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A tithe (from Old English teogoþa "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a (usually) voluntary contribution or as a tax or levy, usually to support a Jewish or Christian religious organization. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Today, tithes (or tithing) are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes could be paid in kind, such as agricultural products. Money is anything that is generally accepted as Payment for Goods and services and repayment of Debts. A cheque (spelled check in American English) is a Negotiable instrument instructing a Financial institution to pay a specific amount of Software for Fixed assets management and Stock control developed in 2004. Several European countries operate a formal process linked to the tax system allowing some churches to assess tithes.

"Tithing" also has unrelated economic and juridical senses, dating back to the Early Middle Ages. The Early Middle Ages is a period in the History of Europe following the fall of the Western Roman Empire spanning roughly five centuries from AD 500 See "Tithing (division)".

Some interpretations of Biblical teachings conclude that although tithing was practiced extensively in the Old Testament, it was never practiced or taught within the first-century Church. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Instead the New Testament scriptures are seen as teaching the concept of "freewill offerings" as a means of supporting the church (see I Corinthians 16:2 and II Corinthians 9:7). Also, some of the earliest groups sold everything they had and held the proceeds in common to be used for the furtherance of the Gospel (Acts 2:44-47, Acts 4:34-35). The book of Acts contains the account of a man and wife who were living in one of these groups. The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. They sold a piece of property but donated only part of the selling price to the church and were struck dead for lying to God (Acts 5:1-10).

It is thought that tithes were not adopted by the Catholic, Christian church for over seven centuries. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Church (disambiguation Christian Church and the word church are used to denote both a Christian association of people and a Place of worship Although initially rejected, they were mentioned in councils at Tours in 567 and at Mâcon in 585. Tours is a city in France the Préfecture (capital city of the Indre-et-Loire département, on the lower reaches of the river Events By Place Europe Liuva I succeeds Athanagild as king of the Visigoths. Mâcon is a commune of France, préfecture (capital of the Saône-et-Loire département, in the Bourgogne Events By Place Europe The Suebi kingdom on the Iberian peninsula is conquered by the Visigoths under King They were formally recognized under Pope Adrian I in 787. Pope Adrian, or Hadrian I, (d December 25, 795) was Pope from February 9 772 to December 25 795 Events By Place Europe Canual succeeds Talorgen as king of the Picts. Tithing in Christian churches today is frequently preached from the pulpit, but denominations and sects view tithing differently. As tithing was only clearly required in the Old Testament, some consider it to be a practice that has no place in modern Christianity. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon. Others, believe that the Old Testament law is still in effect. In Western Christianity, the Old Testament refers to the books that form the first of the two-part Christian Biblical canon.

Contents

Old Testament origins

In the time of Abraham/Abram the Hebrew

According to the Genesis account, Abram, returning from a battle by the Dead Sea, was hailed by Melchizedek, king of Salem (Jerusalem) who was also the priest of El Elyon ("the Most High God") (Genesis 14:18):

18. Abraham ( Ashkenazi   Avrohom or Avruhom; ابراهيم, {{Unicode|Ibrāhīm}}; Ge'ez: The Dead Sea (יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח, "Sea of Salt"البَحْر المَيّت, "Dead Sea" is a salt lake between Melchizedek is an enigmatic figure twice mentioned in the Hebrew Tanakh and in the Christian Old Testament. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the The name or epithet or word ‘Elyōn ( Masoretic pronunciation of Hebrew עליון) is traditionally rendered in Samaritan Hebrew as illiyyon And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20. And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
(Genesis 14:18-20, Holy Bible, King James Version)

When Melchizedek appeared and offered Abram bread and wine and blessed him in the name of God, tithes were exchanged. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. While the biblical text is not precise in naming who actually gave the tithes, most believe Abram gave the tithes to Melchizedek . The verse records, ". . . . and he gave him a tenth of everything;" the "he" could stand for either Melchizedek or Abram, or perhaps El Elyon Himself. A reference found in Hebrews 7:2 expresses the tradition that Abram gave Melchizedek the tithes, and this is the belief that is held by most Christians.

