John Winthrop's A Model Of Christian Charity

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In Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity”, he expresses his ideas and opinions on the difference within the body of Christians, wealth in a spiritual society. In today’s modern view of Christian charity, Christians tend to spread charity through simply giving to the less fortunate, or spreading God’s endless love through acts of kindness. While many believe that John Winthrop’s writing does not connect with today’s view of Christian charity, “A Model of Christian Charity” shares certain aspects of writing with the modern Christian notion of what charity should be. Examples of Christian charity would be, the spiritual obedience of helping the poor, and the idea that Christians must stick together in troublesome times. In connection to today’s …show more content…

Lower class groups of society are not as fortunate as the middle or upper class, which gives Christians motivation and compassion for those that may need help or hospitality. In the works of C.S. Lewis, “Mere Christianity”, Lewis states that was formally called “alms” (Par. 2). Alms is giving to the poor, but charity is much more than simply giving to the poor. Charity involves not only giving monetarily, but also giving of a person’s time, abilities, and kind-heartedness toward another person. According to Donald Watt, Winthrop asserts that church and state should connect. Watt interprets from Winthrop that the “colony is based on the religious principles of the Puritan faith” (Par.4). This connection between the Puritan church and colony is what Winthrop wants for the Puritans, so they can work for the “common good” (Par. 5). The relation between what Winthrop wants, and the way today’s church and society work together, is the most common in his works. Today’s way of charity shows Winthrop’s original thoughts because each want the church body to operate together, even outside of the church home. This idea holds up the question Winthrop asks about why some citizens are rich and some are poor because in a properly working church, one that works for the common good …show more content…

The common man sees Christian charity today as giving to the poor and following God’s deeds, but what Winthrop teaches is that Christian charity is more than giving. Christian charity is unifying the church as a whole to spread love that is essential to share the love of God from one person to another. Works Cited
Hammond, Posted by Ben. “A Model of Christian Charity: John Winthrop and the Puritans.” BenHammond.org, 3 Dec. 2016, benhammond.org/a-model-of-christian-charity-john-winthrop-and-the-puritans/.
Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity. dacc.edu/assets/pdfs/PCM/merechristianitylewis.pdf.
MacQuade, Donald. The Harper single volume American literature. Addison Wesley Longman, 1999.
The Holy Bible: containing the Old and New Testaments. Trinitarian Bible Society, 2010.
Watt, Donald A. "VOLUME 2: SERMONS and NARRATIVES on RELIGIOUS LIFE: A Model of Christian Charity." ["Defining Documents: Exploration & Colonial America (1492-1755)"]. Defining Documents: Exploration & Colonial America (1492-1755), 12/1/2012, pp. 457-465. EBSCOhost, proxygsu-gamc.galileo.usg.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=khh&AN=127122331&site=eds-live&scope=site.
Winthrop, John. “A Model of Christian Charity (1630).” American Religious History, pp. 171–174.,

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