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The Conversation USA

We praise people as ‘Good Samaritans,’ but there’s a complex history behind the phrase

  • Written by Terry Giles, Professor of Theology, Gannon University
imageSamaritans 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...

Read more: We praise people as ‘Good Samaritans,’ but there’s a complex history behind the phrase

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