Tithe

In the Christian and Jewish traditions, a tithe is a sum of money, usually 10% of a person's income, that is given to the church. The tithe is mandated in the Old Testament (Leviticus 27:30-33) and praised by Jesus (Matthew 23:23). Tithing is relatively rare in modern American society. As of 2002, only 6% of born again adults tithe, and only 3% of households overall. It is even rarer outside of the USA.

Bible

Sections Old Testament New Testament Pentateuch The Gospels About History Canon Exegesis Accuracy Criticism Inerrancy Literalism Chronology Translations Hermeneutics Concepts Sabbath Sin Resurrection Prophet The Virgin Birth Tithe See also Christianity

In the Muslim tradition, tithing is set at a rate of 2.5 percent. It is notable that among the major religions, Islam's prescribed rate of charity is a quarter of what was dictated to Christians in the The Gospels. This could be attributed to differing attitudes towards the responsibility man has towards his community. Bedouin nomads, who made up the largest chunk of Muslims for much of its history, had little in the way of permanent settlement and so no instinct to contribute towards something larger than themselves. Christian communities, not being nomadic, valued their roots and held their neighbors in high regard, which led naturally to contributing to their shared homes of worship.