Am I Still My Brother's Keeper?

Biblical Perspectives on Poverty

Robert Wafawanaka

What does the Bible say about poverty and our responsibility toward the poor? This book examines the concept of “brother’s keeper” in both the ancient Near East and the biblical world. Wafawanaka contends that biblical Israel failed to play the rightful role of brother’s keeper and claims that we, too, have strayed from this responsibility. Am I Still My Brother’s Keeper? reveals what we can learn about poverty from a biblical context and how we might appropriate those insights to fight poverty in our own communities. Beginning with the biblical mandate in Deuteronomy 15, Wafawanaka surveys the Hebrew Scriptures and challenges those with power and resources to reevaluate their response to the poor. Failure to revisit the notion of “brother’s keeper” threatens to create a society that is increasingly disenfranchised and unjust. A glance at our world in light of biblical history suggests that poverty is an endemic global problem that requires a radical global solution.

University Press of America

Pages: 242 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7618-5701-3 • Paperback • April 2012 • $49.99 • (£38.00)

978-0-7618-5702-0 • eBook • April 2012 • $47.50 • (£37.00)

Subjects: Religion / Biblical Criticism & Interpretation / General, Social Science / Poverty & Homelessness, Social Science / Sociology of Religion, Religion / Christian Living / Social Issues, Religion / Biblical Studies / General

Am I Still My Brother's Keeper?

Biblical Perspectives on Poverty

Paperback

eBook

Summary

What does the Bible say about poverty and our responsibility toward the poor? This book examines the concept of “brother’s keeper” in both the ancient Near East and the biblical world. Wafawanaka contends that biblical Israel failed to play the rightful role of brother’s keeper and claims that we, too, have strayed from this responsibility. Am I Still My Brother’s Keeper? reveals what we can learn about poverty from a biblical context and how we might appropriate those insights to fight poverty in our own communities. Beginning with the biblical mandate in Deuteronomy 15, Wafawanaka surveys the Hebrew Scriptures and challenges those with power and resources to reevaluate their response to the poor. Failure to revisit the notion of “brother’s keeper” threatens to create a society that is increasingly disenfranchised and unjust. A glance at our world in light of biblical history suggests that poverty is an endemic global problem that requires a radical global solution.

Details

University Press of America

Pages: 242 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-0-7618-5701-3 • Paperback • April 2012 • $49.99 • (£38.00)

978-0-7618-5702-0 • eBook • April 2012 • $47.50 • (£37.00)

Subjects: Religion / Biblical Criticism & Interpretation / General, Social Science / Poverty & Homelessness, Social Science / Sociology of Religion, Religion / Christian Living / Social Issues, Religion / Biblical Studies / General

Author

Robert Wafawanaka is assistant professor of Biblical studies and the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. He holds Th.M. and M.T.S. degrees from Harvard Divinity School and a Th.D. degree from Boston University’s School of Theology.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations
Introduction
PART ONE: Overview of Study
Chapter 1: The Biblical Mandate
PART TWO: Poverty in the Hebrew Bible
Chapter 2: Poverty in the Law Books
Chapter 3: Poverty and the Prophets
Chapter 4: Poverty in the Writings
PART THREE: Conclusion
Chapter 5: Summary and Conclusions
Bibliography
Index
About the Author

Am I Still My Brother's Keeper?

Biblical Perspectives on Poverty

Robert Wafawanaka

Am I Still My Brother's Keeper?

Biblical Perspectives on Poverty

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