Fiona Gregson Hannah Swithinbank Tearfund UK 25. Response to Hannah Swithinbank Fiona Gregson Diocese of Birmingham UK 26. The Early Church The Roman State and Ancient Civil Society: Whose Responsibility are the Poor Christopher M. Hays Fundaciđn Universitaria Seminario BƯblico de Colombia Colombia 27. Poverty and the Powers Today Stephen Timms MP House of Commons UK 28. Response to Christopher Hays Stephen Timms MP House of Commons UK 29. Response to Stephen Timms MP Christopher M. Hays Fundaciđn Universitaria Seminario BƯblico de Colombia Colombia 30. The Poor Will Always be among You: Poverty Education and the Catholic Ideal Francis Campbell St. Marys University UK II. Responding and Reflecting 31. Review: Responding and Summarizing Craig Blomberg Denver Seminary USA 32. Between Today and Yesterday: Evidence Complexity Poverty and the Body of Christ Francis Davis Select Bibliography Index. How This Book Works Reflecting on Poverty: Bishop Graham Tomlin Foreword: Cardinal Vincent Nichols List of Abbreviations List of Contributors I. Poverty Then and Now 1. Two Concepts of Poverty: A Theological Analysis Justin Thacker Cliff College UK 2. Poverty and Its Causes in the Early Church Lynn H. Cohick Denver Seminary USA 3. Causes of Poverty Today Katie Harrison Tearfund UK 4. Response to Lynn H. Cohick Katie Harrison Tearfund UK 5. Dream Better Dreams: Response to Katie Harrison Lynn H. Cohick Denver Seminary USA 6. Do Good to All (Galatians 6.10): Assets Capital and Benefaction in Early Christianity Bruce W. Longenecker Baylor University USA 7. Benefaction Today John Coleby Caritas UK 8. Response to Bruce Longenecker John Coleby Caritas UK 9. Response to John Coleby Bruce W. Longenecker Baylor University USA 10. Patronage and People: Pauls Perspective in Philippians Steve Walton St. Marys University UK 11. Patronage Today Helen Hekel Tearfund UK 12. Response to Steve Walton Helen Hekel Tearfund UK 13. Response to Helen Hekel Steve Walton St. Marys University UK 14. Paul and the Gift to Jerusalem: Overcoming the Problems of the Long Distance Gift John M.G. Barclay University of Durham UK 15. Raising Funds in One Place Giving to Another: Gift Distribution Today Virginia Luckett Tearfund UK 16. Response to John Barclay Virginia Luckett Tearfund UK 17. Response to Virginia Luckett John M.G. Barclay University of Durham UK 18. Wealth and Dehumanization: Ezekiels Oracles against Tyre Myrto Theocharous Greek Bible College Greece 19. Poverty and Dehumanization Ellie Hughes Riverbank Trust UK 20. Response to Myrto Theocharous Ellie Hughes Riverbank Trust UK 21. Response to Ellie Hughes Myrto Theocharous Greek Bible College Greece 22. The Undeserving Poor in the Early Church Fiona J. R. Gregson Diocese of Birmingham UK. This innovative volume focuses on the significance of early Christianity for modern means of addressing poverty by offering a rigorous study of deprivation and its alleviation in both earliest Christianity and todays world. The contributors seek to present the complex ways in which early Christian ideas and practices relate to modern ideas and practices and vice versa. In this light the book covers seven major areas of poverty and its causes benefaction patronage donation wealth and dehumanization `the undeserving poor and responsibility. Each area features an expert in early Christianity in its Jewish and Graeco Roman settings paired with an expert in modern strategies for addressing poverty and benefaction; each author engages with the same topic from their respective area of expertise and responds to their partners essay. Giving careful attention toboth the continuities and discontinuities between the ancient world and today the contributors seek to inform and engage church leaders those working in NGOs concerned with poverty and all interested in these crucial issues both Christian and not