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Ian Whitlock

Early Christian Seminar

The Challenge of Distance: A Lesson in Faith and Wealth

Today the conversations around wealth focus on differences between capitalism and

socialism. The idea of connecting faith with economics is abstract, if even present, but this is

not how life was in the first few centuries of the Christian church. The Early Christians spoke

repeatedly about the topic of wealth and how to relate to it. Some argued it was vital to

understanding theology; if Christians did not understand the role of giving and receiving wealth,

they would not be able to understand God’s love. This discussion around wealth continued

despite the changing landscape of the church. The conversation and understanding of wealth

within the Early Christian faith revolved around relationship. It revolved around a concern and

responsibility to care for others. As Constantine declared Christianity to be the religion of the

Roman Empire, the dynamic of this relationship between the rich and poor shifted. John

Chrysostom and Augustine, two Early Church Fathers from the fourth century, were forced to

address the issue of wealth in the church and though they differ on many points, their ultimate

goal is to unify people so they may share in the eternal as well as the material.

In order to truly understand the use of wealth within Christianity some background

needs to be established. Frequently used as an example of Early Christian community Acts

2:44-45 shares how the people of the community “had everything in common. Selling their

possessions and goods, they gave to anyone who had need.” Acts 4:32 and 34 reveal that “No

one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had,” and

“There were no needy persons among them.” These two passages show how the community of

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believers was established around an idea of sharing possessions. The Greek word used for this

action is koinonia. Koinonia is often translated as fellowship, unity, brotherhood, or

community, but this word is more than simply being connected on a spiritual or emotional

level. With these levels there also came a sense of a business partnership.1 The people who

were a part of koinonia were financially invested in each other. When one person was

prosperous, they shared what they had with those around them. When someone was

suffering, they would rely on others who were to provide for them. This was the core of the

Christian view of wealth and it created a place for everyone to contribute to the community.

This community revealed Christians’ love for one another.

There are many critics who claim the idea of koinonia ended quickly, regardless of the

continuation of the Christian movement. Critics would point toward the famine in Jerusalem in

the first century as a breakdown of this community, but this is an isolated view. Though the

people of Jerusalem suffered and no one there had anything they could share with each other,

there were Christians outside of the city who supported them. The Apostle Paul in his letters to

the Corinthians speaks of collecting money for the poor in Jerusalem. He calls the Corinthians

to use their abundance to help the poor brothers in Jerusalem.2 The Christian community was

not isolated by cities or regions, but included all Christians no matter the distance. Koinonia

required Christians to look at the how others were doing, even if they were separated by great

distance.

This idea transcended Paul’s letters and was included in the early writings of other

Christians. The Didache, also known as the Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles, includes references

1 Gonzalez, Justo L., Faith & Wealth: A History of Early Christian Ideas on the Origin, Significance, and Use of Money (San Francisco: Harper & Row. 1990), 832 Ibid., 84

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to this early community:

Do not be one who holds his hand out to take, but shuts it when it comes to giving. If your labor has brought you earnings, pay a ransom for your sins. Do not hesitate to give and do not give it with a bad grace; for you will discover who He is that pays you back a reward with a good grace. Do not turn your back on the needy, but share everything with your brother and call nothing your own. For if you have what is eternal in common, how much more should you have what is transient!3

This excerpt reveals that the idea of giving continuously and knowing those who are

receiving is important to Early Christians. If Christians can share in eternal life, there should be

no reason for them to not share the things of this world. In fact, the Didache goes so far as to

say that those who follow the way of death “have no pity for the poor…turn their backs on the

needy, oppress the afflicted, defend the rich, [and] unjustly condemn the poor.”4 The only way

to life, true life, is to share with the poor and help the needy. To seek justice is to do the will of

God and this includes seeing the poor and needy as people who are equal and should be shared

with.

The Didache is not alone in referencing the notion of sharing goods in Early Christian

writings. The Epistle to Diognetes has been dated to the early second century. It was written to

describe Christian life to an outsider. It references that they “share a common table, but not a

bed.” This is likely a way of contrasting Christian commonality to the views of Plato and

Pythagoras, who believed in sharing everything including spouses.5 Even here it is shown that

Christians shared lives. The fact that they would share their tables means they would share

food, stories, and the gospel all while building relationships, while setting limits that separate

themselves from philosophers of the day.