Biblically, tithes are received by priests and high priests according to Hebrews 7:5, the sons of Levi were commanded by God to receive tithes, the sons of Levi were appointed to be priests (Deuteronomy 18:1). This is substantiated also in the Old Testament in Numbers 18:24 that the Levites were supposed to receive tithes. As mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:1, Levites were appointed to be priests. It is not likely that Melchizedek gave tithes to Abram as some suggest because Abram was not in the office of a priest, but Melchizedek was.

Later in the book of Genesis, Abraham's grandson Jacob also made a commitment to give God back a tenth of his increase(Genesis 28:22). Jacob ( Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, Standard   Yaʿaqov Tiberian   Yaʿăqōḇ;

The Esretu - the standard Babylonian one-tenth tax

Hebrew was a Semitic language, related to Akkadian, the lingua franca of that time. A lingua franca (from Italian, literally meaning Frankish language, see etymology under Sabir and Italian below is any Language widely An Akkadian noun that Abraham was most likely familiar with given his Babylonian background was esretu, meaning "one-tenth. " By the time of Abraham, this phrase was used to refer to the "one-tenth tax," or "tithe. " Listed below are some specific instances of the Mesopotamian tithe, taken from The Assyrian Dictionary of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, Vol. 4 "E":

[Referring to a ten per cent tax levied on garments by the local ruler:] "the palace has taken eight garments as your tithe (on 85 garments)"

". . . eleven garments as tithe (on 112 garments)"
". . . (the sun-god) Shamash demands the tithe. . . "
"four minas of silver, the tithe of [the gods] Bel, Nabu, and Nergal. Silver (ˈsɪlvɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol " Ag " (argentum from the Ancient Greek: ἀργήντος - argēntos gen . . "
". . . he has paid, in addition to the tithe for Ninurta, the tax of the gardiner"
". . . the tithe of the chief accountant, he has delivered it to [the sun-god] Shamash"
". . . why do you not pay the tithe to the Lady-of-Uruk?"
". . . (a man) owes barley and dates as balance of the tithe of the **years three and four"
". Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for . . the tithe of the king on barley of the town. . . "
". . . with regard to the elders of the city whom (the king) has **summoned to (pay) tithe. . . "
". . . the collector of the tithe of the country Sumundar. . . "
". . . (the official Ebabbar in Sippar) who is in charge of the tithe. . . "

Because of this standard one-tenth tax in Babylon, Abraham of the Genesis account was most likely familiar with the concept of giving up ten-percent of goods as tax.


In India sikh religion also provide for such practice called "Duswanth" Means one tenth part of income to be devoted for religious purposes. Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh started this practice.

In the time of Moses and Under Mosaic Law

The tithe is specifically mentioned in the Book of Leviticus, the Book of Numbers and also in the Book of Deuteronomy. Leviticus (from Greek Λευιτικός, "relating to the Levites " The Book of Numbers, ( Bamidbar, meaning in the wilderness) is the fourth book of the Torah, the Tanakh, and the Old Testament. Deuteronomy (Greek deuteronomion, Δευτερονόμιον "second law" is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament The tithing system was organized in a 3 year cycle. The first two years the tithes were a festival tithe that was to be brought to the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the According to Deuteronomy 16:13-15, the festival was a week long celebration during which each family would live in a tabernacle. The Tabernacle is known in Hebrew as the Mishkan ( משכן "Residence" or "Dwelling Place" Each family was to bring 1/10th their of harvest and livestock with them for the celebration, but if the family lived too far from Jerusalem, the tithe could be brought as money and they were to spend the tithe "to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. " Deuteronomy 14:22-27

The third year was called "the year of tithing" Deuteronomy 26:12-14 in which the Israelites set aside 10% of the increase of the land, they were to give this tithe to the Levites, strangers, orphans, and widows. These tithes were in reality more like taxes for the people of Israel and were mandatory, not optional giving. This tithe was distributed locally "within thy gates" Deuteronomy 14:28 to support the Levites and assist the poor. The Levites, also known as the tribe of Levi, were descendants of the family of Aaron. This article discusses the Biblical patriarch See Levi Strauss for the inventor of jeans Levites for the Biblical tribe or Matthew the Evangelist This article is about Aaron the Levite in the Hebrew Bible, the Qu'ran, and other sources They were assistants to Aaron, his family, and the Israelite priests and did not own or inherit a territorial patrimony Numbers 18:21-28. Their function in society was that of temple functionaries and trusted civil servants who supervised the weights and scales and witnessed agreements. The goods donated from the other Israeli tribes were their source of sustenance. They received from "all Israel" a tithe of food or livestock for support, and in turn would set aside a tenth portion of that tithe for the Aaronic priests in Jerusalem. This also includes the land tithe, which is found in Leviticus 27:30-33. The land tithe could be redeemed, or sold for money, but required an additional 20% contribution, making the actual tithe 12% if paid in money.

