The Poor You Will Always Have With You?
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Transcript of The Poor You Will Always Have With You?
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The Poor You Will Always Have With You?A Christian Response to Extreme Poverty
Ken ChitwoodTier One
President’s Academic Showcase of Undergraduate ResearchFinalist and First Place Overall - April 2007
Extreme poverty is a hot topic in today’s syndicated television newscasts, magazines, and
local newspapers. The world is grappling with how to respond to extreme poverty and
various individuals and organizations claim to have the answer to ending extreme
poverty. The Lutheran Christian community has long struggled with how to respond to
the needs of the extreme poor. In The Poor You Will Always Have With You? I will
address the problem of extreme poverty and discuss theological considerations that
necessarily condition a Christian response. In light of those considerations I will examine
effective strategies for Christian response to the needs of the extreme poor. I will answer
this question in several steps. First I will identify and discuss the problem of extreme
poverty; next I will consider the historical context. Theological dimensions and ethical
implications of a response will be explored, and I will evaluate current methods of
responding to extreme poverty while commenting on whether or not it is possible to end
extreme poverty. Finally, on the foundation laid in the previous steps, I will develop
arguments in favor of actions that Lutheran service organizations, individual churches,
pastors, and lay people can take in the fight against extreme poverty.
2
“Give… and do not refuse, for the Father’s will is that we give to all from the gifts we have received.” -Didache I: V (ca. A.D. 90)
Far off in Eastern Africa the people of Malawi fight day-by-day against HIV/
AIDS, malaria, and hunger. For most of the impoverished in Malawi, home is a tiny mud
hut with a thatched roof, like the one Cecilia Mkhota and her children live in. In the rainy
season, “we don’t sleep, we stand in a corner just to make sure we aren’t wet,” says
Cecilia.1
The term “poverty” has a wide range of meanings in today’s society. I find it
useful to follow Jeffrey Sachs in distinguishing three general categories of poverty: 1)
relative poverty, 2) moderate poverty, and 3) extreme poverty. 1) Relative poverty can be
defined by reference to some proportion of the average national income.2 In the United
States it would be around $15,000-$20,000 per year for a household family of four. 2)
Moderate poverty is defined by reference to the ability to meet basic needs. Those
suffering from moderate poverty are able to meet basic needs, but just barely.3 3) Extreme
poverty is defined by reference to the inability to meet basic needs. The extremely
impoverished lack the basic necessities for survival and the ability to obtain minimal
nourishment, clothing, and lodging.4 Extreme poverty means that households cannot meet
1 Haviv, Ron, People Magazine, 3 March 2006 http://www.people.aol.com/people. 10 April 2006
2 Sachs, Jeffrey D., The End of Poverty; Economic Possibilities for Our Time. New York: Penguin Books, 2005 (20).
3 Ibid.
4 Lindberg, Carter, Beyond Charity: Reformation Initiatives for the Poor. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 1993 (22).
3
basic needs.5 Very few, if any, Americans live in extreme poverty, yet the problem of
extreme poverty is the most prominent poverty issue in the world today.
Extreme poverty affects millions of people. Before you finish reading this
paragraph three to four people will die from starvation or a poverty related disease, and
by the time you are done reading this paper nearly 180-240 people will die for the same
reasons. Extreme poverty stares this generation in the face and challenges this world to
respond.6 Poverty is an issue for every Christian. Poverty is a problem facing our world,
our country, our community, and our church.
In this essay I consider whether or not Lutheran Christians can offer a
theologically sound and effective response to the problem of extreme poverty. I will
address this question in several steps. First I will identify and discuss the problem; next I
will consider the historical context. Theological dimensions and ethical implications of a
response will be explored, and I will evaluate current methods of responding to extreme
poverty while commenting on whether or not it is possible to end extreme poverty.
Finally, on the foundation laid in the previous steps, I will develop arguments in favor of
actions that Lutheran service organizations, individual churches, pastors, and lay people
can take in the fight against extreme poverty.
Identifying the Problem: The Facts of Poverty
Extreme poverty exists in almost every corner of the world and affects billions
worldwide. However, not all continents are equally impacted by extreme poverty. The
numbers in 2001 were: 250 million in East Asia, 10 million in Eastern Europe, 50 million
5 Sachs, (20).
6 UNICEF, Make Poverty History, 2003 http://www.oxfam.org. 27 February 2007
4
in Latin America, 6 million in the Middle East, 415 million in South Asia, and 300
million living in Sub-Saharan Africa. This brings the total number of people living in
extreme poverty to one-sixth of the world’s population in 2001 (for a visual refer to
Appendix A).7 Currently, eight million people around the world die each year because
they are too poor to stay alive.8
I will argue that the facts of such widespread extreme poverty demand a focused
response from Lutheran Christians. However, my argument requires that I first review the
historical, theological, and ethical foundations that will illustrate the necessity of such a
response.
