WIC4d: Lay Movement: Financial matters (Theses 1 & 2)

      This continues from Part WIC4c (Table of Contents in Part WIC1) in a series presenting a new translation of all of Franz Pieper's essays previously translated in the 1933 CPH book What Is Christianity? And Other Essays. — This post covers pages 37-61, on the financial matters of a "lay movement".

Notable Quotes: Financial terms (pages 37-61)

38: "We do not, however, impose tithing as a duty on the conscience of New Testament Christians. … because it would be contrary to Scripture."

38: "on the other hand, …we should not turn the freedom with which Christ has set us free into a cover for sin"

40: "it is a terrible abuse of Christian freedom when Christians use the freedom from tithing to give Christ as little or nothing as possible for his kingdom"

41: "the weakest Christian should start in Christian freedom where the Jew left off, namely with 10 percent"

42: "But alas, when the "mite" is misused by those who are not poor widows, but who have plenty of earthly goods, to seek the smallest possible gifts and to soothe their conscience with the 'widow's mite'!"

45: "the desire for small gifts also easily becomes an offence to the unbelieving world."

45: The unbelieving world "rejoices immensely when it perceives that Christians…even resort to gambling and dubious entertainments in order to drive out money [for their cause].

46: "…the goal of Christians to give first to the kingdom of God"

48: "But in many, many cases, the poverty or small possessions of Christians is also due to the fact that they give so little for God's kingdom."

48: "…whether we too have not become a blight on the land through our ingratitude and stinginess in giving to the gospel."

49: Luther Germans lack of giving: "If this is how it is to be in German lands, I am sorry that I was born a German or that I have ever spoken or written in German."

50: Christians "owe their teachers reverence and sustenance"

51: Scripture "warns both sides [congregations and pastors] against selfishness and avarice."

52: "What should the preachers be paid for? The work, the hard work."

52: "story of a Negro preacher": "‘Dat’s true, brudder, but de congregation mus’ pay for de pipin'" ["That's true brother, but the congregation must pay for the piping"]

54: "we can also point to congregations in our midst that now provide amply for their preachers after the preachers have endured their poverty."

54: On pastors and teachers: "…avarice, which happens when the real aim of their ministry is to provide for earthly needs and to maximize their salary"

54: "True men of war [pastors, teachers] do not see their life's work in foraging, but they leave it to the commissary department to supply their rations."

55: "we expect our pastors, …to preach under certain [temporary] circumstances even without a salary."

57: Financial sluggishness comes from "a partial lack of clarity in the doctrine of justification."

57: "The more seriously we teach good works in a Christian manner, the more powerfully we preach the gospel."

59: "let us not neglect…to familiarize our Christians with the needs of the kingdom of God"

59: "As a Christian, you are obliged to keep your own eyes open. Perhaps you don't even keep a church newspaper, for example Der Lutheraner, [or the Lutheran Witness]"

61: "a discussion about the support fund for old and sick pastors and teachers and their families and surviving dependents"

61: "If this [enough wages for pastor] is done, they have money left over for sickness and old age."

      When I read of these financial matters, one could sympathize regarding the load on congregations to support their pastors and teachers and their families, including for sickness and old age. The cost of healthcare is massively out of balance due to the socialist nature of medical care in the United States. — In the next Part WIC4e,  the "The 'lay movement' in the Christian walk in general".