‘Church and State and Charity’

The politicos tithe — and so should you! What does tithing mean? How much is enough? And what if I don’t have enough? With the release of presidential candidates’ income tax returns, we learn a little bit about how they give to charity and their church. We can take this time to learn a little more about tithing ourselves. Share this Busted Halo article with the young adults in your community and then have a conversation about what tithing means and look at other ways young adults might contribute to the church. Discuss some of the questions the author poses in the article:

  • Members of the millenial generation, those now in their 20s and early 30s, give their time to service in unprecedented magnitude. Might that redefine what it means to tithe?
  • But should action also be complemented with some form of financial sacrifice? Can you monetize service?
  • Do places of worship place a premium on one over the other?
  • How do you or your peers serve, and has that ever been done in a spirit of giving, similar to a financial gift?

If there’s someone at your parish who could speak to the particular parish’s goals for tithing, invite them to come and talk with young adults. Ask young adults to brainstorm ways they might individually or as a group tithe to the church — through financial gifts and service.