Historical, Theological, and Ethical Context
Historical Context
The early church made care for the needs of the poor a high priority. Paul Johnson
writes that early Christians “ran a miniature welfare state in an empire which for the most
part lacked social services.”9 Acts 2:44-46 and 2 Corinthians 8-9 testify to the early
church’s social activism. Another testament to Christian compassion for the poor is the
tale of St. Laurence. During the third Christian century, Laurence served at the church in
Rome as a deacon. When the Romans heard that the church brought in many offerings, an
official came and asked Laurence to present the “treasures of the church.” The saint
promised to gather them in three days and when the prefect returned he was met with
Laurence who had gathered the city’s poor and needy, referring to them as the treasures of
7 Sachs, (21).
8 Ibid., (1).
9 Johnson, Paul, A History of Christianity. New York: Atheneum Press, 1980 (75).
5
the church.10 St. Laurence’s audacity earned him martyrdom, but his story still today
stands as an attestation to the spirit of the early church.
Medieval Christianity took the responsibility of the church to respond to the poor
to an even higher level. In the Old Testament worldview poverty was understood as a
curse, but because of the Medieval theological and social construct, poverty had garnered
for itself a place of respect and formed a symbiotic relationship with the rich of the
world. This symbiotic relationship was hallmarked by ideologies that said the poor were
favored in God’s sight and that God had specially chosen the poor as his own people.
This theological construct made charity a condition of salvation in the Catholic Church.11
Charity became an element of the system of righteousness that assured salvation. The
Catholic Church proposed a system by which giving alms to the poor atoned for the sins
of the rich and by which the poor were given reason to intercede on behalf of those who
practiced charity.12
The 16th century brought a sweeping reform to the Catholic Church, including its
theology and system of charity. With the relationship to God shifting from a foundation
of charity to faith, the reformers were enabled “to envision a new social ethic in relation
to poverty.”13 Martin Luther himself promoted this social ethic most forcibly. He called
for the demolition of the Catholic system of alms for atonement in his 95 Theses but not
for the abandonment of the poor. Luther and his colleagues called for Christians to live
10 Commission on Theology and Church Relations-LCMS, Faith Active in Love: Human Care in the Church’s Life. St. Louis, MO: Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, 1999 (22).
11 Ibid., (26-27).
12 Ibid.., (28).
13 Lindberg, Carter, The European Reformations. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1996 (111-112).
6
out their faith active in service to the neighbor. Luther centered his social ethic in love, as
Augustine did, and said, “One should give willingly, moved by a love that is very ready
to give.”14 Christians were no longer to see their loving acts as works that repair their
broken relationship with God, but they were nonetheless called to loving acts.
In addition to motivating fellow Christians to a faith active in love for the
neighbor, Luther also called for reform in the Catholic prescriptions for alms giving.
Luther was convinced that everyone has the right to basic necessities, but he called for
the development of prophylactic as well as remedial assistance to the poor.15 As he said,
“[F]or so to help a man that he does not need to become a beggar is just as much of a
good work and a virtue and an alms as to give to a man and to help a man who has
already become a beggar.”16 This shift from remedy to prevention, in my estimation, was
the beginning of a transformation from charity to social assistance.
During the time of the Industrial Revolution, and continuing into the nineteenth
century the Christian church encountered a looming social crisis.17 As economies shifted
from the rural countryside to the booming factories of the cities, so did the people. As the
people moved into the cities many of them became mired in extreme poverty. The
primary evangelical response was a movement commonly known as the Social Gospel.
This movement had its origins in America and was promoted by theologians who worked
together to fight social wrongs. Their central belief was that God’s salvation included
14 Plass, Ewald, What Luther Says, An Anthology. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1959 (534).
15 Lindberg, Beyond Charity. (119).
16 Luther, Martin, Luther’s Works (American Edition). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1960 (54).
17 Shelley, Bruce L., Church History in Plain Language. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995, (405).
7
reform of corporate structures as well as personal lives and that Christians are obliged to
work for the reconstruction of the social order, because it is part of their religious
responsibility.18
Walter Rauschenbusch had the longest lasting impact for the Social Gospel.
Somewhat like Luther, Rauschenbusch called out the “evils” of the capitalist system of
his day and called for greater social response to the problems of the poor.19 In fact,
Rauschenbusch drew a strong comparison between the early Christian movement and his
own Social Gospel, because both, he postulated, were motivated by the same condition of
poverty and devised by the same Christian spirit of love and fellowship.20
Unfortunately, the Social Gospel movement has left a stain on Christian social
activism. The Social Gospel has been decried as not simply a skewed version of Christ’s
Gospel but as a message where the Gospel is unrecognizable. Current Lutheran
theological debate on extreme poverty centers on the careful balance of engaging in
social activism while also attending to the primary responsibility of the church, Word and
Sacrament ministry
Theological and Ethical Context
For a Lutheran, theological discussion of the Christian response to poverty must
begin with, and find its foundation in, Holy Scripture. The Old Testament contains
numerous references to poverty, but one point remains clear; in the Old Testament,
18 Ibid., (413).
19 Rauschenbusch, Walter, “The Case of Christianity against Capitalism.” From Christ to the World: Introductory Readings in Christian Ethics. Ed. by Wayne G. Boulton, Thomas D. Kennedy, and Allen Verhey. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 1994, (455-462).
