Article March 20, 2000 Issue

A SPIRITUAL BASIS FOR VOLUNTEERING

Jimmy Carter

Living Faith

Former United States President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, are well known for their devotion to good works. Mr. Carter has been an active teacher in the adult Sunday School at his church for many years, and has done much through The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, to bring peace and improved health to the world. In addition, he and his wife have both been volunteer workers and supporters of Habitat for Humanity, which builds low-cost housing with and for "God's people in need." In one of his books, he comments on "faith in action":

"What was the main thrust of Christ's ministry? Did he just sit under a fig tree telling stories, or stand on a mountain explaining his theology? No. His ministry was tangible proof of his love for everyone, including the sick, the ostracized, and even those who were believed by their neighbors to be suffering the punishment of God for their sins. This was a powerful witness. Christ was a doer, one whose faith took the form of action, not merely words.

"It is a real challenge to correlate our religious faith with what we actually do. In his epistle, James says, 'For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also' (James 2:26). James is not suggesting that we should ignore faith and sharing the Good News with others. He is saying that if we have faith, then we must show it by how we live, what we do."

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