3 Richardson, Cyril C. trans. and ed., Early Christian Fathers “The Didache” (New York: Touchstone Simon and Schuster. 1996), 1734 Ibid. 1745 Gonzalez, Faith and Wealth, 96

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By the end of the second century and into the third century, Christianity began to

include members of the elite classes within the empire. Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria are

two voices that reveal the changing views of Christianity with the inclusion of such wealthy

individuals into the community. Irenaeus was one of the first Early Church Fathers to speak

about giving as a method of repayment for sins. In explaining the story of the rich, young ruler,

Irenaeus considers the ruler’s wealth a sign of his covetousness and claims that Jesus

commands him to sell what he has and give it to the poor in order to pay for his coveting.6 He

uses this argument to expand the role of the Law of Moses. His view is that Christians should

be prepared to share with the poor and anyone who wishes to take something by force.7 Again

the view of the necessity to share goods is found. His sermons also reveal the changes in how

wealth is addressed due to the increase in the number of rich in the congregations.

Clement focuses on how to understand wealth more than his contemporaries. He

shares that “koinonia is possible only if people have something to share.”8 He explains that

wealth is a tool that is not inherently evil, but can be used for evil. He begins to focus not on

wealth itself, but the relationship people have with wealth.9 Clement speaks about the

necessity of those who give to have the resources that they are giving. If no one has any

resources, they will not be able to give to the needy. Therefore they must work to gain

resources which can then be given to care for the poor. Thus, it is evident that man’s nature is

to share.

This is the society in which Christianity began. Believers lived together sharing all their

6 Ibid., 1097 Ibid., 1098 Ibid., 1139 Ibid., 113

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possessions. They erased poverty through giving, but this was only possible because people

knew each other. They were a community, which meant they spent time with each other.

Churches met in houses, which was personal and created room for relationships to grow

between those who had wealth and those who did not. Houses would be opened for those

with no shelter to stay. Food was distributed, clothing was shared, and all of this was done

while sharing the love of Christ Jesus. One thing to note about the people who were part of this

early movement is that most were of a lower middle class. It took centuries before those in

elite classes became Christians.

This all changed when Constantine became emperor of Rome and declared Christianity

was to be the religion of the State. Though this declaration increased the number of Christians

at a rapid rate, it also created a difficult new situation where politicians and businessmen would

become Christian by name in order to be seen as more trustworthy. Some men would even

become Christians just to find a Christian wife who would be good to them. Thus began an age

of shallow faith. Eusebius of Caesarea, credited as the first Christian historian, spoke against

“the scandalous hypocrisy of those who crept into the Church, and assumed the name and

character of Christians.”10 People were joining the church without understanding what they

were joining. This was also the entrance of the rich into the church, which created a focus

among Early Church Fathers on preaching about the rich and the poor. Christian bishops had to

address this social gap between rich and poor in an effort to create a sense of unity while trying

to build relationships between believers in the church in spite of financial status. Two such

bishops who shared in this endeavor were St. Augustine in Carthage and St. John Chrysostom in

10 Ibid., 153

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Antioch and Constantinople. They became leading voices in the West and the East and each

went about approaching this topic in unique ways due to the situation they faced.

At the start of Constantine’s reign, a schism took place within the Christian church of

Northern Africa creating two factions of Christians. The Donatists were a peasant group of

Christians who abhorred the benefits Christianity received from the emperor. They felt that

religion and the state should be completely separate, and they believed this strongly enough to

become militant, revolting against the emperor multiple times.11 This faction, along with the

influx of rich elites, led to churches appearing all over Northern Africa, which in turn created a

sense among Christians that if they did not like a church, they could simply leave and find one

they agreed with more. Discord became prevalent in the Western church, and Augustine took

it as part of his responsibility as a bishop to speak truth, peace, and unity to his congregation.

Roman Africa was filled with bishops who became village leaders, which became dangerous,

because of the pride that came with power, and Augustine worked hard to make sure that

congregation distinguished themselves as Christian through their actions and lives. One way of

doing this was through his emphasis on the use of wealth and the necessity of giving daily.

The East, though similar in many ways, did not have the Christian schism the West was

faced with. Chrysostom served as the bishop of Antioch in modern day Syria, and

Constantinople, modern day Istanbul. At this point in time, Constantinople was the capital of

the Roman Empire and Chrysostom actually became an advisor to the emperor at one point.

Because he was situated in the capital, he was able to be more direct with his congregation. He

would criticize many of the people in his church for their actions, especially those directed

11 Brown, Peter, Through the Eye of a Needle (Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press. 2012), 330-335

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towards the poor. His name actually means “Golden-Tongued”, due to his presence when

preaching. He is considered one of the greatest preachers of all time. His sermons include a

wide variety of topics, and he addresses the idea of wealth in a multitude of them. This is likely

due to the fact that he spoke mainly to a rich audience, including many politicians and elites.