20 Rauschenbusch, Walter, “Social Ideas in the New Testament.” Ibid., (27-30).
8
poverty is understood best as a curse.21 Conversely, prosperity was a blessing from God,
a blessing that, rightly experienced, should result in generosity and care for the poor
(Deut. 15:7-11). Some prescriptions within the law also were for the benefit of the poor,
such as: the right to rest on the Sabbath for servants and strangers/foreigners (Deut. 5:
12-15), the harvest and reserving a corner of the field for gleaning (Lev. 9:9-10; Deut. 24:
17-22), and prohibiting a creditor from taking interest from the indebted poor (Ex. 22:
25-27; Deut. 24: 12-13). In addition the Wisdom literature of the OT abounds with
references to the fact that those who care for the helpless will be blessed (Prov. 14:21, 31;
19:17, 22:9, 28:8, 31:20; Ecc. 11:1) and those who close their hands and ears to the poor
will be dealt with harshly (Prov. 21:13; 28:27).22
Luke stands out as the premier author on issues of poverty when compared to all
other New Testament authors. Luke’s discussion of riches and poverty is placed in the
context of the Great Commandments and finds its best expression in the parable of the
Good Samaritan. The Great Commandment, to love the Lord your God with all your
heart and all your soul and all your mind and to love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:
27), is a foundation for all New Testament teaching and practice in regards to giving to
the poor and responding to those in need (Acts 20: 35; James 2: 1-13 etc.). This
commandment also is the context in which the parable of the Good Samaritan is read.
The parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-27) is a good example of a
Christian’s faith active in love. In the parable a man is robbed, beaten, and left for dead
21 Alexander, T. Desmond et al., New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2000 (688).
22 Ibid.
9
along the side of the road. As indicated (v. 33) the Samaritan had compassion on the man
and gave up at least two-day’s wages (two denarii, v. 35) to help him. The Samaritan,
most likely on a long journey, had means to the help the man but also the choice not to.
However tempted by his own affairs to not respond, the Samaritan acted in love and gave
to the man in need.23
The Church today stands in the same position, equipped with the means and the
choice to respond. She need only be moved by compassion and love stemming from the
Gospel to come to the aid of the impoverished people of the world. Thus, Jesus’ directive
at the end of the tale stands true for the Church today, “!"#$%"% &'( )% *"($( "µ"(+)”
“You, go and do the same thing.”
Still the questions remain of how we do so first, with theological integrity and
second, with practical effectiveness. Lutherans are well equipped to answer the first
question, and because of this, they also stand poised to effectively answer the second. In
this instance the themes of the love towards the neighbor, the prime function of the
church, two-kingdom theology, and diakonia will provide a construct upon which the
remaining theological discussion will rest.
Love Towards Neighbor
As mentioned previously, Martin Luther included the care of the poor in his
Christian ethos. So important was the topic to the German Reformer that it found a place
in quite a few of his books and treatises. Luther’s Treatise on Christian Liberty states,
“[A] man does not live for himself alone in this mortal body, so as to work for it alone,
23 Nicoll, W. Robertson ed., Expositor’s Greek New Testament Vol. I. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1951 (544).
10
but he lives also for all men on earth,”24 and in addition, “He [the Christian] lives in
Christ through faith, in his neighbor through love.”25 While these quotes summarize
Luther’s view on Christian service, an excerpt from his Epistle Sermon, Sunday After
Ascension Day touches on his view toward charity for the poor:
“Christians are to serve one another by ministering temporal blessings. Especially
are the poor and the wretched to be remembered, they who are strangers or
pilgrims among us, or come to us houseless and homeless.”26
In his Treatise on Usury Martin Luther even went so far as to say that Christians should
give less for the church’s beautification (in reaction to Catholic indulgence peddling) and
instead, “let the real stream flow towards God’s commandment, so that among Christians
good deeds done to the poor would shine more brightly than all the churches of stone or
of wood.”27
Primary Function of the Church
This theme of love toward the neighbor is the particular theological foundation
from which Lutherans are so readily poised to answer the call of the world’s
impoverished. Among Lutherans there is no debate as to whether or not Christians are to
care for the needy, this love is inherent with faith. Rather, the disagreement focuses on
how and to what extent.28 Concerning the “how,” some argue that the church confuses its
role in the world when as the church it organizes for social activism. They fear that a
24 Luther, Martin, Works of Martin Luther Vol. II. Philadelphia, PA: A. J. Holman Company, 1931 (335).
25 Luther, Martin, On Christian Liberty. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2003 (62).
26 Kerr, Hugh T. A Compend of Luther’s Theology. Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1943 (182-183).
27 Luther, Martin, Works of Martin Luther Vol. IV. Philadelphia, PA: A. J. Holman Company, 1931 (48).
28 Commission on Theology and Church Relations-LCMS, (7).
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church that is organized for social activism and care for the world’s needy and
impoverished may confuse itself and others about the church’s responsibility to proclaim
the Gospel through Word and Sacrament.29 They argue that while Christians can and
should organize to address poverty, they ought not use the church itself for this purpose.
These arguments and fears point to a valid concern and should not be taken
lightly. However, there are significant grounds to say that being motivated by love, the
individual Christian, the local congregation, and the whole church should be organized
for social effort in service to the neighbor, both near and abroad.
Two Kingdom Theology
Matthew Harrison, director of Lutheran Church Missouri Synod World Relief and
Human Care, states “[T]he Lutheran doctrine of the two kingdoms grants broad freedom
for the church to engage and be active in its community.”30 The Lutheran doctrine of the
Two Kingdoms declares that God is Lord of all and that he reigns over his church with
the Gospel in his right hand rule, and reigns over the world with the Law in his left hand
rule. Christians live in both kingdoms and the church lives out its life in both kingdoms
as well. Doing so, “[C]hurches would also do well to recognize that not everything they
decide to do is part of their ministry of word and sacrament.”31 For example, the church is
obedient to local and national governments, but also free to be active by encouraging its
members to voice their opinion or collectively to do so on important matters.32
29 Ibid., (8).
30 Harrison, Matthew J., “Human Care Ministry” in Reaching 100 Million: International Lutheran Leaders Speak Out. St. Louis, MO: Lutheran Society for Missiology, 2005 (71).
31 Mueller, Steven P., Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2005 (401).
32 Harrison, (71).
12
Diakonia
In all of this the church will need to maintain its identity in the Gospel even as it
engages the need of the impoverished world. The church can do so as it balances its
various roles in the world. The church on earth is a church in mission (Matthew 28:
18-20). As it pursues its mission to bring the Gospel to every corner of the globe the
church engages in kerygma (proclamation), didache (teaching), and diakonia (service).33
These three tasks all must be included in the mission of the church to the world. Without
one, the others will fail. Diakonia is invariably a part of the church’s mission to the
world, both individually and corporately. While it is true that, “[I]f an assembly of people
is to be and to live as church, then its central mission must be nothing other than to
preach the Gospel and administer the holy sacraments,”34 it is also true that those who
need to hear the Gospel and receive the sacraments “must all at least have warm feet if
they are to understand the Word of God.”35 The above quote from the CTCR document
Faith Active in Love also makes it clear that the church cannot be so enamored with
diakonic service that it loses sight of the source of diakonia, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If
so, the church’s work becomes solely secular and may as well be done by a secular
entity.36
While it is not required that every act of love be done along with proclamation of
the Gospel, more often than not acts of mercy will be linked to the preaching of the
33 Bloesch, Donald G., The Crisis of Piety. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 1968 (52).
34 Commission on Theology and Church Relations LC-MS, (17).
35 Köberle, Adolf, The Quest for Holiness. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1938 (199).
36 Harrison, (68).
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Gospel. “[L]oving care, in harmony with God’s Word can draw people into contact with
the Gospel.”37 Therefore, the church, its congregations, and its individuals can and should
respond, although there is no prescribed manner to this response.38 The manner in which
to respond instead should be chosen based on that which best serves the poor and their
needs.
On a More Practical Note
While the imperative for Lutherans to reach out to the impoverished is clear, the
most effective method of reaching those who need it most is still undecided. In an effort
to find the best method various considerations exist. Thus, a set of criteria by which
various response methods will be judged is most helpful in this endeavor.
The task at hand is to investigate which method of alleviating extreme poverty
best fits the call, mission, and function of the church. I recommend the following criteria
for assessing methods for addressing the plight of the poor: 1) the method must work in
concrete ways to meet the needs of the poor, 2) the method must show evidence of
sustainability, 3) the method must be validated by the wider economic community, 4) the
method must be feasible (not utopian in scope), 5) the method must be something the
church can participate in according to its theological parameters, 6) the method must be
something individual congregations and their members can participate in.
These criteria will be used to compare and contrast various response methods
existing and popular in the economic, philosophical, and religious realm today. The four
major ways that the world has attempted to alleviate the poverty of the world in our time
37 Commission on Theology and Church Relations LC-MS, (38).
38 Ibid., (28).
14
have been through 1) aid assistance, 2) the solidarity and empowerment movements, 3)
the Millennium Development Project, and 4) various homegrown solutions.
