TOWARDS AN APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENTAL FRAMEWORK OF THE CHURCH IN HER DEVELOPMENT MINISTRY AMONG THE POOR. The hypothesis explains the need for the Church to adopt an appropriate development framework in order to respond effectively to the needs of the poor.
The Background of the Problem
Much of the message of the prophets had to do with how the economic realities of the time affected the lives of the poor in the country5. The global economic situation with asymmetric trade, the use of biotechnology and genetic engineering by giant multinationals to exploit the poor, massive debt, war, poverty and neo-colonialism is not only an economic and developmental problem, but also an ethical one.
Motivation and relevance of the study
Their appearance showed that they were not part of the children of the church. In this way, unemployment ensures that the poor form a world in which they are isolated from the rest of society.
THE ROLE OF CHRISTIAN FAITH
This atrocity of economic injustice and the creation of an ever-widening poverty gap demands our attention. The combination of these services in the interest of the poor confirms the Christian witness to Christ. J8.
INTRODUCTION
AMARTYA SEN'S CONCEPT OF POVERTY
- Poverty as capability deprivation
- Income Poverty
- Capability Poverty
- Unemployment and capability deprivation
This observation can be seen in the context of Asian economies starting with Japan through East Asia and Southeast Asia. Her request is that the principles of justice should be included in the state constitution.
KLAUS NURNBERGER'S CONCEPT OF POVERTY
- Causes of economic imbalances
- Types of basic human needs
One of the reasons for the booming economy in the center is that residents have the income to buy raw materials. The people in the center have many opportunities to enjoy many benefits and pension funds. I agree with Nurnberger when he talks about permanent diseases in some areas of the population.
Well-being is the free unfolding of a creature's life as it is meant to be. Embedded in his pragmatic argument, Numberger identifies and analyzes six key elements of a soteriological paradigm in the panorama of biblical faith history. 34; The Interplay of Experiential Needs and Prevailing Patterns of Thought in the Formation of Christian Soteriologies, b" in Mandew, MDPA (ed) War, Memory and Salvation: The Bulhoek Massacre and the Construction of a Contextual Soteriology (Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal, 1997) vol. 1.
In this attempt, he seeks to answer all the needs of the whole human person, as Claerbaut says: Second, while we appreciate Numberger's observations, there are some unresolved issues in the basic needs approach. Briefly, Nurnberger sees poverty as unmet needs, the cause of which is economic imbalance, as explained in the context of the interplay between center and periphery.
BRYANT MYERS' CONCEPT OF POVERTY
- The Nature of poverty is Fundamentally relational
- The cause of poverty is fundamentally spiritual
The first is that the nature of poverty is essentially relational and the second is that the cause of poverty is essentially spiritual59. Myers' holistic understanding of poverty is largely an evaluation and combination of the works of the authors listed above (Chambers, Friedman, Christian and Jayakaran). Indeed, this view of poverty is plausible to a certain extent, in that poor people lack things, both material and non-material.
This is the first time we see a spiritual understanding of poverty emerge in our discussion. This view of poverty sees poor people as trapped in the difficult framework of social systems. In concluding this aspect of poverty, Myers sees the cause of poverty within the poor and the non-poor.
Based on these different concepts of poverty, Myers attempts to develop a holistic understanding of poverty. Each of these broken relationships is expressed in the ideas of poverty discussed above. If sin is the underlying cause of poverty, then there is good news and bad news.
INTRODUCTION
POVERTY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
The reason behind their oppression is simple: they are poor and therefore at the mercy of the rich. Before the birth of the monarchy, these free peasants were called “am haaretz,” meaning “people of the land” (Nehemiah 10:31). We saw that one of the goals of the country was to farm, to prevent people from living in poverty.
In the wake of the monarchy, life became increasingly difficult for ordinary peasants as they sank deeper into poverty. They charged very high interest rates, as was the practice of the Canaanite trading centers and Babylon. Also, each person had to give one of his sons or daughters to serve the purpose of the king (duty of service).
Followed by forced labor, the fourth change that took place was the restructuring of the 'justice system'. On the other hand, the theology of the ruling elite, which emerged from the Davidic tradition, is central. One of the root causes of the confrontation between King Ahab and the prophet Elijah was the king's corrupt socio-economic policies and injustice.
