THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION
OF WEALTH AND POVERTY
By
TONYE
S. Snithers
www.tonyesnithers.blogspot.com
tsnithers3@gmail.com
+234(0)7033477614
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Definition of Terms
Biblical Background
Reflections
on the Biblical Background
Causes
of Poverty
Biblical
Backgrounds of Wealth and Poverty
The
Theological Reflection
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
The issue
of wealth, poverty and Christian faith is as prehistoric as the
New Testament and reaches farther back to the Old Testament. As frequently noted, Jesus’ teachings in the
Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) demanded a kind of discipleship that
barred any competing commitment to peoples or things other than himself,
including money, property, and possessions.
From the very beginnings of the Christian movement, how to deal with
riches formed an important aspect of Christian discipleship and was thought to express an essential articulation of our faith in God and of our
love for our fellow humans. Christians claimed that the Christian attitude
toward and use of wealth was a critical identity marker that distinguished
Christians from non-Christians.
Regardless of how one theologized riches and poverty, Christians had to
grapple with and respond to the “clear” call of the social (material)
responsibilities of the gospel. It
examines throughout history the ways in which Christians interpreted, applied,
communicated, and struggled with what they understood as the Christian
theological principle and mandate regarding wealth and poverty. The
issues involving wealth and poverty have presented Christians both a challenge
and an opportunity of “being in the world but not of the world.” Nearly one billion people,
almost one out of every four persons on earth live in a state of “absolute
poverty”. They are trapped in conditions so limited by illiteracy,
malnutrition, disease, high infant mortality and low life expectancy as to be
denied the very potential with which they are born. Almost 20 million people
die each year of starvation or hunger related illnesses.[1]
DEFINITION OF THE TERMS:
Theological: This is a word derived from its original word “theology”,
which means teachings concerning God and His relations to human beings and to
the universe. The study of religion and belief or a set of religious belief[2]
Reflection: The act of reflecting or the process of sending back light,
heat, sound, etc from a surface. Careful thought about something, sometimes
about a long period of time[3]
Wealth: this word also could be as riches, prosperity, affluence,
comfortable; there’s no real difference in meaning of these words
Poverty: Poverty is difficult to define because of its relative and
subjective nature. Nevertheless, poverty is defined here as “the unfulfilment of
basics human needs required to adequately sustain life free from disease,
misery, hunger, pain, suffering, hopelessness and fear…”This definition is
chosen because it describes succinctly the situation of the poor.
BIBLICAL
BACKGROUND
The term
wealth or riches is referred to an abundance of material possessions, but also
designating spiritual, psychological, logical, and social qualities. All are
gift of God but are frequently misused by human beings. The proper use of all
gifts constitutes an essential aspect of the soteriological message of the
Bible, God gave humanity dominion over the earth (Gen. 1:26-28), thus
entrusting everything to them. Wealth is
also viewed as a multivalent concept loaded with multiple ideological complex
meanings. It evokes difficult to disengage attitudes of prosperity, power,
social status, security and personal success. It decisively contributes to
people’s assumption of self-worth. Poverty on the other hand is a concept that
refers to "pronounced deprivation in well being."In simple terms, to
be poor is to be hungry, homeless, sick, illiterate, voiceless, powerless and
generally unprotected from adverse and potentially oppressive and unjust social
realities. Poverty is a global problem of huge proportions with explosive
social consequences for peace and stability. The bible has said that God will
care for the poor, the fatherless and the widow was a tremendous source of hope
during times of severe difficulties. Then word used to express poor or poverty
has the underlying meaning of “humble, oppressed, needy, weak, and dependent.”
Poverty
remains a fact of life despite the economic programme by personal and nations.
What exist here and there are improvements on economic status. These improvements
are not even stable. There have been economic up-turns and downturns. This is
what is known from experiences. Jesus’ says that “The poor you will always have
with you…” (Matt. 26:11, NIV) is historically and globally relevant.
The
extent of poverty in the world is described in these words: Nearly one billion
people, almost one out of every four persons on earth live in a state of
“absolute poverty”. They are trapped in conditions so limited by illiteracy,
malnutrition, disease, high infant mortality and low life expectancy as to be
denied the very potential with which they are born. Almost 20 million people
die each year of starvation or hunger related illnesses.
The
Economy of Life embodies God’s vision of koinonia,[4] where healthy communities flourish in peace and harmony
with one another and with God’s creation (Acts 2:42-47). It is a place where all people
have a dignified,
clean and safe
place to live
and die among
family and friends
who love and share life with them; where work has dignity and wages are
fair and just; where justice is done, mercy is loved,[5] and all walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8); and where the
Earth’s beings – microbes, plants,
and humpback whales;
seas, lakes, rivers
and skies; the
depths of the
Earth and the hidden waters – live in the
integrity God has made. Indeed, each of us is part of a web of relationships
which connect a butterfly in China with the entire atmosphere of the Earth, all
her oceans, mountains, fields
and rivers, deserts
and anacondas and
the deep mysteries
of her physical body – rocks,
lava, and water, magma, metals and precious minerals. We are bound in Christ to the whole created
reality in whose midst we live and on which we physically depend for our
continued existence.
Poverty
is life threatening and should not be ignored. According to the World Bank
report, Nigeria is one of the poorest nations in the world. Six out every ten
Nigerians are jobless. The average income per person for a month is N130.
The
above, however, is not to say that poverty is inherent in the nature of man or of
the poor. It cannot be blamed on the moral behaviour of the poor. It often
comes as a result of certain imbalances in social structural processes.
REFLECTION
ON THE BIBLICAL BACKGROUND
Poverty
affects human dignity and poses some challenges to our stewardship of nature.
These are part of the reasons why Christians should be concerned about poverty.
Man is
made in the image of God according to (Gen. 1:26) and is to reflect God’s image;
but can a poor man reflect the image[6] of God adequately? Your response should be as good as mine.
Poverty inhibits freedom. Freedom is part of the image man shares with God. Poverty
therefore affects God’s image and plan in man.
“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it…” (Psalm 24:1, NIV). The
earth is the Lord’s but he has given the earth to man to manage (Gen. 2:15).
Have we managed the natural resources well and are still poor? How should we
use the resources? How should it be distributed? Are we to resign to fate as we
face and watch others face the issue of poverty and hunger? These are questions
which should prick a Christian’s conscience.
The basic
truth is that poverty falls within the areas of Christian concerns and as such
the Christian church needs a Pentecostal movement response to poverty as a
basis for Christian action. So it assumed that orthodoxy will lead to orthopraxis.
Right belief is a basis for right action.
Poverty
is not limited to one nation or one continent in that poverty is a social
reality across nations and continents. The different is only a matter of
degrees. He assumes that some realities about poverty at individual levels have
some correspondence with realities on large scales among nations. Besides, a
Pentecostal Movement response to poverty that is biblically based and socially
relevant should be helpful to some extent wherever poverty exists. The writer
believes that the every Servants of God can be agents of economic development
in any nation or continent.
CAUSES OF POVERTY
It is
considered necessary here to briefly itemize the factors that are responsible
for human poverty to serve as a basis for reflection. Solutions are not
proffered until problems are known. Population explosion is a major cause of
poverty. The problem is aggravated by the fact that population is more
explosive in some of the very areas where people are most poor and the hungry.
This problem is further compounded because the world’s population was growing
approximately 150 percent; the consumption of the world’s most basic food was
growing 650 percent.”
Land
remains a static means of production while[7] human beings continue to increase. Poor economic management
and structural imbalances are related factors in causing poverty. Misuse of
resources, unjust economic order and unfair distribution of resources are
manifestations of poor economic management and structural imbalance.
When
there is “manipulation of prices, of the terms of trade and monetary system,
the exploitation of cheap labour, natural resources and the overt and convert
transfer of capital from the poor to the rich section etc.” The free market
economic system that is operating in many societies is intended to serve the
bourgeois at the detriment of the poor and the peasants who are in the majority
of world’s population. The desire for gain and meeting human needs are
conflicting issues in free market economy. A good economic system should favour
the satisfaction of human needs; and not purely on the desire for profits.
Low wage
is a contribution factor to poverty. In some countries, salary of civil servants
and company employees are so low to the extent that they cannot afford a descent
living. This is part of structural problem. Wages should be measured relative
to the condition of living existing in an environment.
Debt
servicing is sometimes with exorbitant interest rates that use up resources
that can be used for social services that can improve the lives of people
thereby institutionalizing poverty. The Bishops of England and Wales, in 1996,
noted that “development has been halted and reversed[8] by the debt service obligations of some of the poorest
countries to their foreign creditors.
