This book focuses on the ethical demands of extreme poverty and develops a political theory of practical change. Welding together political realism and moral aspirations, it argues that a re-imagined form of development NGO can help the global North break free from the dominant and persistent charity paradigm and drift towards a justice-based understanding of extreme poverty. It offers an original explanation of why the charity paradigm persists and why the “justice not charity” messages from development NGOs have changed few minds. The author argues that anyone concerned with a paradigm shift from charity to justice need to radically rethink the problem of political communication: who should communicate what messages about extreme poverty in what ways? Based on a rational choice critique of the competitive development NGO sector, the author calls for sector-wide reform and the emergence of a new political agent – the Avant-garde NGO - which transcends the charity frame that NGOs currently find themselves locked in. Further, inspired by literary theory and social psychology, he offers a fresh account of how the Avant-garde NGO could, through reflective public engagement, induce attitude change and lead genuine social and political reform.

Before the 99% occupied Wall Street... Before the concept of social justice had impinged on the social conscience... Before the social safety net had even been conceived... By the turn of the 20th Century, the era of the robber barons, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) had already accumulated a staggeringly large fortune; he was one of the wealthiest people on the globe. He guaranteed his position as one of the wealthiest men ever when he sold his steel business to create the United States Steel Corporation. Following that sale, he spent his last 18 years, he gave away nearly 90% of his fortune to charities, foundations, and universities. His charitable efforts actually started far earlier. At the age of 33, he wrote a memo to himself, noting ..".The amassing of wealth is one of the worse species of idolatry. No idol more debasing than the worship of money." In 1881, he gave a library to his hometown of Dunfermline, Scotland. In 1889, he spelled out his belief that the rich should use their wealth to help enrich society, in an article called "The Gospel of Wealth" this book. Carnegie writes that the best way of dealing with wealth inequality is for the wealthy to redistribute their surplus means in a responsible and thoughtful manner, arguing that surplus wealth produces the greatest net benefit to society when it is administered carefully by the wealthy. He also argues against extravagance, irresponsible spending, or self-indulgence, instead promoting the administration of capital during one's lifetime toward the cause of reducing the stratification between the rich and poor. Though written more than a century ago, Carnegie's words still ring true today, urging a better, more equitable world through greater social consciousness.

The troubling ethics and politics of philanthropy Is philanthropy, by its very nature, a threat to today’s democracy? Though we may laud wealthy individuals who give away their money for society’s benefit, Just Giving shows how such generosity not only isn’t the unassailable good we think it to be but might also undermine democratic values. Big philanthropy is often an exercise of power, the conversion of private assets into public influence. And it is a form of power that is largely unaccountable and lavishly tax-advantaged. Philanthropy currently fails democracy, but Rob Reich argues that it can be redeemed. Just Giving investigates the ethical and political dimensions of philanthropy and considers how giving might better support democratic values and promote justice.

Kuyper on a Theological Approach to Justice The practical outworking of Kuyper's doctrine of common grace demanded a commitment to seeking Christ's glory in every sphere of human life. Christians are called to witness to the lordship of Christ through sacrificial service, not domination, and such service calls us to seek charity and justice for all people. In this anthology of articles and reflections, Kuyper articulates a Christian vision for engaging with society. Though his analysis was intended for his late-nineteenth-century Dutch context, his thoughts remain strikingly relevant for Christians living in the modern world. For Kuyper, God's law preserved civil justice, making humane life possible. However, the law itself could not save society—only the gospel can transform the heart. But the gospel is for all of life. Kuyper elaborated a social Christian approach to politics, resulting in a distinct perspective on property, human dignity, democracy, and justice.

Grounded in his expertise of the social doctrine of the Catholic Church, in Justice and Charity, Fulton J. Sheen explores how Capitalism's failure to submit to justice and Communism's rejection of Christian Charity can be corrected only by a revolution in the heart of men by means of encountering Jesus Christ. Back in print for the first time since its original publication. Justice and Charity is a thought-provoking exploration into the social tradition of the Catholic Church led by one of her finest voices.

This work explores the Jewish sources of philanthropic institutions in the Western world, a focus that has long been ignored by those who have focused their interest on the Greco-Roman culture. The author explores the possibility of Jewish influence on early Christian charities.

Based on a careful reading of Pope Benedict s 2009 encyclical Caritas in Veritate ( Charity in Truth ), the essays in this substantial volume explore how an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ is the true basis for economic and social progress. The authors are experts in a wide range of disciplines -- theology, philosophy, biblical studies, political science, economics, finance, environmental science -- and represent a broad spectrum of Catholic thought, from liberal to conservative. The first book in English to offer an overarching interpretation of Pope Benedict s groundbreaking encyclical, Jesus Christ: The New Face of Social Progress will inform anyone interested in Catholic social doctrine, and its depth of insight will offer fresh inspiration to serious followers of Jesus Christ. Contributors J. Brian Benestad Simona Beretta Michael Budde Patrick Callahan Paulo Fernando Carneiro de Andrade Peter J. Casarella William T. Cavanaugh Maryann Cusimano Love Daniel K. Finn Roberto Goizueta Lorna Gold Keith Lemna D. Stephen Long Archbishop Celestino Migliore Michael Naughton Julie Hanlon Rubio Sister Damien Marie Savino, F.S.E. David L. Schindler Theodore Tsukahara Jr. Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson Horacio Vela