In the time of the Israelite Kings

LMLK seals may represent the oldest archaeological evidence of tithing. LMLK seals were stamped on the handles of large storage jars mostly in and around Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah (circa 700 BC based on several complete About 10 percent of the storage jars manufactured during Hezekiah's reign (circa 700 BC) were stamped (Grena, 2004, pp. Hezekiah (or Ezekias) ( Hebrew: Ḥizqiyyāhu Khizkiyahu or Yəḥizqiyyāhu Y'khizkiyahu " the {{LORD}} has strengthened" compare 376-8). See 2 Chronicles 29-31 for a record of this early worship reformation. The Books of Chronicles ( Hebrew Divrei Hayyamim, דברי הימים Greek Paraleipomêna) are part of the Hebrew Bible (Jewish

The book of Nehemiah also talks about the collection of tithes. People were actually appointed to collect mandatory tithes and place them in specially designated chambers which eventually came to be known as storehouses -Nehemiah 12:44.

Tithing in the Books of the (Minor) Prophets

The book of Malachi has some of the most quoted Biblical versus on tithing, Malachi 3:8-12. Malachi (or Malachias מַלְאָכִי Malʾaḫi Mál'akhî is a book of the Bible Old Testament and Jewish Tanakh, written by the prophet Jews, Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians who tithe, understand that no man may outdo God in the act of charity. In Christian Theology charity, or love ( Agapē) means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others These verses talk about the supposed cause and effect of tithing. If one gives to God, they are to be blessed, where if one refuses to give they will be cursed. They also refer back to the storehouses mentioned in Nehemiah. (Malachi 3:8-12):

8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, `How are we robbing thee?' In your tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me; the whole nation of you.
10 Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house; and thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.
11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts.
12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.
Revised Standard Edition


The book of Tobit (1:6-8) provides an example of all three classes of tithes practiced during the Babylonian exile:

But I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it was ordained unto all the people of Israel by an everlasting decree, having the firstfruits and tenths of increase, with that which was first shorn; and them gave I at the altar to the priests the children of Aaron. The Book of Tobit (or Book of Tobias in older Catholic Bibles is a book of scripture that is part of the Catholic and Orthodox Biblical canon Babylonia was an Amorite state in lower Mesopotamia (modern southern Iraq) with Babylon as its capital Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the See also History of ancient Israel and Judah According to the Bible, the Israelites were the dominant group living in the Land of Israel. First Fruits are a religious Offering of the first agricultural produce of the Harvest. The first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Aaron, who ministered at Jerusalem: another tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it every year at Jerusalem: And the third I gave unto them to whom it was meet, as Debora my father's mother had commanded me. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the . .

Tithing in the New Testament

According to Catholics, as those who serve the altar should live by the altar (1 Cor 9:13)), provision of some kind had necessarily to be made for the sacred ministers. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete".

In the beginning this was supplied by the spontaneous offerings of the faithful. In the course of time, however, as the Church expanded and various institutions arose, it became necessary to make laws which would ensure the proper and permanent support of the clergy.

Many Christians (both Catholic and Protestant) support their churches and pastors with monetary contributions of one sort or another. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Frequently these monetary contributions are called tithes whether or not they actually represent ten-percent of anything. Some claim that as tithing was an ingrained Jewish custom by the time of Jesus, no specific command to tithe per se is found in the New Testament. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) However, this view overlooks the fact that Israel's tithes were of an agricultural nature, not financial. [1] References to tithing in the New Testament can be found in Matthew, Luke, and the book of Hebrews. The Gospel of Matthew (Gk Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον is one of the four Canonical gospels in the New Testament and is a Synoptic gospel The Gospel of Luke (Gk Κατά Λουκάν Ευαγγέλιον) is a synoptic Gospel, and is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the The Epistle to the Hebrews (abbr Heb for Citations is one of the books in the New Testament.