Aid-Assistance
A recent television commercial features a medieval round table with the lord and
his attendants of various position and stature discussing a problem the lord is having with
his fiefdom, one could easily imagine that the problem involves invaders. One advisor
suggests that the lord build a giant catapult from which bags will be thrown at the
problem. When the lord asks what is in the bags, the advisor responds by dumping a sack
of coins on the table. The lord is being advised to throw money at the problem.
The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations
(UN), and many Western powers have long seen the need to alleviate the plight of the
poor in the world, but have long reverted to the same solution, throwing money at the
problem. Through major loans and grants the Western powers have funded the World
Bank, IMF, UN, and various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) who have sought
to pump more money into failing economies and make investments in development
projects among the poor themselves. For example President Bush was recently praised
for pledging 1.2 billion U.S. Dollars to fight malaria (a crisis affecting millions of poor
worldwide) in Africa and doubling assistance to that region by 2010.39 This sounds like a
significant step in the right direction; unfortunately the reality is that the money will be
bogged down in bureaucracies, a confusion of agencies, and any real world solutions
introduced as a result of the aid increase will not be properly evaluated with feedback
39 Baker, Peter. “Bush Pledges 1.2 Billion for Africa to Fight Malaria.” The Washington Post. 1 July 2005: A01.
15
from the poor or monitored in such a way as to hold the investing powers responsible. As
William Easterly puts it, “[I]t’s a tragedy that so much well-meaning compassion” does
not bring results for the needy poor.40
The assistance approach, as defined and exhibited above, seeks to provide
resources to directly meet the needs of the poor through welfare, relief, humanitarian aid,
and long-term loans. This method falls short in various ways. Although direct assistance
and monetary input temporarily alleviate the needs of the poor the results are usually not
concrete or fail to have lasting effect (criteria 1 and 2). It fails to address the sources of
human suffering and poverty, and thus is stuck in a perpetual cycle where poverty and
need always exist, and persist at their present numbers. Furthermore, various economists
such as Jeffrey D. Sachs, William Easterly, Raghuran Rajan and Arvind Subramanian
(both from the IMF) criticize both past and present aid approaches (criterion 3).41 They
criticize aid-assistance by decrying its lack of visibility in practical ways, its proverbial
red tape of political motivations, and the fact that statistically countries with high aid are
no more likely to “take off” than those with low aid.42
Finally, it is difficult for church organizations, congregations, or Christian
individuals to participate both theologically and practically (criteria 5 and 6). With aid
channeled very often through secular organizations Christian aid assistance risks being
turned into social activism alone, forsaking its primary mission of being an aid to
40 Easterly, William. The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good. New York: Penguin Books, 2006 (4).
41 Ibid.
42 Ibid., (51).
16
preaching the Gospel. Whereas Christians can contribute their money to such programs,
they realistically cannot do much more.
The aid assistance approach has been prevalent in the fight against poverty since
World War II. Although there has been some progress in alleviating hunger and poverty
since the 1960’s through the assistance approach43, and indeed things could have been
worse without aid, the surge of aid was not successful in reversing or halting the slide in
growth for developing economies44, thus the poor remain poor. In the end the answer is
not in the assistance approach to alleviating poverty. In that spirit the remaining methods
stand united in their criticism of the aid-assistance approach. Although each theory finds
varying points of contention, each poverty alleviation idea responds to the weaknesses of
aid-assistance.
Solidarity and Empowerment
One of the glaring criticisms of the aid-assistance approach is the lack of feedback
and communication with the impoverished communities themselves. Proponents of the
solidarity and empowerment movement latch onto this criticism and espouse a
philosophy centered on communication with the poor, sensitivity to their needs, and
empowerment of the impoverished to accomplish their own goals. The solidarity
movement seeks to be sensitive and to commit to the struggles and fears of people who
live in abject poverty. This translates into having aid associations and NGOs building
43 Buttel, Frederick H., “Ending Hunger in Developing Countries.” Contemporary Sociology Vol. 29 No. 1 (January, 2000) 25.
44 Easterly, (45).
17
mutual trust, accountability based on feedback, and partnership in the endeavor.45 By
listening to the needs of the poor aid can be directly invested into real time effective
solutions, and the impoverished can give immediate and informed feedback as to whether
or not the investment was effective. Building upon these foundations, empowering the
poor takes this approach one step further. The basic tenets of the empowerment
movement include empowering, equipping, and evangelizing at the same time.46 The
empowerment movement depends upon a philosophy of pedagogy where action by the
humanitarians inspires reflection and action on the part of the impoverished.47 For
example an organization might supply two goats to a farmer who needs to expand his
farming business in order to provide for his large family and begin saving for the future.
Having been taught basic business principles and perhaps been provided a few
technological tools, the man can become an efficient farmer with a reproducing business,
which allows for him to meet basic monetary needs and invest for the future.
