Ancient practice of tithing examined in new book

MADISON  Although not a common practice in the western Church today, tithing, setting aside 10 percent of one’s income for the Church, has touched off a 1,000-year-old debate in Catholicism and in Christianity, were it is largely practiced. Misunderstandings about the theology, history, economics, and the practice of tithing, which began in ancient Israel, has led modern Catholics interested in the subject to ask questions such as, “Do Catholics have to tithe?” “How much should they give to the Church?” and “Who is responsible for providing for the Church?”

Brian G. Honsberger, programs and operations director at St. Paul Inside the Walls: the diocesan Evangelization Center here, answers those questions and more in his new book, The Divine Economy: A Catholic Explanation of Tithing and Stewardship published last month by Thomas Aquinas Press in Morristown. In the 146-page hardcover book, he “adds to the contemporary conversation by delving into the theology and practice of it in ancient Israel” thanks to years of research, including in Spain, and he also “speaks to what the Church says about it today and has said in the past 1,000 years,” the publisher states. Somina Mosaku illustrated The Divine Economy with a foreword by Bishop Emeritus Arthur J. Serratelli.

A great many Protestant sects practice tithing, which they describe as giving God and the church 10 percent of their earnings. Only a small percentage of Catholics in the West practice tithing, said Honsberger, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in theology with great distinction from Augustine Institute, Greenwood Village, Colo.

“With my financial and religious background, I was in a good position to write the book. Tithing is intertwined with ancient Jewish thought, religious practice, culture, law, and economics. In the Old Testament, tithing was an act of gratitude. Laws on tithing depended on other laws. It was an agrarian society back then, so people tithed produce, grains, and livestock,” said Honsberger, who teaches biblical studies, theology, and evangelization courses at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange. “In the New Testament, Jesus does not abolish the tithe but fulfills it. He still promoted an attitude of giving, prompting his followers to empty themselves as he does in self-sacrifice in the Eucharist,” he said.

The first Christians in Jerusalem sold all their possessions and land and lived in community, giving up everything to support themselves, writes Honsberger. The first Christian communities established by St. Paul generally did not sell all of their possessions but instead developed a set of principles and attitudes to direct giving to the Church and the poor. Today, “Christians should practice cheerful giving to the parish, the poor, and evangelization efforts as much as they can, both planned and spontaneously,” he said. In the book’s preface, Honsberger writes that he does not want to discourage the few Catholics today, who are tithing.

Honsberger writes that as a young Catholic boy, he did not understand how his parish was funded, even as he attended its elementary school. Later in his life, he attended a non-denominational church with his future wife, Eniola, who today serves as director of diocesan Office of Family Life. The preacher there used Bible quotes to promote tithing, followed by personal testimonies from members of the congregation. Later, Honsberger started researching the subject, which took several years, including a trip to Cordoba, Spain, to visit the hometown of Rabbi Moses Maimonides. Then, he examined the writings of Western scholars, such as Stuart Murray, who concentrated on the post-post-biblical development of tithing. Instead, The Divine Economy focuses on tithing’s biblical development, Honsberger said.

Ancient Israel’s laws included at least three types of tithing which served specific needs in a comprehensive economic system that included dozens of other equally important laws, he writes.

Early Christians did not tithe but St. Paul describes them as “giving their entire selves” to God and as sometimes giving “beyond their means” financially (2 Cor 8:3–4). Later, complex tithing laws were enacted, until The Tithe Act of 1936 ended it in the British Isles. This prompted other countries to follow, including the Church in the United States, where some Protestant denominations started the practice, writes Honsberger.

“Money is important in the Church, but not as important as the Creed, the Sacraments, Holy Mass, prayer, or a moral life. The Catechism thus follows Jesus’ advice to ‘not neglect the weightier matters of the law’ (Mt. 23:23),” Honsberger writes. “The Catechism, Code of Canon Law, encyclicals, pastoral letters, and moral teachings all repeat the wisdom of the Church from its very foundation: tithing is allowed, and Christians should aim to be as giving as they can, and ideally grow in generosity as they are continuously sanctified by the Holy Spirit over their lifetime,” Honsberger writes.

In his foreword, Bishop Serratelli writes that Honsberger “helps the readers to widen their understanding of tithing and to move beyond a quid-pro-quo mentality that would squeeze from God’s hands a blessing for the fixed sum of 10 percent of their earnings.

“With a readable style unencumbered by technical language, the author traces the development of the practice of tithing from its Old Testament roots through its disappearance in the early Church to its resurgence in modern times. The author’s exposition of the relevant biblical texts is clear and understandable. His careful attention to the text sheds much needed light on the purpose and meaning of tithing. By comparing the Old Testament tithing as a partial gift of one’s resources to the New Testament requirement of giving one’s entire self to the Lord, the author not only demonstrates how Christ brings to completion the Law but also provides a basis for how believers today are to use their God-given gifts generously for the good of others,” Bishop Serratelli said.