For Catholics, the payment of tithes was adopted from the Old Law, and early writers speak of it as a divine ordinance and an obligation of conscience, rather than any direct command by Jesus Christ.

Some Protestant denominations cite Matthew 23:23 as support for tithing.

Away with you, you pettifogging Pharisee lawyers! You give to God a tenth of herbs, like mint, dill, and cumin, but the important duties of the Law -- judgement, mercy, honesty -- you have neglected. Yet these you ought to have performed, without neglecting the others.
(Albright & Mann, Matthew, Anchor Bible, Vol. 26 (1971))

and its parallel Luke 11:42

Woe to you, Pharisees! You tithe mint and rue and every edible herb but disregard justice and the love of God. These were rather the things one should practice, without neglecting the others.
(Fitzmyer, Luke, Anchor Bible, Vol. l, 28A (1985))

Because of Jesus' specific mention of the tithe in this passage, those who support the tithe believe that he gave his endorsement to the practice of tithing in general. Some scholars disagree, however, pointing out that Jesus was simply obeying Mosaic law as an obedient Jew and telling Pharisees they ought to have tithed as they claimed they were living under that law.

The final mention of tithing in the New Testament is Hebrews 7:1-10. This refers back to the tithe Abram paid to Melchisedec. This passage, although serving as confirmation that Abraham did indeed pay his tithe to Melchisedec, is not so much about tithing as about trying to show the superiority of Christ to that of the Levitical priesthood.

Most New Testament discussion serves to promote giving over tithing. 2 Corinthians 9:7 talks about giving cheerfully; 2 Corinthians 8:3 encourages giving what you can afford; 1 Corinthians 16:2 discusses giving weekly; 1 Timothy 5:18 exhorts supporting the financial needs of Christian workers; Act 11:29 promotes feeding the hungry wherever they may be; and James 1:27 states that pure religion is to help widows and orphans.

Tithing in the Middle Ages

Former tithe barn in Kronenburg village, Germany
Former tithe barn in Kronenburg village, Germany

Farmers had to offer a tenth of their harvest, while craftsmen had to offer a tenth of their production. A tithe barn was a type of barn used in England and Germany in the Middle Ages and in the United States for storing the Tithes This article refers to the municipalitiy in North Rhine-Westphalia

In Europe, special barns were built in villages order to store the tithe (Tithe Barn, in German Zehntscheunen). A tithe barn was a type of barn used in England and Germany in the Middle Ages and in the United States for storing the Tithes These were often the largest building in the village after the church. The priest or the collector (decimator) collected the tithe, though usually tithers delivered their tithe to a collection point themselves. Villages or homesteads were documented as owing tithe. A requirement to tithe was usually acquired by purchase, donation to the church, or when the settlement was founded.

The Ebstorf Abbey in the Lüneburger Heathlands, for example, was owed tithe from over 60 villages.

In the Middle Ages the tithe from the Old Testament was expanded, through a differentiation between a Great Tithe and a Little Tithe.

Other tithes appeared that varied from location to location:

After the Reformation the tithe was taken over from the church by the state. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time In countries such as Germany and Switzerland, this remained the case until the 19th century, when the tithe was abolished. In some cases the abolishment of the tithe was accompanied by a one-time tax upon the farmers. This lead many farmers into debt.

Modern-day teachings

In recent years, tithing has been taught in Christian circles as a form of "stewardship" that God requires of Christians. The primary argument is that God has never formally "abolished" the tithe, and thus Christians should pay the tithe (usually calculated at 10 percent of all gross income from all sources), although at the Council at Jerusalem the Apostles did not include it in the letter to the Gentile believers (Acts 15:29). The tithe is usually given to the local congregation, though some teach that a part of the tithe can go to other Christian ministries, so long as total giving is at least 10 percent. Some holding to prosperity theology doctrines go even further, teaching that God will bless those who tithe and curse those who do not. Prosperity theology is the teaching that an authentic religious belief and behavior in a person will result in their material prosperity

Some scholars cite that since the account of Abram giving tithe to the high priest occurred before the law was given to Moses, the tithe does not fit into Mosaic Law and therefore is relevant today. That interpretation, however, is suspect since Abram also practised circumcision before the Mosaic law came into being, but that practice has itself been de-emphasized in the New Testament church. Male circumcision is the removal of some or all of the Foreskin (prepuce from the Penis. It is therefore a much better interpretation, both similar to circumcision and the observation of the Sabbath, that the practise of tithing (that is compulsory giving of 10% of one's income) is no longer applicable to the New Testament church. Shabbat or Shabbos ( Hebrew: שַׁבָּת, shabbāt, shabbes, "rest/inactivity" is the Weekly Sabbath Instead church members are encouraged "to give as the Lord has prospered (them)” [I Corinthians 16:2], and "every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” [II Corinthians 9:7].

Opponents of tithing argue that the only Biblical references to the tithe occurred (or referenced events that occurred) during the period of Mosaic Law, applicable only to Jews. They further argue that Jesus taught He came to "fulfill" the Law, which they believe occurred at His crucifixion, and therefore Christians are no longer obligated to pay a minimum amount, but should give only as God specifically directs them to do (which may be more or less than 10 percent) 2 Corinthians 8 & 9. Further, opponents hold that the "blessing/cursing" teachings used in prosperity theology would result in God being able to be "bribed" or acting as an "extortionist". In addition, the blessings / curse point of view invalidates the gospel, i. e. if one is cursed, then Christ could not have been a "curse on our behalf" and if we can get more blessing by tithing, then we cannot possibly have "all Spiritual blessings in Christ" (Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:3). If it's true that all giving should be non-compulsory and rooted in the Christ in each believer, then tithing is moot.

Proponents argue that one cannot throw out the Law in the name of "fulfillment" because that also would cause the argument that Christians are no longer obligated to live a holy lifestyle according to the ten commandments, which scholars agree is not the intention of Jesus' teachings that He came to "fulfill" the Law.

Governmental collection of religious offerings and taxes

Austria

Church tax is compulsory in Austria and Catholics can be sued by the Church for not paying it. Church tax is a Tax imposed on members of some Religious congregations in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Anyone who wants to stop paying it has to declare in writing, at their local municipal council, that they are leaving the Church. They are then crossed off the Church registers and can no longer receive the sacraments. The tax amounts to about 1% of the income.

Denmark

All members of the Church of Denmark pay a church tax, which varies between municipalities. The tax is generally around 1% of the taxable income.

England

The right to receive tithes was granted to the English churches by King Ethelwulf in 855. Æthelwulf, also spelled Aethelwulf or Ethelwulf; Old English: Æþelwulf, means 'Noble Wolf' (c Events By Place Europe Louis II succeeds Lothar as Western Emperor The Saladin tithe was a royal tax, but assessed using ecclesiastical boundaries, in 1188. The Saladin tithe, or the Aid of 1188, was a Tax, or more specifically a Tallage, levied in England and to some extent in France in Tithes were given legal force by the Statute of Westminster of 1285. This article deals with the Statutes of Westminster passed in thirteenth century Adam Smith criticised the system in The Wealth of Nations (1776), arguing that a fixed rent would encourage peasants to farm more efficiently. Adam Smith ( baptised 16 June 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish moral philosopher and a pioneer of Political economy. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations is the Magnum opus of the Scottish economist Adam Smith. Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Dissolution of the Monasteries led to the transfer of many tithe rights from the Church to secular landowners, and then in the 1530s to the Crown. The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the formal process between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded The system ended with the Tithe Commutation Act 1836, which replaced tithes with a rent charge decided by a Tithe Commission. The Tithe Commutation Act of 1836 (6&7 Will IV c71 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom with the Long title "An Act for the Commutation The records of land ownership, or Tithe Files, made by the Commission are now a valuable resource for historians.

At first this commutation reduced problems to the ultimate payers by folding tithes in with rents (however it could cause transitional money supply problems by raising the transaction demand for money). Later the decline of large landowners led tenants to become freeholders and again have to pay directly; this also led to renewed objections of principle by non-Anglicans. Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs

The rent charges paid to landowners were converted by the Tithe Commutation Act to annuities paid to the state through the Tithe Redemption Commission. An annuity contract is a Financial product typically offered by a Financial institution, that may accumulate value and take a current value and pay it out over The payments were transferred in 1960 to the Board of Inland Revenue, and finally terminated by the Finance Act 1977. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Inland Revenue was until April 2005 a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including In the UK, the Chancellor of the Exchequer delivers an annual Budget speech on Budget Day, outlining changes in spending as well as Tax and Duty

Finland

Members of state churches pay a church tax of between 1% and 2. 25% of income, depending on the municipality. Church taxes are integrated into the common national taxation system.

France

In France, the tithes -- called "la dîme" -- were a land tax. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Originally a voluntary tax, in 1585 the "dîme" became mandatory. In principle, unlike the taille, the "dîme" was levied on both noble and non-noble lands. Taille was also a name used in the time of Johann Sebastian Bach for the Baroque Cor anglais. The dîme was divided into a number of types, including the "grosses dîmes" (grains, wine, hay), "menues" or "vertes dîmes" (vegetables, poultry), "dîmes de charnage" (veal, lamb, pork). Although the term "dîme" comes from the Latin decima [pars] ("one tenth", same origin for U. S. coin dime), the "dîme" rarely reached this percentage and (on the whole) it was closer to 1/13th of the agricultural production. The dime is a coin worth Ten cents, or one tenth of a United States dollar.

The "dîme" was originally meant to support the local parish, but by the 16th century many "dîmes" went directly to distant abbeys, monasteries, and bishops, leaving the local parish impoverished, and this contributed to general resentment. In the Middle Ages, some monasteries also offered the "dîme" in homage to local lords in exchange for their protection (see Feudalism) (these are called "dîmes inféodées"), but this practice was forbidden by the Lateran Council of 1179. Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed

Germany

Germany levies a church tax, on all persons declaring themselves to be Christians, of roughly 8-9% of the income tax, which is effectively (very much depending on the social and financial situation) typically between 0. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Church tax is a Tax imposed on members of some Religious congregations in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, 2% and 1. 5% of the total income. The proceeds are shared amongst Catholic, Lutheran, and other Protestant Churches. In 1933 Hitler had the entry "church tax" added to the official tax card, which meant that the tax could now be deducted by the employer like any of the other taxes.

Some believe that the church taxation system was established or started through the Concordat of 1933 signed between the Holy See and the Third Reich. This is a simple misunderstanding or misrepresentation of §13 of the Appendix (The Supplementary Protocol) of the Concordat (Schlußprotokoll, §13). The article reads: „Es besteht Einverständnis darüber, daß das Recht der Kirche, Steuern zu erheben, gewährleistet bleibt. “, (refer to External Links). In English, this translates to: It is understood that the Church retains the right to levy Church taxes, (refer to External Links). Notice that §13 states that the Church "retains the right" or, in German, "gewährleistet bleibt". The church tax (Kirchensteuer) actually traces its roots back as far as the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss of 1803. Church tax is a Tax imposed on members of some Religious congregations in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany in 1795 &ndash 1814, during Today its legal basis is §140 of the Grundgesetz (the German "constitution") in connection with article 137 of the Weimar constitution. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland is the Constitution of Germany. For a detailed discussion of the English translation of Reich, see Reich.

Church tax (Kirchensteuer) is compulsory in Germany for those confessing members of a particular religious group. It is deducted at the PAYE level. For other uses see Paye (disambiguation PAYE ( Pay As You-Earn) is an amount collected by Employers on behalf of the government The duty to pay this tax theoretically starts on the day one is christened. Anyone who wants to stop paying it has to declare in writing, at their local court of law (Amtsgericht) or registry office, that they are leaving the Church. They are then crossed off the Church registers and can no longer receive the sacraments.

Ireland

Tithes were introduced after the Norman conquest of 1169-1172, and were specified in the papal bull Laudabiliter as a duty to: . The Norman invasion of Ireland was a Norman military expedition to Ireland that took place on 1 May 1169 at the behest of Dermot MacMurrough A Papal bull is a particular type of Letters patent or charter issued by a Pope. Laudabiliter was a Papal bull issued in 1155 by the English Pope Adrian IV purporting to give the Angevin King Henry II of England . . pay yearly from every house the pension of one penny to St Peter, and to keep and preserve the rights of the churches in that land whole and inviolate. However, collection outside the Norman area of control was sporadic.