The solidarity and empowerment movements avoid the mistakes of the aid-
assistance approach and result in a better organized, more accountable, and more feasible
approach to poverty assistance. These methods alleviate the plight of the poor in concrete
and long lasting ways (criteria 1 and 2), are generally validated and accepted by the wider
economic community (criterion 3), and are feasible and not utopian in scope (criterion 4).
In fact their attention to detail prevents wide reform of a nation, much less a community.
45 Aaker, Jerry. Partners with the Poor: An Emerging Approach to Relief and Development. New York: Friendship Press, 1993 (123-128).
46 Linthicum, Robert C., Empowering the Poor: Community Organizing Among the City’s ‘rag, tag, and bobtail.’ Monrovia, CA: MARC (a division of World Vision), 1991 (2).
47 Ibid.,, (61).
18
Furthermore, Christians can easily participate both on a theological and practical level
(criteria 5 and 6). Along with economic training and support comes education in a
Christian context where the Gospel is preached and people hear the Good News of
salvation through Jesus Christ.
Millennium Development Goals
One of the criticizers of the aid-assistance approach is Jeffrey D. Sachs who wrote
the book The End of Poverty. Instead of broad development goals, what Sachs proposed
were the Millennium Development Goals, which focus on five key areas of investment
and hold the hope of ending extreme poverty by 2025.48 A lot of leading evangelical
church leaders look to Sachs as the answer to the end of poverty in this generation,
including Rob Bell, who mentions Sachs in his book Sex God,49 and Ronald J. Sider who
mentions the Millennium Development Goals in his book Rich Christians In An Age of
Hunger.50
Sachs is about empowering and financing the extreme poor so that they can get
themselves onto the proverbial ladder of economic development. Poverty is a massive
problem that has seemingly always existed. So in order to combat poverty, Sachs
understands that the world must band together and be more creative in order to save the
millions of people afflicted, and struggling to survive in the impoverished areas of the
48 Sachs, (24-25).
49 Bell, Rob. Sex God. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, 2007 (193).
50 Sider, Ronald J., Rich Christians In An Age of Hunger: Moving From Affluence to Generosity. Nashville, TN: W Publishing, 1997 (256-257).
19
world.51 He suggests a global partnership, or initiative, to rescue the extreme poor of the
world.
This philosophy depends upon Sachs’ theory that struggling nations are stuck in a
poverty trap that they cannot free themselves from. The poverty trap that Sachs speaks of
is an economic system wholly unfamiliar to most wealthy nations; it is one where critical
capital does not exist. It is an economic situation where all of the nation and its people’s
income go to just staying alive. Unlike America and other Western powers, there are no
substantial tax inputs or personal savings. Even worse, depreciation and population
growth exacerbate the problem so that impoverishment continues incessantly into the
future.52
According to Sachs the only way to break this poverty trap is by substantial
foreign aid. This foreign aid, if it is substantial and long lasting, will raise capital stock
enough to sufficiently lift households above subsistence. Thus, growth in these poverty
stricken areas becomes self-sufficient. This type of foreign aid is not a welfare handout,
but actually an investment. To make this investment work, appropriate administrative
structures and areas for proper investment of capital are needed.
Sachs proposes making five key investments into impoverished areas: 1)
agricultural inputs, 2) investments in basic health, 3) investments in education, 4) power,
transport, and communication services, and 5) safe drinking water and sanitation.53
51 Sachs, (238).
52 Ibid., (246).
53 Ibid., (233-234).
20
The impoverished are indeed ready to respond. The only problem is, the wealthy
world is not as ready to respond. Most wealthy communities complain that there is not
enough money to go around to truly solve the problem. Unfortunately, the rich world still
fears the investments on the grounds of possible tax raises and increased competition in
the world economy, and shirks the call of Sachs to provide the necessary financial aid.
This theory, although avoiding the mistakes of aid-assistance, still is akin to the
same approach it desires to separate itself from. By making these key investments the
Millennium Development Project can alleviate the needs of the poor, can work in
concrete ways, and can bring long-term results (criteria 1 and 2). However, this is all
contingent upon whether or not nations are indeed stuck in a poverty trap. William
Easterly says that it is possible that some countries are in a poverty trap; “it is just that the
average poor country is not.”54 Furthermore, this Big Push initiative is the same as the aid
assistance approach’s proverbial money throwing. Ross Levine (Brown University) and
David Roodman (Center for Global Development) found that there is “no evidence that
aid raised growth among countries with good policies.” (Criterion 3)55 (For an illustration
refer to Appendix B). The Millennium Development Project is also fatally utopian
(criterion 4). By depending on a united world partnership operating off of a Schweitzer-
like “reverence for life” philosophy 56 (what Sachs calls an “enlightened globalization”57)
Sachs and his proponents await disappointment. Unfortunately the sinful nature of this
