Report says Christian tithing could bring billions for world's poor

Published: 2003-10-08

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (CNS) -- If U.S. Christians were giving their churches the biblical tithe -- one-tenth of their income -- the churches would have had $143 billion more to aid the world's poor and witness to the Gospel in 2001, said church consultants John and Sylvia Ronsvalle. The Ronsvalles direct Empty Tomb, a Champaign-based nonprofit Christian research and service organization. In their latest annual report, "The State of Church Giving Through 2001," they reported that U.S. church giving rose slightly that year, even after adjusting for inflation. They also reported that giving as a percentage of income was up to 2.66 percent, marking nearly a decade of progress from the low of 2.4 percent recorded in 1992. Virtually all the increased giving over that period has gone to supporting congregational finances rather than increased benevolence or outreach, however. In 1992, the percentage of income given to churches broke down to 1.99 percent for congregational finances and 0.41 percent to benevolences, the report said. In 2001, the breakdown was 2.26 percent for congregational finances and 0.40 to benevolences.

Copyright (c) 2003 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .