When Good Charity Looks Like Giving Out Cash

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Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3 • 622 Ratings

🗓️ 21 December 2017

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Once a year, many Christian international anti-poverty nonprofits release Christmas catalogs filled with items they hope you’ll purchase—only the gifts aren’t for anyone you know. Instead, most catalogs sent by groups like World Vision, Heifer International, and Compassion International boast items like livestock and other agricultural products that they’re hoping you’ll buy for those in need overseas. But is the strategy the best model to fight poverty? Why not give cash? “We tend to trust our family members with cash gifts,” said economist Bruce Wydick. “But in the past, at least, we’ve had much less trust for how people spend cash.” In CT’s December cover story, Wydick explores research that suggests giving cash may be one of the best ways to fight poverty. “One of the things that’s liberating about this system is that people are accountable to themselves for how they use the money,” he said. “No one is holding their hand, telling them they should do this or that.” Wydick joined associate digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss the biblical tension between generosity and accountability, fighting paternalism in development work, and how cell phones connect to fighting poverty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.
0:11.0	Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion.
0:14.5	Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.
0:29.1	Music Michael Del Rosario at Apologeticsguy.com. You're listening to Quick to Listen. Each week we go beyond hashtags and hot takes to discuss a major cultural event.
0:36.1	I'm Morgan Lee. I'm an associate digital media producer
0:38.8	here at Christianity today, and I'm here with our editor-in-chief, Mark Galley. Hello. Merry Christmas.
0:43.9	Merry Christmas. Almost Merry Christmas. We're still a few days away. I'm Anglicans who are not really
0:48.8	in Christmas yet. Merry Advent, I can say. You literally can't say Merry Advent because I've learned
0:53.3	it's a very dark and solemn time.
0:55.3	Well, there is that.
0:56.3	Yes, exactly.
0:57.7	Sombor Advent, Advent to you.
0:59.7	Guys, it's not fun working here during this time.
1:02.6	It only gets worse during Lent, though, so nothing to look forward to.
1:05.5	Yeah, that's the problem with working with a liturgical snob like myself, so there you go. If only it was just you, but it seems to infect much of the building.
1:12.7	You're right.
1:13.4	Okay, so who is joining us today?
1:15.2	Joining us today is Bruce Whittick, Professor of Economics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco.
1:21.3	He's also a research affiliate with the Kellogg Institute of International Studies at Notre Dame.
1:26.1	He's published in academic circles
1:27.8	and in leading economic journals and in Christianity today on the worldwide impact of Compassion
1:33.7	International's Child Sponsorship Program. He's the author also most pertinent today of C.T.'s
	...

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