Chrysostom did not have to worry about heresies taking people away from the church, but

rather strived to make sure Christians would be able to distinguish themselves from others in

society through their actions and love of others.

The parable of the ten virgins is good evidence of comparison between Augustine and

Chrysostom, regarding their respective views of wealth. Both fathers agree that the oil

represents giving. They also share that simply being virtuous is not enough, because the doors

of the bridegroom are closed to five of the ten virgins.12 Augustine moves then from this idea

and expands upon the idea of giving. He concludes that the oil is a gift from God. It is not

something people make themselves. He further explains that people can keep the oil or sell the

oil.13 He calls the selling of oil the sale of admiration. This is Augustine’s way of referring to

those who give in order to be seen as better people, such as the Pharisees Jesus talks about. He

speaks of the oil as a tool that can be used for good or evil, similar to Clement’s own idea.

Augustine further expands on the idea of holding onto the oil, meaning making almsgiving a

part of daily spiritual life. He begins to explain almsgiving as a daily part of the forgiveness of

sins. He uses the idea of “forgive us our debts, as we too forgive our debtors,” from the Lord’s

Prayer as his example. By giving alms, sinners are able to wash away their daily sins, which

prepare them for the day that Christ returns. Augustine’s view is centered on the individual

12Augustine, Sermons “Sermon 93” trans. Edmund Hill (New York: New City Press. 1991), 469.13 Ibid., 474

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and the state of the soul that gives.

Chrysostom takes a slightly different view. He begins his sermon by speaking of the

power of almsgiving. He describes it as “the queen of virtues, who quickly raises human beings

to the heavenly vaults.”14 Later he shares that “almsgiving is a great matter, my brethren. Let

us embrace it because nothing like it exists. It is capable of erasing other sins and driving away

the judgment. You keep silent and it exists and defends you; or better yet, you remain quiet

and it thanks thousands upon thousands of mouths on your behalf.”15 How powerful is the act

of giving. There was a sense of its importance in salvation. Chrysostom emphasizes

almsgiving’s power and includes that the virgins who did not bring oil are to be ashamed for

despising the world, crucifying themselves, yet loving money.16 It is because of this love of

money that they were not accepted into the bridegroom’s door and were told by the

bridegroom that he did not know them.

This comparison may have brought some clarity to how each of the fathers differed on

their views of wealth, but in order to truly understand their perspective a broader inspection

should be made. Augustine assumed the importance of almsgiving from his understanding of

the Lord’s Prayer. As stated earlier, “forgive us our debts, as we too forgive our debtors,”17

meant that Christians should take part in giving in order to be forgiven.18 Augustine seems to

emphasize that Christians should give so that they will have debtors to forgive. Otherwise they

cannot understand what the Lord’s Prayer means. This was only part of his view. He also spoke

14 St John Chrysostom, On Repentance and Almsgiving “Homily 3: Concerning Almsgiving and the Ten Virgins” trans. Gus George Christo, (Washington, D.C., The Catholic university of America Press. 1998), 3015 Ibid., 3416 Ibid., 3617 Matthew 6: 1218 Brown, Through the Eye of a Needle, 361

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of the role that the rich and poor play. He believed that God put everything in its place for a

reason. Therefore the rich are in their place for the benefit of the poor and the poor are needy

for the benefit of the rich. The rich are given wealth as a test to give to the poor and the poor

are given little in order to give the rich the opportunity to be generous and be saved.19 This

idea created a more individualized perspective of giving, though there was a sense that

everyone played a role in God’s plan. Giving was not something that was meant for

relationships as much as for the individuals’ soul. This was likely due to Augustine’s Neo-

Platonist background. He spoke of wealth as a tool which could be used for evil, and due to the

situation of power mongering closely being tied to wealth, he spoke of pride and humility. In

response to a heresy, called Pelagianism, which coined the phrase “get rid of the rich and you

will find no poor,” Augustine claimed “get rid of pride, and riches will do no harm.”20 His focus

was on individuals. Giving was to be seen as quiet and daily, in order to forgive daily sins. This

was rooted in his understanding on the role the rich and the poor played in God’s plan as well

as his understanding of the Lord’s Prayer.

Chrysostom, by contrast, focused more on the communal aspects of giving. He saw the

nature of Christians as caring for each other.21 He spoke positively of commerce, explaining

that “God wisely promoted mutual love through our own trade and dealings. Notice that God

filled the earth with goods, but gave each region its own peculiar products, so that, moved by

need, we would communicate and share among ourselves, giving others that of which we have

abundance and receiving that which we lack.”22 This view of commerce revolved around

19 Gonzalez, Faith and Wealth, 21820 Brown, Through the Eye of a Needle, 34921 Gonzalez, Faith and Wealth, 20222 Ibid., 202

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Chrysostom’s view of human nature. Man was not rich or poor when created, but a social gap

was created after the fall. This means that man should strive to work back to the nature before

the fall. He spoke of wealth as helpful only when used for the sake of others. He understood

wealth as “by nature outgoing. Wealth is really such only when it moves out.”23 Along with this

idea, Chrysostom spent many sermons redefining rich and poor. Richness was not considered

an amount of wealth, but rather a lack of need. One who needs little is considered rich. On the

other hand, one who continuously needs more is poor, and will never be satisfied.24 This

understanding created room for people to feel similar, by focusing on the nature of humanity

rather than the physical wealth that people have.

After looking at the differences of the views in the East and the West it is important to

understand the shared core of their worldviews. Their knowledge of how to treat the poor

revolved around their understanding of Christ’s incarnation. They saw Jesus’ life as something

that set a standard for how God interacts with this world. This means God makes material

things divine, through His power and mystery. This is seen through the ideas of the Eucharist as

well as the views of the poor. The two main pieces of this were rooted in the verses about the

sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 and the idea of storing up treasures in heaven expressed in

the story of the rich, young ruler. Jesus’ statement that “whatever you did for one of the least

of these brothers of mine, you did for me,”25 was taken literally. There was an assumption that

when someone gave to the poor, they gave to Christ himself, as if Christ was incarnate at that

present moment in the poor who were receiving the gift. Augustine described it as investing in

23 Ibid., 20324 Ibid., 20325 Matthew 25: 40

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heaven.26 Giving was a real and living participation in the forgiveness of sins, which involved

caring for the one who died in order to forgive those sins. It held much more weight than

simply giving money to someone who may have needed it. Though both fathers shared a clear

understanding of the role of wealth in faith, they were also addressing what was happening in

society as a whole.

By the time of Constantine’s rule, Christians began meeting in cathedrals rather than

homes. Constantine is credited for the construction of numerous church buildings that were

erected all over the Roman Empire. This is a drastic shift which should not be overlooked.

These buildings allowed for more people to hear the gospel at once, but the intimacy of

meeting around a meal at the table of someone’s home was lost. In Augustine’s church

“beggars would have stayed outside the basilica, for this was where the money was. Pious

Christians gave alms at the church door or in the courtyard outside the church. As a result,

Augustine would have found himself preaching to the rich.”27 This was a far cry from the

koinonia expressed among the earliest Christians. Chrysostom shares the similar idea in the

East in a sermon about the ten virgins when he says “just as wash basins are found before the

church’s doors filled with water so that you may wash your hands, the poor sit outside of the

church so you may wash the hands of your soul.”28 This was the same picture as the West, and

this distance created an “us and them” mentality that pervaded the minds of the rich. John

Chrysostom spoke of this mentality when he addressed his congregation about the rich giving

only to those that they deemed worthy. He reprimanded them by stating “alms are to be given,

not to the way of life, but to the human being; we must have compassion, not because the poor

26 Augustine, Sermons “Sermon 86” trans. Edmund Hill, (New York: New City Press. 1991), 40127 Brown, Through the Eye of a Needle, 344-34528 Chrysostom, On Repentance and Almsgiving, 33

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are virtuous, but because they are needy.”29 This notion of judging the poor before giving

created a sense of difference. It led to comparisons which ended relationships before they

could begin. Society had changed from the first century, and with these changes new

challenges arose that needed to be addressed.

This physical distance established a relational distance that made it difficult for the rich

and the poor to truly be a part of koinonia. Proximity is vital for relationships. Friendships are

made with those who are seen regularly, because there is a sense of the obligation to know

someone. Chrysostom shared about the role of proximity in giving while preaching about the

rich man and Lazarus. When speaking about the different sufferings of Lazarus, he shares “in

addition to these, the sight of another person in good fortune laid on him an extra burden of

anguish, not because he was envious and wicked, but because we all naturally perceive our

own misfortunes more acutely by comparison with others’ prosperity.”30 He also shares about

the burdens of the rich as he sees Lazarus each day, and speaks about the role of the

conscience in guiding the pursuit of virtue. The conscience is the guide which leads the soul to

heaven through repeated judgments of actions taken. It speaks more loudly about refusal to

give, when someone who is rich sees a poor person each day. When the rich and the poor are

in contact, conviction leads to giving. This physical proximity is vital in this understanding.

