We praise people as ‘Good Samaritans,’ but there’s a complex history behind the phrase
- Written by Terry Giles, Professor of Theology, Gannon University
Samaritans celebrate Shavuot atop Mount Gerizim, near the West Bank. Nidal Eshtayeh/Xinhua via Getty Images“Good Samaritan” is a label often used to describe someone acting selflessly to benefit others, even if a total stranger.
Some may recognize that the phrase has its origin in a biblical story, one of Jesus’ parables recounted...