THE NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE
So we see that the rising and the protest of the prophets was God's intervention to see the poor and oppressed freed from their oppression and impoverishment. Despite the cries of those afflicted by poverty and the protests of the Prophet against the policies of those responsible for the widening gap between the rich and the poor, poverty became a generational struggle for the poor and continued into the time of Christ. This is indicated by his birthplace in the stable, the offering of a dove in the temple and the presence of shepherds.
His message was against materialism and in support of the protection of the poor and other marginalized people. The poor of Luke 4:18 can be seen in the light of the fourth beatitude quoted in Matthew's gospel, which was preached to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Conducting a comparative study between Luke 4:18 and the parable of the unjust judge (Luke Hanks concludes that 'the righteousness here referred to is none other than the deliverance (from oppression) for which God's people (his elect) can claim as the salvation promised them by their king.
The apostle emphasizes that the churches he addresses identify with the plight of the poor, and in fact most of their parishioners count among the poor; "Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith - and heirs of the Kingdom he promised to those who love him. The narrative tells of the patterns of the Christian community immediately after Peter's sermon on the Day In verse 42, four characteristics of the most primitive gathering are listed: (i) the apostles' teaching, (ii) fellowship (iii) the breaking of bread and (iv) prayer.
RESPONSES TO THE THREE CONCEPTS
- A response to Sen's concept
- A response to Nurnberger's concept
- A response to Myers' concept
Although he tries to offer a holistic understanding of poverty, Numberger is nevertheless passive about the spiritual side of poverty. In poor countries, especially in Africa and Asia, debt repayment becomes a major cause of poverty. As can be seen from his concept above, he analyzes four theoretical concepts in an attempt to comprehensively understand poverty, just as I have tried to do in this article.
As a Christian development practitioner, having done his research, Myers concludes that the nature of poverty is fundamentally relational and its cause is fundamentally spiritual. On the basis of these two factors Myers develops his holistic understanding of poverty. Although his holistic understanding of poverty provides insight for the Christian developer, I would still like to add that sin as the cause of poverty must be seen from two sides, those who cause poverty in the poor because of broken relationships with God and people others. and the poor themselves who break the relationship with God.
The biblical text gives us the understanding that the main cause of poverty in the context of Israel is oppression and injustice. In response to the cause of poverty, God sent prophets to protest against the structural system that kept ordinary people in poverty. Having noted the various definitions of poverty discussed above, I want to say that they are all useful contributions to poverty alleviation, but the one I like is Myers' definition because it is holistic and includes a biblical understanding of the cause of poverty and the solution to it is related to my by understanding poverty.
INTRODUCTION
TOWARDS AN APPROPRIATE FRAMEWORK FOR THE CHURCH
- Possible strategies for the Church
At the same time, I want to say that the primary justification here is to provide a framework for the Church in its development service for the poor. The Church is not passive when it comes to serving the poor. However, for the sake of those who are truly poor, I advise that the church return to the biblical framework of reducing poverty among the poor.
This step will make it much easier for the church in its development work among the poor. The same year, in his reflection on the 'reappropriation of human values'. The Church's response to poverty in light of a biblical perspective can be found in the thoughts of Gutierrez.
Although it is necessary for the poor to be agents of their own transformation, the Church must be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove in this process. The Challenge of Eradicating World Poverty: An African Response (- Uganda: Uganda Martyrs University press, 1998) P. As Mugambi argues, the Church has historically been the most influential agent for education.
CONCLUSION
Society divides us, one group is rich and the other is poor. It causes exclusion and demonizes others. Finally, we have seen that theology and the biblical text play an important role in the discussion of poverty. In this establishment, we saw that the inclusion of the church in development is not an option, but rather God's mandate as part of its comprehensive service to humanity.
After seeing that poverty means many things to many people, our study continued to develop an appropriate framework for the church in its development ministry among the poor to guide her in effective development ministry. Our study concludes with some possible strategies that the church can apply in response to the plight of poverty. The Church Against Poverty: An Assessment of the Work of the Christian Community Services (CCS) in the Kirinyaga Anglican Diocese in Kenya.
The Challenge of Economic Development to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Makete, Tanzania (Pieterrnaritzburg: University of Natal, 1999).