Wars have
ravaged nations; displaced people and created refuse camps with their attendant
problems. For example, “civil war, (sic) natural disasters and economic mismanagement
have contributed to the general impoverishment of the (African) continent. More
people are now below the poverty line (in African) than was the case thirty
years ago.” These wars have led to the purchase of ammunitions instead of using
the same resources in preventing malnutrition. There is an estimate of six
million refuges in Africa as a result of wars and politico-economic problems. Attitude
to work is another major factor causing poverty. To some work is laborious and
is a curse: a consequence of the fall. But the truth is that wealth must be created
before it can be distributed and utilized.
Natural
phenomena such as flood, drought and conflagration also cause poverty. Any of
these is very dangerous and has destroyed properties worth of billions of Naira
(Nigeria currency). They cause irreparable damages to economic objects. Other
causes of poverty include what Ronald J. Sider describes as “sinful personal
choices” and “unbiblical Worldview”. Sinful personal choices that result into
poverty include laziness, misuse of drugs, alcohol and sex (Prov. 6:6-11;
14:23; 23:21; 24:30-34).
A
worldview that legitimizes poverty or “nurtures fatalism among the poor and complacency
among the powerful” will eventually condone poverty without taking steps to
overcome it.[9] Some who idolize aspect of nature like rivers and tree may
not be willing to dam rivers for hydroelectric power or cut trees to
manufacture paper or furniture because trees are living spirits.
What all
these factors reveal is that poverty may and may not be as a result of the
Poor’s action or inaction; and that efforts must be made to respond
approximately and positively to the issue of poverty.
BIBLICAL
BACKGROUND
Biblical
and Christian Approach Backgrounds for the Study, the Bible affirms the reality
of the problem of poverty in the world. Deut. 15:11 (NIV) says, “There will
always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be open handed
toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. This truth is re-echoed,
in part, by Jesus in Matthew 26:11, saying, “The poor you will always have with
you…” (NIV).
The Old
Testament recognizes property right of an individual (Exo.20:15, 17; Deut.5:19,
21; 27:17; Prov.22:28). It therefore “rejects and prevents usury and other methods
of robbery and social oppression….”The Old Testament views “poverty as an
involuntary social evil to be abolished, not tolerated, and represented the poor
(who included widows, orphans and aliens) as people to be succoured; not
blamed.” It has specific provision for the poor. The poor are allowed to glean
from the field (Lev.19:9, 10). They are to harvest crops on the fields in the seventh
(sabbatical) year (Exod. 23:11; Gal.2:2, 10). The Bible teaches that materials
response to the poor and hungry is a test of Christian experience, genuine love
and authentic righteousness (Isaiah 58: 10; James 2:15-17; I John 3:17, 18). To
know God means doing justice to the poor and needy (Jer.22:13-16; Hosea 4:12).
God has
concern for the poor (Isaiah41:17); and judges the cause of the poor and needy
(Jer.22:16). Jesus himself said that “….I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full” (John 10:10). This implied that the salvation Jesus
wrought is comprehensive and therefore has deliverance from poverty in view,
Paul conceived salvation as holistic and saw God being concerned with material
needs of person (Rom.15:25,26; 11 Cor. 8:4;9:1,2,12,13).
Paul
encouraged the Galatians church to “remember the poor” (Gal.2:10). James holds
that “if a Christian becomes aware of the needs of others but does nothing to
help, he lacks genuine faith (James 2:14-26).” If it is thus established that
there is a biblical basis for a Pentecostal Movement response to poverty, it
may be equally relevant to examine a Christian theology of work for the same
purpose.
Christian
Approach and Response of the work The Christian understanding of work has a
sense of service to God and our fellow human beings. Works gives man dignity
and a sense of self-fulfilment. It affirms human worth and serves to meet
physical and spiritual needs. These include the production of food, means of
protection and development of creativity powers. His life is enriched. He
develops his capacities and creates new forms of his being through work.
Martin Luther,
the reformer, is of the opinion that: Every Christian whatever his task is called
into service of God in his particular
form of employment and that, for this reason, the work which he does becomes a
divine vocation or calling in so far as it is done in faith and ministers to
the needs of his fellowmen.
The point
here is that any genuine sense of vocation should be socially relevant, service
motivated and welfare intended. If work is thus conceived, and rightly so, it means
that, through his work, a Christian should be able to fulfilment, provide for
his need and the needs of his family and be able to give to the cause of Christ
in the world. He is expecting to work honesty (1 Thess. 4:11f); earn a living
to care for himself and others (11 Thess. 3:10ff; Eph. 11:28).
