Favoritism in the Church

Here’s an excerpt from Favoritism in the Church, Kent Butterfield’s contribution to the September issue of Tabletalk:

It seems that favoritism was an issue in the early church, as those with greater wealth or standing were accorded better treatment than others. The Apostle James spoke against this impulse in his epistle:

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1–4)

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