Always with You: Questioning the Theological Construction of the Un/Deserving Poor

Abstract The cultural persistence and political salience of the ‘un/deserving poor’ – moral categorization people in poverty rests, inter alia , on use Christianity to construct a class-inflected position from which judge or categorize lives others. Interpretation claim that poor are ‘always with you’ (Matthew 26:11) plays role this process asymmetrical moralization, specifically through framing ‘the as class divinely-mandated functions virtues. To develop theological challenges I examine patterns contemporary historical interpretation gospel accounts woman who anoints Jesus (the wider context you’). propose that, while many interpreters attempt these texts establish both poor’, they can be reread way undermines construction.