Dishonest
work is part of the problem of human societies and is a cause of poverty.
Fighting poverty, therefore, requires that every worker begins to “give an
honest day’s work for which just and adequate compensation is required. Working
for profits is justifiable if it serves social and moral ends. However, profit
making motive must be subservient to service[10] motive. Besides the desire to consume that entire one
produces is covetousness and can lead to being controlled by possessions rather
than by God. God expect the rich to give to the poor.
In short,
work is worthwhile. It is God ordained. However, it must not be overvalued as
to see it as an end in itself; as if man is for work and not work for man. It
should also not be undervalued as when it is seen as toil or as a result of the
Fall (Gen.2:28; 3:5). When seen “mainly as a means toward consuming, the focus
shifts from service the personal to the pecuniary.” This is unbiblical. This
Christian theology of work should inform a Christian theological response to
poverty. Christian Approach and
Responses to Poverty
God
designed the mind to grow and flourish as it’s fed these right things. But if we
saturate our thoughts with things that don’t meet God’s glorious standard, the
mind begins to react in adverse ways. It was not designed to handle garbage.
There are
a number of commands given in God’s Word which spell out things we should do in
order to discipline our mind. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally brethren,
whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and
if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things."
THE
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION
In
summary, the following presuppositions serve as pivotal for a Christian theological
response to poverty. Man is created in God’s image. Poverty is demeaning to
humanity.[11] It affects human worth and creativity. God is concerned
with the condition of the poor. He takes side with them. Christians are
children of meant to do God’s will; and a Christian church is a place where
God’s kingdom must be manifest. God’s resources (Psalm 24:1) are for all men.
God is sovereign over the universe. He is the sovereign Lord of history and of
all things in history. The economy of every nation forms part of all that are
under his Lordship. Therefore, the issue of poverty and wealth concerns him.
“God controls human affairs, and Christian social analysis must give greater
emphasis to theological categories than social categories.” The Bible portrays
true righteousness as that which cares for others. The Bible has stated
“Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is
any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these
things."[12] As God’s image, “we are created by God to rule, with moral
accountability and authority, in God’s world as God’s representative.”
Human
dominion of creation is characterized by a right relationship with God. It is
characterized by stewardship; a basic biblical principle reminds that all
talents and abilities are God’s gifts to man to work with; and including the
will applied in using energies and talents. A person is responsible to God on
how he uses the resources God has given to him. God’s desire is to end suffering
and injustice. He demonstrated this by freeing the oppressed Israelites from
Egyptian bondage (Exodus 3:7-8). He is concerned when people are enslaved or
oppressed. He is the liberator of the oppressed and the poor.
Through
prophet Amos, God condemned the oppression of the poor by the wealthy in the
Northern kingdom of Israel (Amos 4:1); while Isaiah denounced the –
maltreatment of the poor in the Southern kingdom of Judah (Isaiah 10:1-3).
Prophet Micah condemned those in Judah who “covet fields and seize them; and
houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his
inheritance” (Micah 2:2). A century later Jeremiah denounced the rich who
exploited the poor (Jer.5:26-29).
Jesus’
mission is to set the oppressed free and restore the sight of the blind. His works
are works of charity-healing the sick and the blind; and feeding the hungry
(Lk.4:18, 19). He instructs his followers that eternal damnation awaits those
who do not feed the hungry, clothe the naked and visit the prisoners. (Matt.
25:31-46).
The rich
either oppress or do not assist the poor in their needs; in both cases God is
displeased. The rich man did not oppress Lazarus; he simply did not share with
Lazarus; yet the Lord was not pleased with the rich man (Lk.16:19). This
implies that the right to produce and own property does not mean the right to consume
all that one has produced.
There
must be a sense of responsibility to the needy. If God has concern for the
poor, his children should if they are indeed his children by nature. If
Christians are truly the Disciples of Christ, they will follow Christ’s example
by showing concern for the poor: E.C Beisner’s submission is aptly relevant
here: Practical righteousness or justice…require graciously[13] serving the poor – and not only the poor but all people
with all kinds of needs. Believers, individually and corporately owe God this
gracious service to the needy as a matter of obedience. Providing for the need
of others is part of God’s will for his human creation.
