4 Comments
User's avatar
G. Marie's avatar

Thank you, I really enjoyed this! I know it's beside your point, but do you recommend any sources on the topics in your two footnotes? Would love to read more.

Expand full comment
Ben Crosby's avatar

There was a recent edited volume called The Reformation of Charity that might be worth a look. More specifically -- and borrowed from a footnote from the introduction to that volume -- Harold Grimm, "Luther's Contribution to Sixteenth Century Poor Relief," Archiv fuer Reformationsgeschichte 61 (1970), Carter Lindberg, "There Should Be No Beggars Amongst Christians: Karlstadt, Luther, and the Origins of Protestant Poor Relief," Church History 46 (1977). Wandel's Always Among Us: Images of the Poor in Zwingli's Zurich might also be worth a look. For England, there's a debate about the 'Commonwealth-Men' in the reign of Edward VI which you can also look into. This is perhaps more than you wanted, but I hope it is helpful!

Expand full comment
G. Marie's avatar

This is so helpful, thank you!

Expand full comment
Michael Fitzpatrick's avatar

Well spake Ben. Good action is not the Gospel (which concerns God's good action towards us sinners), but good action is the necessary consequence of a Gospel rightly preached and believed.

Expand full comment