Charity and giving in monotheistic religions.

9783110209464

Charity and giving in monotheistic religions.

Ed. by Miriam Frenkel and Yaacov Lev.

Mouton de Gruyter

2009

413 pages

$129.95

Hardcover

Studien zur Geschichte und Kultur des islamischen Orients; Bd. 22

BJ1533

Judaism, Christianity and Islam all consider charity a fundamental part of the practice of religion. This volume looks at the overlapping charitable traditions in all three religions during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Frenkel, of Hebrew University, Jerusalem and Lev (history, Bar Ilan University) begin with essays on both personal and imperial giving in Christian Byzantium. The authors cover different aspects of the tension between the state and the growing wealth of monasteries and bishopric. The concept of Christian poverty is developed as is the rise of the deaconate as officials in charge of charity. Eventually Imperial channels for charity were created. In Islam charity is one of the four pillars of the faith. The articles in this section deal with public works, the building of mosques and schools is added to disaster relief and the day to day care of the infirm, widows and orphans. Articles range through the Islamic world under several dynasties and, in Spain, as a subject people. The papers on Jewish charity are all based on the records found in the Cairo Geniza. These documents tell of Jewish life under both Christian and Islamic rule. Therefore, they also cast light on interaction among the three faiths. The essays demonstrate that all three religions have much the same belief in the necessity of giving. The lack of an index and comprehensive bibliography are the only flaws in this interesting study.

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