When Constantine created rules that gave Christians benefits within society Christianity

spread rapidly. The number of churches increased almost overnight, and the amount of people

who attended church services increased and this included the rich and elites. Eusebius of

Caesarea often considered Constantine a great hero due to the results of his reign, but as

29 Gonzalez, Faith and Wealth, 21130 St. John Chrysostom, On Wealth and Poverty trans, Catharine P. Roth, (New York: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press. 1981), 30

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Christianity spread the dynamic of the church shifted. The rich began to enter and Christians

moved from meetings around the table to meetings in basilicas. This meant the poor were no

longer seen in the homes of Christians, but located themselves around churches. Giving

became less of an individual thing and became less intimate. Christians in the fourth century

would often give to the church to distribute their offerings rather than give money themselves.

This created distance, as said before, between the rich and the poor and this physical distance

created relational distance. Chrysostom and Augustine dedicated parts of their lives to

addressing this challenge, and similar challenges exist today.

It would be wise to remember old knowledge even in a modern world. America has the

largest economy in the world. Capitalism has created incredible amounts of jobs, led to mass

production of foods and goods, and allowed people to feel free to create, sell, and buy. These

are incredible gifts that are spreading around the world and influencing much of the planet.

The world is becoming connected through trade and technology. Advancements have been

made that have allowed poor nations to experience incredible economic growth. Countries are

becoming known for different talents or offerings. Life is filling with beautiful, good things. Yet,

all of these concepts, actions, or ideas have challenges with them. Capitalism has created large

gaps between the rich and the poor. Technology has created a lack of intimacy and formality in

culture that has been argued as being a cause of depression among many people. Pollution has

increased drastically in order to keep up with the demand for foods, clothing, or technologies.

Each of these advancements has brought its own challenges.

Many people are beginning to see these challenges and are striving to address them.

Recently there has been a move within Capitalism to focus more on helping society. Companies

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that have taken this idea to heart have called themselves B-Corporations.31 These are large

corporations that have become fed up with the concept of focusing only on the bottom-line

with no thought to employees or customers. They have decided that there needs to be a shift

back toward the capitalism of the 50’s and 60’s, where business owners would raise employee

salaries before thinking about taking the money themselves.32 This may seem odd due to its

lack of Christian influence, but it may be time to be reminded of John Chrysostom’s view of

commerce. It is the nature of man to trade. Trade is simply a tool used to create

communication across regions, nations, and continents. It is our nature to care for each other,

because we need each other. Commerce has opened up communication globally. Now

Christians must move forward and learn to embrace this global world through giving.

With every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.33 The Early Church Fathers

knew this, and they addressed the issue by drawing the conversations of the day back to the

truth that can be shared with all. They saw that the great influx of wealthy Christians created

barriers between the rich and the poor and attempted to bring unity back by focusing on things

that are universal to mankind, such as the soul and human nature. These fathers, though often

encouraging monasticism itself, did not simply leave society and become monks in order to

recreate a sense of koinonia apart from society. They approached society and its new

challenges and attempted to find a way to be Christian within it. They understood wealth as a

tool. As Chrysostom says, “the rich have that which belongs to the poor, even though they may

have received it as an inheritance, no matter whence their money comes.”34 This idea has been

31 Chrysta Freeland, “Is Capitalism in Trouble?” The Atlantic Monthly, November 20, 2013, http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/12/is-capitalism-in-trouble/354683/.32 Ibid.33 Isaac Newton, Second Law of Physics.34 Gonzalez, Faith and Wealth, 204

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lost in many places today. It is not that the world is ruined and falling apart. The problem

simply lies in the fact that we as people have become ignorant of the challenges that our lives

have created. We prefer to focus on the positives, because they are easier to swallow. This

perspective will not last. It cannot last. It does not hold the love for others that Christianity

boasts of. It does not contain koinonia. In order to truly create koinonia once again, we must

learn to shift our focus to know the nature of man and the nature of the soul, using commerce

as a means to communicate. We must remember the use of wealth in salvation, and we must

broaden our ideas of community to include even those who we may never come in contact

with. This may be the most difficult thing we ever do, but it is in our nature to need each other.

Let us not simply condemn society and leave it, but rather address all of society, see what can

be used for the glory of God, and use it to love those around us, even if they are on the

opposite side of the world.