Session 1: Poverty and the Church February 17, 2010 The Chalmers Center for Economic Development
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Transcript of Session 1: Poverty and the Church February 17, 2010 The Chalmers Center for Economic Development
Session 1:Poverty and the
Church
February 17, 2010
The Chalmers Center for Economic Development
at Covenant College
Haiti: Helping without HurtingWebinar Series
The Haitian Context Pre-Earthquake
• Extreme Levels of Absolute Poverty:– 75% lived on less than $2/day– Over 50% lived on less than $1/day
• Extreme Levels of Inequality:– 4% of population owned 66% of wealth– Second highest income disparity in the world
The Haitian Context Pre-Earthquake• Half of population has no access to potable
water• Over 50% of population is illiterate• Highest HIV/AIDS rate in world outside sub-
saharan Africa• 1/3 of women have been violently sexually
abused• High rates of child abuse and trafficking
How We Define the Cause of Poverty Determines the Solutions We Propose
The Cause of Poverty Proposed SolutionLack of Knowledge Education
Oppression by Powerful People
Work for Social Justice
Personal Sins of the Poor Evangelism and Discipleship of the Poor
Lack of Material Things Provide Greater Access to Material Things
Others
Rest of Creation
Self
Economic System
Politi
cal S
yste
m
Religious System
Social SystemGodGod
God
Others
Rest of Creation Self
Economic System
Politi
cal S
yste
m
Religious System
Socia
l Syste
m
Poverty of Being
Poverty of Stewardship
Poverty of Community
Poverty of Spiritual Intimacy
“Poverty is a result of relationships that do not work,
that are not just, that are not for life, that are not harmonious or
enjoyable.”
Bryant Myers in Walking with the Poor, p. 86.
What is Poverty?
If poverty is rooted in broken relationships, who are the
Poor?• We are!
• Until we embrace this, our attempts to help the people in Haiti may do more harm than good.
God
Others
Rest of Creation Self
Economic System
Politi
cal S
yste
m
Religious System
Socia
l Syste
m
Poverty of Being
god-complexes
Feelings of Inferiority/Shame
Poverty of Stewardship
Poverty of Community
Poverty of Spiritual Intimacy
Poverty Alleviation is the Ministry of Reconciliation: moving people—including ourselves-- closer to glorifying God by living in right relationship with God, self, others, and the rest of creation.
Poverty Alleviation
• Note that “the good life” is not just having more material things.
• The goal is NOT to turn Port-au-Prince into Atlanta
• The goal is for Port-au-Prince and Atlanta to look more like the New Jerusalem
Poverty Alleviation
• Individual Sin: – Sinful hearts – Often includes a faulty worldview concerning
God, self, others, and the rest of creation– The voodoo worldview is a factor in the
Haitian Context
• Broken Systems – local, national, and international levels– The poor typically have little control over
these
The Relationships are Broken Due To:
God
Others
Rest of Creation Self
Economic System
Politi
cal S
yste
m
Religious System
Socia
l Syste
m
Poverty of Being
Poverty of Stewardship
Poverty of Community
Poverty of Spiritual Intimacy
Broken Systems Affecting Haiti’s Poor
• International Factors:– Colonization by Spanish and French– Slavery– U.S. embargo for 60 years after Haiti
achieved independence in 1804– $22 Billion (constant 2007 dollars) in
reparation payments to France – U.S. occupation 1915-1934– U.S. propped up Baby Doc, a ruthless
dictator, during the Cold War
Broken Systems Affecting Haiti’s Poor
• International Factors:– Large amounts of aid from U.S. government
and multilateral organizations– $1 billion annually in remittances– “Republic of NGOs” – Large numbers of missionaries, especially
short-termers– Perhaps all of these outside resources have
undermined Haitian initiative at local and national levels
Broken Systems Affecting Haiti’s Poor
• National Factors– Government ranked as one of the top 2 most
corrupt governments in the world
– Constant Instability: only 9 of 54 presidents have served a complete term
– Predatory governments which oppress poor in order to advance their own power and wealth
– Categorized as a “fragile” state by the international donor community, meaning that it cannot or will not provide core functions to the majority of its people. Other countries in this category include Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe.
God
Others
Rest of Creation Self
Economic System
Politi
cal S
yste
m
Religious System
Socia
l Syste
m
Poverty of Being
Poverty of Stewardship
Poverty of Community
Poverty of Spiritual Intimacy
Broken Relationship with God in Haiti
• God the Supreme Creator is distant and unapproachable
• Capricious spirits rule the material world and must be appeased
Broken Relationship with Creation in Haiti
• The spirits determine the level of fertility and harvest
• The creation is not responsive to individual action, so exercising stewardship and dominion is not considered fruitful
Broken Relationship with Others in Haiti
• Blood and religion determine acceptance
• Class and color determine status
• People outside are viewed as competitors for influence and goods
• Alignment with power is essential for survival
Broken Relationship with Self in Haiti
• Feelings of inferiority and shame
• Dependent on group identity for honor and dignity
• Fear of being outside of group
• Moral decisions are group and spirit directed, undermining one’s sense of personal, moral responsibility
If poverty is rooted in broken relationships, who are the
Poor?• We are!
• Until we embrace this, our attempts to help the people in Haiti may do more harm than good.
God
Others
Rest of Creation Self
Economic System
Politi
cal S
yste
m
Religious System
Socia
l Syste
m
Poverty of Being
god-complexes
Feelings of Inferiority/Shame
Poverty of Stewardship
Poverty of Community
Poverty of Spiritual Intimacy
We all need a reconciler!
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him (Jesus), and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Colossians 1:19-20
The Church is the body, bride, and fullness of Jesus Christ
It has been given the “Ministry of Reconciliation”
Local and Universal Church
• Need to focus on increasing the “testimony” of the local church in Haiti
• Avoiding Paternalism
• Avoiding Dependency
Cultural Issues
• Individualism vs. Collectivism
• Universalism vs. Particularism– Galatians 6:10: “Do good to al men but especially
to those of the household of faith
• Low Power Distance vs. High Power Distance
The next Webinar in this series is
“Haiti: Doing Asset-based Relief, Rehabilitation”,
February 24, 20101:00-2:00 EST
For more information go to www.whenhelpinghurts.org