Poverty
affects human dignity and challenges Christian stewardship of nature. The
effect of poverty pricks a Christian conscience. These include hunger – lack of
food or lack of quality food, poor health, inadequate medical care, brain damages
as a result of lack of proteinous food for babies, illiteracy, poor living
condition, lack of housing or lack of good housing and the like.“The gross
disparity between wealth and poverty constitutes a social injustice with which
the Christian’s conscience[14] cannot to terms” says John Scott W.David Lockard, director
of organization for the Christian Life Commission was quoted as saying, around
1983, that: It is time for Christians to declare war on ignorance, the
indifference, the injustice, which allows approximately 30,000 children to die
of starvation each day. Starvation has killed more people in the last five
years than all of the wars, revolutions, and murders of the last century
because hunger is inevitable.
While
this was an assessment of poverty almost three decade ago, there is no
substantial reason to be very optimistic that the situation has changed for the
better. There have been more wars, especially in African, than the period under
reference. Even, increase in food production has not guaranteed equal
distribution or equal consumption. Some lack purchasing power. Since God is the
ultimate owner of all things and is the creator of all human beings, it is
therefore approximate that all human beings have access to resources God has
provided for basic human needs like food, clothing and shelter so as to
maintain their existence in dignity.
It is
true that the Old Testament recognizes the poverty right of an individual. This
notwithstanding, the idea of private ownership of property and jobs must be
within the affirmation of the common good. For the Christian, “property rights
always exist only in the context of the common good and are always subordinate
to it.” The society must recognize and protect the right of all individuals to
the resources of the community and provide the conditions for the individual to
fulfil his/her potentialities and responsibilities.
The
society must remember always that what she has forms part of God’s possession
which belongs to the whole world. The Church as an agent of God in the world
has a responsibility to demonstrate its theology of God’s love and love for
fellow humans; and of the unity of the human race. It cannot afford to be
indifferent. It cannot wash off its hands like Pilate (Matt. 27:24) in the face
of injustice – marginalization, racism, sexism and classism. It must preach
that oppression is sin. He who oppresses others spoils the dignity of the
victim of oppression and damages the image of God in himself.
To fight
poverty, education, land and employment should be available to all to prosper
with. The poor and the rich must be seriously committed to that end. The church
and society must continue to hold that: God wants every person, or family, to
have equality of economic opportunity at least to the point of having access to
the necessary resources (land, money and education) to be able to earn a
descent living and participate as dignified members of their community.
The poor
also should be equipped to contribute wealth to the society. Since theology serves
as the basis for actions, it is pertinent here to recommend some specific
actions for the Christian Church in response to poverty.
Some
Specific Tasks for the Modern Churches Some of the actions the modern Churches
can take in response to poverty include the following: to proclaim the gospel
of God’s redemption as revealed in Christ. It must “proclaim the good news of
the kingdom to the materially poor, welcome them into the fellowship and share
in their struggles.” Those who exploit the poor and those who became poor as a
result of their sinful life style need spiritual transformation that comes
through the effect of the Gospel.
The
Church must have interest in or concern for the poor and demonstrate philanthropic
gesture to them. It must criticize prophetically the unjust social-economic
structures that prevent the poor from rising above their situation (Amos 5:24)
and teach the need to have a non-materialistic outlook in life.
Since an
example is better than a precept, churches should exercise justice in their economic
practices and pay just wages to their employees. They should put less emphasis
on things thereby suppressing materialism. Church funds must be invested in
socially responsible ways. Christians should have productive ventures to create
goods and services so as to have enough to care for the poor.
They can
organize training in economic issues because ignorance itself is a major
hindrance to self-improvement. If many people know what to do, they will do
them and improve their lots with little or no help. This should be preferred to
doling out charity to the poor. An adage says, “If you give a man a fish, you
feed him a day; but if you train him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime”.
A better approach to giving aid is to assist the individual and the community
we serve to be self supporting.
The
Church should seek for “economic and social structures which maximize fellowship
and cooperation, rather than the autonomy and isolation of the individual and
the belief that individual enterprise is the most important goal.” Pooling
resources together have potential to increase production. The Church should
recognize, develop and support local abilities within the Church and in the
wider community.
Christians
should not support economic systems that are profit-motivated to the detriment
of the welfare of human beings[15]. Rather, they should support and promote economic systems
that meet human needs; that put the poor into consideration as they are objects
of poverty; and seek to make them (the poor) producers and not fatalistic
consumers or predators of the bourgeois. Churches can help the poor and
homeless by turning “church basements or meeting rooms into night time shelters
for the homeless; organize food pantries; and support relief organizations.” They
must take aside with the poor; and call on rulers to fulfil their God–given
role of caring for the citizens.
