Skip to main content

About this Blog

Wealth and Poverty in Christianity is a personal research project exploring Christianity's complex (and often contradictory) relationship with money. From the Gospel of Luke’s dream of a reversal of rich and poor, to Paul’s fury at the way the wealthy separated themselves out from the hungry at the Lord’s Supper, to Evagrius Ponticus’ battles with what he described as the demon Love of Money, to Basil of Cesarea’s railing against predatory lending, to the anonymous Pelagian monk’s meditation on what constitutes “enough” -- this blog explores major moments and figures in Christianity's developing thought on wealth and poverty from the first to the fifth centuries. 

My first book The Unjust Steward: Wealth, Poverty, and the Church Today is available here. I am currently researching a second book which explores ways money is discussed in the Gospels depictions of Jesus' last week. 

Miguel Escobar is the director of strategy and operations at Episcopal Divinity School (EDS). Previously, he served as managing program director for leadership, communications, and external affairs at the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF). He is also in the ordination process in the Diocese of Long Island.  He earned a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 2007 and served as communications assistant to then-Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori from 2007-2010. Miguel serves on the board of Episcopal Relief & Development and Friends of Forward Movement. He grew up in Texas and attended Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio where he studied the Roman Catholic social justice tradition, Latin American liberation theologies, and minored in Spanish. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

On Eucharist and Economic Justice

By the summer of 2005, I knew I was no longer Roman Catholic. The revelations about the child sex abuse scandal that the Boston Globe began publishing in 2002 combined with the conservativeness of the young seminarians I'd met while studying at a small Roman Catholic university in Texas, as well as the prospect of spending any more time arguing for "the basics" such as women's ordination and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, led me to realize that I needed to go elsewhere to find a faith community that shared my core values. One year prior, I'd boarded an Amtrak train for a three-day trip to New York to begin studying for my Master of Divinity degree at Union Theological Seminary. Taking a train was both a romantic and terrible decision that I regretted as soon as I settled into my seat. Nevertheless, the train eventually brought me to Penn Station to begin my life in New York. After a tumultuous year of adjusting to life in the city, I was determined to try to find a ...

A Conversation on Koinonia in the Diocese of Northern Michigan

I recently had a chance to speak with Bishop Rayford Ray and Canon Lydia Bucklin about the model of economic fellowship that has taken root in the Diocese of Northern Michigan. This ended up being one of the most radical (and intriguing) conversations I've had about money in the church in a long while. Take a listen and let me know what you think.

Other Images of Resurrection

Via Wikicommons Good morning. And Happy Easter. I say ‘Happy Easter’ because the Church is still journeying through the season of Easter, fifty days of celebrating and meditating on what Christ’s resurrection means for our hurting and broken world. Very often, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, the images and hymns that depict Christ’s resurrection use the language of God’s victory over the forces of both darkness and death. And yes, those two things are frequently paired. One folksy hymn goes, “Up from the grave he rose / a mighty triumph over his foes / arose a victor over the dark domain / Christ lives forever with his saints to reign .” In song and image, then, we oftentimes hear of the resurrected Christ as a heavenly King and all-powerful Ruler, a victor and conqueror who has forever vanquished darkness and death, and who now austerely rules while seated upon his heavenly throne. These are undoubtedly ancient and powerful ways of talking about God and the Resurrection. Just look at ...