From the Reformation in the 1500s, most Irish people chose to remain Roman Catholic and had by now to pay tithes valued at about 10% of an area's agricultural produce, to maintain and fund the established state church, the Anglican Church of Ireland, to which only a small minority of the population converted. The Protestant Reformation was a reform movement in Europe that began in 1517 though its roots lie further back in time Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. Irish Presbyterians and other minorities like the Quakers and Jews were in the same situation. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (or PCI (Eaglais Phreispitéireach in Éirinn, operating seamlessly across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern PLEASE TAKE NOTE************

The collection of tithes was violently resisted in the period 1831-36, known as the Tithe War. The Tithe War in Ireland ( 1831-36) refers to a series of periodic skirmishes and violent incidents connected to resistance to the obligation of Catholics Thereafter, tithes were reduced and added to rents. With the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1869, tithes were abolished. The Irish Church Disestablishment Act 1869 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed during William Gladstone 's administration

Italy (Eight per Thousand)

Originally the Italian government of Benito Mussolini, under the Lateran treaties of 1929 with the Holy See, paid a monthly salary to Catholic clergymen. The Lateran Treaty is one of the Lateran Pacts of 1929 or Lateran Accords, three agreements made in 1929 between the Kingdom of Italy and the Holy Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic A salary is a form of periodic payment from an Employer to an Employee, which may be specified in an Employment contract. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". This salary was called the congrua. The eight per thousand law was created as a result of an agreement, in 1984, between the Italian Republic and the Holy See. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic

Under this law Italian taxpayers are able to declare that 0. 8% ('eight per thousand') of their taxes go to a religious confession or, alternatively, to a social assistance scheme run by the Italian State. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos The confession of one's Sins is a religious practice important to many faiths e Welfare is financial assistance paid to people by governments This declaration is made on the IRPEF form. People are not required to declare a recipient; in that case the law stipulates that this undeclared amount be distributed among the normal recipients of such taxes in proportion to what they have already received from explicit declarations. Only the Catholic Church and the Italian State have agreed to take this undeclared portion of the tax.

The last official statement of Italian Ministry of Finance made in respect of the year 2000 singles out seven beneficiaries: the Italian State, the Catholic Church, the Waldenses, the Jewish Communities, the Lutherans, the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Assemblies of God in Italy. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The Italian Catholic Church is part of the global Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope, Curia in Rome, and General description The earliest Waldensians believed in poverty and austerity promoting true poverty public preaching and the personal study of the scriptures Italian Jews can be used in a broad sense to mean all Jews living in Italy or in a narrower sense to mean the ancient community who use the Italian rite as distinct from newer Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance The World Assemblies of God Fellowship, or Assemblies of God for short is the world's largest Pentecostal denomination with over 283413 churches and outstations Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest

The tax was divided up as follows:

In 2000 the Catholic Church raised almost a billion euros, while the Italian State received about 100 million euros. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e

Scotland

In Scotland teinds were the tenths of certain produce of the land appropriated to the maintenance of the Church and clergy. At the Reformation most of the Church property was acquired by the Crown, nobles and landowners. In 1567 the Privy Council of Scotland provided that a third of the revenues of lands should be applied to paying the clergy of the reformed Church of Scotland. The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. In 1925 the system was recast by statute and provision was made for the standardisation of stipends at a fixed value in money. The Court of Session acted as the Teind Court. The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland. It is both a Court of first instance and a court of Appeal and sits exclusively Teinds were finally abolished by the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. The Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc (Scotland Act 2000 was an act of the Scottish Parliament which was passed by the Parliament on 3 May 2000 and received

Spain and Latin America

Both the tithe (diezmo), a tax of 10% on all agricultural production, and "first fruits" (primicias), an additional harvest tax, were collected in Spain throughout the medieval and early modern periods for the support of local Catholic parishes. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". The tithe crossed the Atlantic with the Spanish Empire; however, the Indians who made up the vast majority of the population in colonial Spanish America were exempted from paying tithes on native crops such as corn and potatoes that they raised for their own subsistence. The Spanish Empire (Imperio Español was one of the largest Empires in history and one of the first Global empires In the 15th and 16th centuries For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. After some debate, Indians in colonial Spanish America were forced to pay tithes on their production of European agricultural products, including wheat, silk, cows, pigs, and sheep. The tithe was abolished in several Latin American countries, including Mexico, soon after independence from Spain (which started in 1810); others, including Argentina and Peru still collect tithes today for the support of the Catholic Church. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The tithe was abolished in Spain itself in 1841.