54 Easterly, (41).
55 Ibid., (48).
56 Marty, Martin E., A Handbook of Christian Theologians. Cleveland, OH: Meridian Books, 1967 (115).
57 Sachs, (358).
21
world prevents the motivation necessary for such a world partnership. Ending poverty
may be too great of a hope in a world tainted with original sin. In the closing chapters of
his book Sachs outlines, with a hope-filled pen, the major social changes that will result
from breaking the poverty trap: a world without slavery, devoid of terrorism, without
hunger, and without colonialism. The biggest problem with this idea is its hope for a Big
Push in foreign aid, and its aspiration to a utopian blueprint to fix the world’s complex
problem of poverty.58 Finally, it is difficult for Christians to partner with this project
because of its reliance on secular organizations and its utopian blueprint that focuses on
ending poverty and not preaching the Gospel (criterion 5). Again, if Christians are to
participate they can only hope to invest capital into the program (criterion 6).
Homegrown Solutions Owned by the Poor
Although these approaches cannot meet all the criteria it is wise not to reject them
wholesale. Each of the three has redeeming qualities about them. Realistically a Christian
response to poverty must rely upon foreign aid, and a substantial amount of it. The aid-
assistance approach and its proponents understand this but fail in their application of the
donor aid. The solidarity-empowerment movements make a valid argument in positioning
for listening to the needs of the poor and responding directly to them. Finally, some of
Sachs’ proposals do indeed take fruit in the field. For example, his five key investment
arenas are areas that any response program must pay attention to (especially agricultural
reform,59 education financing, and medicinal input60).
58 Easterly, (367).
59 Besley, Timothy and Burgess, Robin, “Land Reform, Poverty Reduction, and Growth: Evidence from India.” Quarterly Journal of Economics. Vol. 115 No. 2 (May 2000) 384-430.
60 Easterly, (372-373).
22
What is needed then is piecemeal reform and homegrown solutions from
individuals (native and foreign) who listen to the needs of the poor and develop
innovative solutions to meet the needs at hand. Some of these solutions will take into
consideration some of the pieces of other approaches mentioned above. There are
numerous examples of successful homegrown solutions, but none as fascinating as the
story of the Grameen Bank. The Grameen Bank founded what is known as
“microfinancing” the poor. Relying on the traditional skills and entrepreneurial instincts
of the impoverished, the Grameen Bank gives out small loans and provides other
financial services. Support from local organizations enable the impoverished (usually
women) to start, establish, and grow small self-supporting businesses. The key to this
system is the recycling of loan dollars. As a loan is repaid the loan is recycled to finance
another loan and the loan’s effect is thus multiplied.61
Neither the microfinance approach, nor any other homegrown solution, is a
panacea. No one program alone can end extreme poverty. But piecemeal reforms, like the
microfinance approach, are the simplest, often the most effective, most realistic, and most
adaptable approach for Christian congregations and church bodies to consider in the fight
against world poverty.
Poverty is a complex issue with various influences affecting its many contours,
and so it is difficult to say there is really just one answer. Extreme poverty is influenced
by various social and biophysical factors, including (but not limited to) income
distribution, agriculture, war and social strife, population distribution and growth, social
61 Grameen Foundation. (2007, January 26). Frequently Asked Questions http://www.grameenfoundation.org/what_we_do/microfinance_in_action/faqs (24 February 2007).
23
welfare, and international politics.62 With so many influences, international
confederations, NGOs, and various other aid organizations cannot hope to address all the
problems of extreme poverty. Instead, a variety of small homegrown solutions hold the
key to making well-focused and effective impacts. The future, it seems, is one of multiple
paths.63
However there are some guidelines for bringing aid to the extreme poor. These
guidelines include but are not limited to: 1) Homegrown solutions, which will involve the
testing of ideas and the constant evaluation of aid dollars’ effectiveness coupled with 2)
effective feedback from the poor. 3) Specialization of aid organizations is central to
making a broad impact for the extreme poor. Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations had at its
foundation, specialization and division of labor, and it seems to have worked well for
capitalism. He states, “division of labour…occasions, in every art, a proportionable
increase of the productive powers of labour.”64 4) Cutting out the bureaucrats in order to
increase communication from the poor to the donors, and in addition to increase
accountability for individual projects. 5) A greater effort to low-cost, high benefit
initiatives, that involve effective targeting of where the greatest impact can be made for
the lowest cost. Michael Keen argues that low cost/high benefit choices must become a
principal concern when developing poverty alleviation programs.65
62 Buttel, (14).
63 Ibid., (26).
64 Smith, Adam, The Wealth of Nations. Pössneck, Germany: Everyman’s Library, 1910 (6).
65 Keen, Michael. “Needs and Targeting.” The Economic Journal. Vol. 102 (January, 1992) 67.
24
The poor you will always have with you?
