Summary Of 'Rendering Unto Caesar'

In “Rendering Unto Caesar,” Lawrence W. Reed questions whether Jesus was a socialist.
Socialism is defined as the want to redistribute the wealth in the country through central planning and government involvement. One of socialism’s main characteristics is that it is involuntary. Different verses are mentioned, such as. The Good Samaritan story is often used as an example to prove that Jesus supported government welfare, yet it seems that this is more of an example of the importance of helping others out of the goodness of one’s own heart, rather than because one is forced to. Many progressives may be disappointed, for Jesus was an example of the vitality of a capitalistic lifestyle. The bible also provides the parables that relate to supply …show more content…
That being said, I have a difficult time trying to figure out what Jesus does want. Growing up in the Texas Panhandle, I have seen churches from all across the area come together and help those in need. Living in the “bible belt” my entire life has provided me with a solid basis of faith and has shown me the good in churches. I find this incredibly touching, yet I also acknowledge that many places do not have the same opportunities, for there are simply not as many churches in some areas. This is what I personally find so troubling, as I do not know how to help the poor without some sort of government intervention. Although I would like this to be true, I know that churches and christians alone cannot provide for everyone. With that in mind, I do think that welfare is completely vital to the well-being of our country. Since we will never know while we are on this earth how Jesus feels about welfare and redistribution, I just have to go with what I see fit. For me personally, I think he would support welfare. Although I disagree with parts of this book, I still do think that Lawrence Reed did an incredible job at persuading others to believe that Jesus was not a