Sweden

Until the year 2000, Sweden had a mandatory church tax to be paid if one did belong to the Church of Sweden which had been funneling about $500 million annually to the church. Church tax is a Tax imposed on members of some Religious congregations in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Due to change in legislation, the tax was withdrawn in year 2000. However, the Swedish government has agreed to continue collecting from individual taxpayers the annual payment that has always gone to the church. But now the tax will be an optional checkoff box on the tax return. The government will allocate the money collected to Catholic, Muslim, Jewish and other faiths as well as the Lutherans, with each taxpayer directing where his or her taxes should go.

Switzerland

There is no official state church in Switzerland; however, all the 26 cantons (states) financially support at least one of the three traditional denominations--Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, or Protestant--with funds collected through taxation. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Each canton has its own regulations regarding the relationship between church and state. In some cantons, the church tax (up to 2. 3%) is voluntary but in others an individual who chooses not to contribute to church tax may formally have to leave the church. In some cantons private companies are unable to avoid payment of the church tax.

United States

The United States has never collected a church tax or mandatory tithe on its citizens, which is generally specified in the 1st Amendment (specifically the Establishment Clause) to the US Constitution. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the United States Bill of Rights that expressly prohibits the United States Congress The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment refers to the first of several pronouncements in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, stating that " The United States and its governmental subdivisions also exempt most churches from payment of income tax (under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and similar state statutes, which also allows donors to claim the donations as an income tax itemized deduction). 501(c is a provision of the United States Internal Revenue Code ( listing 28 types of Non-profit organizations exempt from some federal The Internal Revenue Code (or IRC; more formally the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended) is the main body of domestic statutory Tax law Also, churches may be permitted exemption from other state and local taxes such as sales and property taxes, either in whole or in part. However, churches are required to withhold Federal and state income tax from their employees along with the employee's share of Social Security and Medicare taxes, and pay the employer's share of the latter two taxes, unless the employee is an ordained minister. Social Security, in the United States currently refers to the federal Old-Age Survivors and Disability Insurance ( OASDI) program This article refers to Medicare, a United States health insurance program

Religious organizations

Actual collection procedures vary from church to church, from the common, strictly voluntary practice of "passing the plate" in Catholic and mainline Protestant churches, to formal, church-mediated tithing in some conservative Protestant churches (as well as the LDS Church), to membership fees as practiced in many Jewish congregations. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known There is no government involvement in church collections (though some contributions are considered tax-exempt as charity donations), but due to less-strict income and tax reporting requirements for religious groups, some churches have been placed under legal and media scrutiny for their spending habits. A tax exemption is an exemption from all or certain Taxes of a state or nation in which part of the taxes that would normally be collected from an individual or an organization

Juridical sense

The non-economic, juridical sense of "tithing" is in reference to the Anglo-Norman practice of dividing the population into groups of ten men who were responsible for policing each other; if one broke the law, the other nine were responsible for chasing him down, or would face legal punishment themselves. In his 1595 essay A View of the Present State of Ireland, Edmund Spenser, best noted for his colossal poem The Faerie Queen recommended that the Anglo-Norman practice of tithing be revived and implemented in the rebellious territories of Ireland. Edmund Spenser (c 1552 &ndash 13 January, 1599) was an important English Poet and Poet Laureate best known for The The Faerie Queene is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser, published first in three books in 1590 and later in six books in 1596 Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world The Anglo-Norman practice of tithing was also linked to the evolution of the juridical concept of murder; the penalties for killing a Norman were four times as great as the penalties for killing anyone else. It was presumed that any person murdered should be considered as if he were Norman, unless it could be proven otherwise. The higher communal payment of blood money (wergild) for killing a Norman bore the special designation murdrum, from which the modern English word "murder" is derived.

See also

References

External links

Dictionary

tithe

-noun

  1. A tenth.
  2. the tenthpart of the increase arising from the profits of land and stock, allotted to the clergy for their support, as in England, or devoted to religious or charitable uses. Almost all the tithes of England and Wales are commuted by law into rent charges.
  3. Hence, a small part or proportion.

-adjective

  1. Tenth.

-verb

  1. (transitive) To collect a tithe.
  2. (intransitive) To pay a tithe.
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