Book Review — Marks of the Messenger

I also appreciate how Stiles relates the Gospel to social change. He insists that "the gospel brings social change in and of itself" (63). He inveighs against programs which aim to feed the hungry and then hopefully maybe get around to the Gospel. Specifically, Stiles rejects the axiom, "The hungry man has no ears" (63ff.). He cites evidence that the Gospel itself ends up doing more to feed the hungry than starting with food and maybe bringing in the Gospel later, after the free giveaways. "Do the hungry have ears?" Stiles asks. "You bet they do" (64). Clarifying further: "Caring for others represents the gospel, it upholds the gospel, it points to the gospel, it's an implication of the gospel, but it is not the gospel, and it is not equal to the gospel" (69). Read the whole Book Review HERE