There is no easy answer or magic bullet solution to ending extreme poverty. Over
the last two years I have taken a journey through theology and economics in the hopes of
finding the answer to ending extreme poverty. The entire time Jesus’ words “the poor you
will always have with you” (Matt. 26:11) hung drearily over the topic and communicated
to me a certain sense of inadequacy on the part of the world and the Church. At the close
of last year I had concluded that Jeffrey Sachs’ theory and its reliance on foreign
investment held hope for the end of extreme poverty. I now stand corrected. My
conclusion is that there is no one method or even combination of methods that rises to the
ascendancy of completely solving the problem of extreme poverty. Instead, there are
small things, piecemeal reforms, which individuals and organizations can participate in to
impact the lives of individuals and communities to enable them to rise out of the mire of
extreme poverty.
Acknowledging this does not stop the Church, its congregations, its individuals,
or organizations from responding to the needs of the extreme poor. The following are
some guideposts for the future, which take both the theological conclusions and
economic guidelines of this paper into consideration.
The individual has two elements to their service and response to poverty. Within
their individual vocations, Christians live out the active love that comes from a vibrant
faith, which will produce indirect and unintentional care.66 At the same time, individual
Christians can team up for greater ministry with others of the same faith tradition, other
66 Commission on Theology and Church Relations-LCMS, (13-14).
25
denominations, or even caring institutions of society.67 By doing so they can multiply
their impact past their respective vocational dimensions.
C.F.W. Walther states, “the concern for the poor belongs to the particular official
responsibilities of the preacher” and that “‘There are in general seven duties or tasks of
the ministers of the church…(number seven) the care for the poor….’”68 Thus, the pastor,
as shepherd of his people, has the responsibility of leading his congregation into
responding the needs of the poor. The congregation’s foremost concern will remain the
proclamation of the Gospel and the distribution of Sacraments, however, if the church
body were to cooperate with other churches or organizations it need not compromise that
sacred and crucial duty.69 They could do so by donating their money, sending trained-
teams into the field, or organizing a committee to address the needs of the impoverished
in their community through programs and events at the church. As they do so, John A.
Fale from LC-MS World Relief and Human Care suggests that congregations “work with
established partners” since many well intending churches sometimes link up with projects
that end in “dismal failure” due to “theft, graft, and corruption.”70
On a grander scale Christian organizations can engage in producing homegrown
solutions that meet the immediate needs of the impoverished while simultaneously caring
for their eternal needs. Currently, LC-MS World Relief and Human Care is working with
partners as they address issues of poverty where their organization can bring leverage to
67 Ibid..,(27).
68 Harrison, Matthew, “The Pastor and Care for the Needy.” Sharing. (January-February 2006) 2.
69 Commission on Theology and Church Relations-LCMS,, (27).
70 Fale, John A. Interview by author, 26 March 2007, Irvine, CA. Word document.
26
help the impoverished in that area. Where as LC-MS World Relief and Human Care
cannot turn around an economy, one suggestion Associate Executive Director John A.
Fale had for future development was sending specially trained ambassadors who could
bring their skill sets to the indigenous impoverished communities in order to enable the
best and brightest of that area to lead their community into diakonia in regards to poverty
needs.71 This idea, if it were to come to fruition, would be a beneficial way that LC-MS
World Relief and Human Care could interact with the needs of the poor that would
encourage homegrown solutions to help the extreme poor.
Conclusion
I recently had a conversation with someone regarding Jeffrey Sachs’ book, The
End of Poverty. At the end of the conversation the other party asked me, “Do you really
think we can do it, I mean, end poverty?” My answer today is no. Jesus’ words in
Matthew ring true, the poor will indeed always be with us.
The problem of extreme poverty has been persistent throughout all of time. From
Old Testament times to the age of Christ, throughout the history of the Christian Church
up to present day. It is naïve of economists, theologians, and the like to propose that the
end of extreme poverty can be achieved, especially from a Christian perspective.
These words should not be discouraging. Christ still calls us to active service to
the neighbor, to diakonia in this present darkness, and promises that by grace through
faith we will live to see the world without poverty at the end of days. There is indeed a
valid and effective Christian response to extreme poverty, it is just not as hopeful as some
71 Ibid.
27
may like to think. The future of diakonic service cannot be misdirected with a false hope
for the end of extreme poverty. Instead Christians should realistically evaluate the
situation, balance their social activism with Word and Sacrament ministry, and seek to
establish effective/on the ground solutions for poverty that are well researched and
involve constant feedback and evaluation from the poor communities themselves.
Without the proper humility Christians are doomed to exacerbate the problem of poverty
and do the opposite of what they set out to do in the first place, to effectively respond to
the plight of the extreme poor.
28
Appendix A:
72
Appendix B:
73
72 Sachs, Jeffrey. The End of Poverty. New York: Penguin Books, 2005.
73 Easterly, William. The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good. New York: Penguin Books, 2006 (46).
29
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