Churches
and Christians organizations can set up banks where poor people can take loans
for investments with little or no interest following the example of Spreydon
Baptist Church in Christ church, New Zealand. Under the pastoral leadership of
Murray Robertson, the Church set up what is called the Kingdom bank. Loans are
given to the poor at no interest. Part of the bank’s fund is invested to take
care of the cost of operation. The beneficiaries of the loans have budget
advisers from the Church working with them on their finance. Since an economy
cannot be indefinitely developed, the question of population control is
urgently necessary in any honest confrontation with the problem of poverty. The
Church needs to give guidance on the issue of contraception because it borders
on spiritual consideration of the propriety of family planning
CONCLUSION
The
church should not live and teach as if poverty is a virtue. It is not. Rather,
it should teach those who are rich to remember those who are poor. Jesus who in
his riches became poor so that sinful man may be rich (11 Cor.8:9) is an
example of self-giving that should motivate the church to take care of others.
After all, all human beings are to be beneficiaries of God’s resources. If it
is thus given by God to any, it becomes his responsibility to share this with
our fellow human beings as steward of God’s resources. The Church must exercise
its prophetic role in denouncing all forms of socioeconomic structures and
situations that hinder the progress of others toward social economic freedom.
Those who become poor as a result of their own volition through laziness and
sinful life need the liberating message of the Gospel. Basically, the problem with
man is the problem of sin and the solution to this fundamental problem is
spiritual transformation that comes through faith in Jesus the Christ.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ashate, “Root Causes of Poverty and Displacement in West Africa: A
Theological Reflection” p.26
Duchrow, “Obedient Discipleship in Economic Matters” p.23
Emmanuel Ashate, “Root Causes of Poverty and Displacement in West
Africa: A Theological Reflection” in The Gospel, Poverty and the Displaced in
Africa,p.26
Emmanuel Ashate, “Root Causes of Poverty and Displacement in West
Africa: A Theological Reflection” p.21
Irich Duchrow, “Obedient Discipleship in Economic Matters” Economics: A
Matter of Faith11 July, 1988, p.19
Issues and Answers: Hunger(Nashville: The Christian Life Commission of
the Southern Baptist Convention, n.d.), p.1
Issues and Answers: Hunger, p. 4
Issues and Answers: Hunger, pp. 2,3
Julio De Santa Ana, Towards a Church of the Poor (Mary knoll: Orbis
Books, 1981), p.76.
Nil Kwaku Sowa, “The Gospel, Poverty and Displacement: Keynote Address”
in The Gospel, Poverty and the Displaced in Africa, ed. By E. Martey and M.G
Nwagwu (Ghana: Presbyterian Press, 2000), p.20
O. Imasogie, The Response of Church and Mission to African’s Crises,
Harvare: 3rd August, 1993
Phyne J. Barton, Theology of Testament
Ronald J. Sider, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger 2nd ed.
(Dalla: Word Publishing, 1997), pp. 125,126
Sowa, “The Gospel, Poverty and Displacement: Keynote Address” p.11
The international standard bible encyclopaedia volume 3
Duchrow, “Obedient Discipleship in Economic Matters,” p.24
Walter b. Knight, 3000 illustration for Christian service.
Nunez, liberation Theology.
[1] Issues and Answers:
Hunger(Nashville: The Christian Life Commission of the Southern Baptist
Convention, n.d.), p.1
[4] The essential meaning of the Greek word ‘koinonia’ (κοινωνία) is
community, communion, joint participation and sharing
[5] World Council of Churches or WCC (2013), “Message of the 10th Assembly
of the WCC: Join the Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace“
(http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/assembly/2013-busan/adopteddocuments-statements/message-of-the-wcc-10th-assembly).
[6] “…God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our
likeness.” Holman Christian standard Bible.
[9] Ronald J. Sider,
Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger 2nd ed. (Dalla: WordPublishing, 1997), pp.
125,126
[11] Emmanuel Ashate,
“Root Causes of Poverty and Displacement in West Africa: A Theological
Reflection” p.21
[13] Carlvin, E.
Beisner “Justice and Poverty: Two ViewsConstrasted,” Transformation, 10,
Jan-April, 1993, p.22
Comments
Post a Comment