A collection of internet resources about how the great religions of the world approach the question of the responsibility to the poor and to the problems of poverty.  Created by the Fall, 1999 Economic Security and Social Insurance class at Creighton University, Omaha, NE.  All links work as of November, 1999.

Submissions by

Jill Achenbach, Norina Branigan, Andy Carl, Ben Doran, Karen Dostal, Danielle Dugan, Kim Kelepolo, John Larson, Nate Mailander, Pam Martin, Debbie Speer, Kylie Stannard, Don Sylvester, Jeongho Yoo, Fall 1999 

http://www.unification.net/ws/theme141.htm Words of charity and hospitality

http://www.unification.net/ws/theme140.htm Texts relating to giving and receiving.

Christian

http://www.wmgleaners.org/kingjames.html STATEMENTS ON AND ABOUT POVERTY, HUNGER, HELPING AND CHARITY FROM THE "KING JAMES VERSION" OF THE BIBLE.

http://www.wmgleaners.org/mormon.html STATEMENTS ON AND ABOUT POVERTY, HUNGER, HELPING AND CHARITY FROM THE BOOK OF MORMON.

http://www.zpub.com/un/bill/give-c2.html Christian Giving and Sharing.  Quotes from the Bible.

Protestant Christian

http://www.uccwelfareworkinggroup.com   While acknowledging some benefits of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996, 740-plus delegates to the 22nd General Synod of the United Church of Christ expressed their deep concern over clear and mounting evidence of increased suffering among certain persons receiving public assistance by voting overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution calling for changes in the PRWORA.

http://www.calltorenewal.com/html/secularpress.html  "Something in the Air:
The secular press explores religion and politics". By Jim Wallis.  Call to Renewal is a multi-faith (mostly Protestant Christian, but also includes other religious orientations) organization attempting to put Christian beliefs about God's imperative to care for the poor into practice in politics.  Site has a section analyzing the effects of the 1999 Welfare Reform, individual development accounts, and plans for Jubilee 2000 Call to Renewal.

Faith Based Welfare Reform   The Faith-Based Welfare Reform Project was developed to help churches effectively help the needy.  Faith-Based Welfare Reform matches four church volunteer families with one family on welfare. The volunteers and family work together for one year to help the family achieve self-sufficiency. 

http://www.thesimpleway.org/ Appears to be the web site of a Christian living community.  "Our lives must be lived together and amongst the poor. We did this by moving into the inner city and making it our home. The problems and battles (and victories) are becoming our own. More people are catching this vision, so we are establishing intentional neighboring communities in this city."  

http://www2.gospelcom.net/bttb/listen/bm/text/bm-03-07-97.html  "When we help those in need we are actually giving to God".  This discussion of Proverbs 19:17 is part of the Bible Minute series.  A RealAudio icon allows the browsing internet user to hear the description of our responsibility to share.  

http://www.christian-aid.org.uk/main.htm  "Microcredit and the Needs of the Poor: The Limitations of Small Loans in Ending Poverty", Kevan Bundell, Christian Aid, February 1997.

http://www.bread.org/issues/nutrition/background-foodstamps.html Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the world's hungry people by lobbying our nation's decision makers.  This selection discusses some of the issues revolving around the food stamp program.  

http://www.bread.org/ God is giving us an opportunity to reduce human suffering dramatically. Hunger, though complex, can be
overcome. The key is for each of us to help change the politics of hunger.

Catholic

http://www.wheaton.edu./missions/moreau/articles/option.htm  Has a very nice four paragraph introduction to the concept of "preferential option for the poor", written by A. Scott Moreau, Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions (Baker, forthcoming 2000).

http://www.newman.upenn.edu/mary1.html "Do we have the compassion that leads to action in the face of such suffering? Again and again Jesus calls us by word and example to compassion."  A speech by Sr. Mary Scullion, 1992, on the 100th anniversary of the Newman Centers.  

http://www.sistersofmercy.org/advocacyinitiatives.html  Describes the Welfare Reform Watch Project of the Sisters of Mercy.   

http://www.catholicrelief.org/believe/index.cfm Catholic Relief Services Guiding Principles

http://www.catholicrelief.org/glossary.cfm#catholic_social_teaching A summary of Catholic social teachings as well as a glossary of useful terms.

