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.

Individual Sin+

Broken Systems=

Broken Relationships for the Poor in Haiti

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

Connection of the Church with Community Work

• Church-Encouraged

• Church-Supported

• Church-Based

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

You can download a copy of today’s webinar within two days at

www.whenhelpinghurts.org

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

We need your financial support!

For information on how to give, please go to

www.chalmers.org