73

Book Reviews
Remember the Poor: Paul, Poverty, and the Greco-Roman World

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Engaging Economics: New Testament Scenarios and Early Christian
Reception

Bruce W. /RQJHQHFNHUDQG.HOO\'/LHEHQJRRGHGV*UDQG
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Reviewed by Kurt C. Schaefer, Calvin College
n Remember the Poor, 3URIHVVRU %UXFH /RQJHQHFNHU D ZLGHO\
respected New Testament scholar, sets out to correct a stereotype within
biblical-studies scholarship: When exploring economic dimensions
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advanced agrarian cultures, with an elite well-placed to use their power
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agrarian culture was characterized by a relatively small elite, a large and
relatively powerless peasantry, and pervasive patronage. Between the elite
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as possible were put at their disposal. Religious systems managed by
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power. Manual labor was generally despised by those not engaged in it.
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historical literature eventually leads him to propose a rough reconstruction
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to Roman patrons. In contrast to the elites normal expropriations, the
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empire, in which the wealthy share rather than accumulate at the expense
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on others conversations. It may come as a surprise that New Testament
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But maybe such exertions are common to every discipline. Picture the
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good thing.
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argumentation or personal vendetta. He consistently avoids over-reaching
claims concerning economic analysis or policy.
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University seminar essays by biblical scholars aims to demonstrate
how prominently economic responsibility is to be embedded within the
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the view that New Testament interpretation should not be diluted by
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wealth have little to do with the primary theological interests evident across

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communicate what really counts and how to attain it, in distinction to
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crossing are the things that count. They are to be pursued in two ways: by
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this is possible, and by otherwise setting out a new and better way. Brian
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New Testaments strong apparently negative statements about possessions
and wealth, and strong apparently positive statements about communal
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virtuosi who have a special calling to an apostolic ministry, not as general
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that Mk. 4:24b7PD\EHDQDXWKHQWLFVD\LQJRI-HVXVGHVSLWHLWVquid pro
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79

argument that the poor in Gal. 2:10 was universally taken to mean all the
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she should never remarry.
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economics.
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essay considers the Book of Steps, D IRXUWKFHQWXU\ 6\ULDF UHFRUG RI DQ
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80 FAITH & ECONOMICS

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The editors have aimed to produce a volume establishing economic
responsibility as central to Christian identity. I expect that most Christian
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in this regard. The arguments and conclusions in those papers are not
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This books intended audience is the New-Testament-scholars guild,
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outside the guild. But the dialog between Christian economists and New
Testament scholars is an important one, and this book provides a good
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insights.
Taken together, what do these two books have to say about how

81

the Christian scriptures address economic questions? They argue

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agenda in pressing these concerns into practice. A tennis player might say
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Endnotes
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2 Perhaps a slightly larger proportion would be poor in non-urban areas
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to Pauls theology and practice.
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go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They asked only one
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82 FAITH & ECONOMICS

give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For
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References
Brooks, A.C.  Who really cares: The surprising truth about
compassionate conservatism. New York: Basic Books.
Burkhauser, R.V., Feng, S., Jenkins, S.P., & Larrimore, J. 
Recent trends in top income shares in the USA: Reconciling estimates
from March CPS and IRS tax return data 1%(5 :RUNLQJ 3DSHU
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Saez, E. :LQWHU6WULNLQJLWULFKHU7KHHYROXWLRQRIWRSLQFRPHVLQ
the United States. PathwaysQ