Islam

http://www.wmgleaners.org/koran.html STATEMENTS ON AND ABOUT POVERTY, HUNGER, HELPING AND CHARITY FROM THE KORAN 
(N.J. Darwood translation, Penguin Classics, 1995 Edition).  (IMPORTANT NOTE: The Koran was given to humankind via Muhammad in the Arabic language so that its message would not be distorted or misunderstood. When any presentation of the Koran is made in any other language, the reader/listener is cautioned to refer to the original Arabic test for the complete and accurate wording and meaning. The Penguin Classics Edition used as the source for this website includes the full text in Arabic.)

http://www.zpub.com/zakat/zakat-intro.html A Brief Introduction to Zakāt or Zakćh.  The Zakat (Alms, 3rd of the 5 pillars of Islam) is a form of giving to those who are less fortunate. It is obligatory upon all Muslims to give 2.5 % of wealth and assets each year (in excess of what is required) to the poor. This is done before the beginning of the month of Muharram, the first of new year.  Giving the Zakat is considered an act of worship because it is a form of offering thanks to God for the means of material well-being one has acquired.

http://www.muslim-aid.org.au/html/anjum.htm Provides description and data relating to the Bangladesh flood of August 1998, 1999 Indonesia environmental and economic crises, and Kosovo Albanian and Chechnya refugee crises.   The organization, Muslim Aid, is tackling the root causes of poverty through a series of long-term programs such as water provision, education, income generation and health care. And, by responding rapidly to emergencies, Muslim Aid provides relief to victims of natural disasters, wars and famine.

http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/frontcover.htm Click on News, Partnership 14.  Describes the holy month of Ramadan and the Islam approach to helping solve poverty problems around the world, including Islamic loans for small business start-ups.

http://www.hti.umich.edu/bin/kor-idx?type=simple&q1=poor&size=First+100 Lists 48 matches of the word "poor" from the Koran.

Judaism

http://www.wmgleaners.org/tanahaka.html STATEMENTS ON AND ABOUT POVERTY, HUNGER, HELPING AND CHARITY FROM THE TANAKH 
(For anyone who is not Jewish who may not be familiar with the Tanakh, it is the larger work which includes The Torah, the Prophets (Nevi'im) and The Writings (Kethuvim).)

Buddhism

http://www.wmgleaners.org/dhammapada.html STATEMENTS ON AND ABOUT POVERTY, HUNGER, HELPING AND CHARITY FROM THE DHAMMAPADA, a collection of 423 verses attributed to Buddha, and provides a critical framework for the traditions, beliefs and practices of the Buddhism.

http://www.buddhanet.net/cgi-bin/search-all-html.cgi Results from search on the word "poverty" in the buddha net site.

Confucianism

http://www.wmgleaners.org/AnConfucius.html STATEMENTS ON AND ABOUT POVERTY, HUNGER, HELPING AND CHARITY FROM THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS

Hinduism

http://www.wmgleaners.org/UPANISADS.html STATEMENTS ON AND ABOUT POVERTY, HUNGER, HELPING AND CHARITY FROM A SELECTION OF THE UPANISADS (To say that any single document represents the Hindu tradition is akin to suggesting that a tea cup of water represents the ocean. Where many religions unify around a single book, the epic Hindu literature of India can easily fill a library. But so as to have the
Hindu tradition represented in this series the authors of this site have reviewed 12 of The Upanisads as translated into English by F. Max Muller, Dover Publications, Inc.)

Taoism

http://www.wmgleaners.org/taoteching.html STATEMENTS ON AND ABOUT POVERTY, HUNGER, HELPING AND CHARITY FROM THE 
TAO TE CHING (As many in the West may be unfamiliar with the Tao Te Ching: it is the teaching of Lao Tsu of China (6th Century B.C.), and the basis of Taoist faith, thought and culture. These quotations are drawn from the very beautiful Gia-fu Feng/Jane English translation, Vintage Books, 1972.)

Bahai

http://www.bahai.com/thebahais/index.htm