Q. What is a tithe?
A. A tithe is a "tenth."
Q. What is biblical tithing?
A. In general, biblical tithing refers to the practice of giving one tenth of one's income for the work of God. In the Hebrew Bible, tithing was understood as a response of gratitude and an obligation. In the light of the New Testament, some Christians believe tithing is still an obligation, whereas other Christians understand tithing to be a loving freely chosen response to God's gracious provisions for life - God's grace! Tithing is understood by many Christians to be a very helpful discipline of one's faith life.
Q. What are some of the most important Old Testament references to tithing?
A. Genesis 14:20 and 28::22. Deuteronomy 14:22, Leviticus 27:30, Malachi 3:10
Q. How does the New Testament deal with the opportunity to tithe?
A. We understand that Jesus and the apostles assumed that the tithe was a healthy guide to one's stewardship. In Matthew 23:23 Jesus warns the scribes and Pharisees not to misuse the tithe as an "excuse" for neglecting other weightier matters of justice, mercy and faith. St. Paul follows the same logic in emphasizing that believers should give proportionately, as God has blessed. I Corinthians 16:2 and II Corinthians 9:6-12. Nowhere in the New Testament is tithing repudiated.
Q. When one tithes, does one base the tithe on gross or net income?
A. There is no definitive answer to this question. One must choose the method that most adequately fulfills the intention of the tither. It has been reported that many persons who file income tax returns use their Adjusted Gross Income as the base figure.
Q. Is it possible to speak with someone at The Tithing Foundation about other tithing questions?
A. Yes. The office is staffed only one day a week, but please feel free to call anytime. When available, the staff will receive your inquiry on the telephone answering machine. For concerns related to the availability of materials on tithing, please review our web page entitled You Should Know...
