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Faith groups are in the front line of the struggle to defeat poverty in breadline Britain. Given their roots in local communities Churches and Christian NGOs are well-placed to challenge economic policies that have resulted in the spiraling of food poverty, homelessness, personal debt and child poverty. By framing poverty as a political choice, a form of structural violence and systemic sin this paper brings peace studies and political theology into a constructive dialogue. In the face of ongoing "austerity" the paper demonstrates that poverty represents a clear and present danger to the social fabric of the UK and argues that only a re-imagined interdisciplinary theology of liberation can provide academics and activists with the tools needed to defeat systemic poverty and the cultural violence upon which it rests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the celebration of the beatification of John Brenner, AnaStasius, o.cist., on May 1, 2018. Topics discussed include victims of the Communist takeover of Hungary; remained in charge of about forty junior monks in formation and eighteen novices; and committing themselves to a life of celibacy, poverty, and obedience.

The concept "poor Church for the poor", proposed by Pope Francis in keeping with the spirit of Vatican II, places poverty at the center of the current theological debate as a path to reform the established Church. In this context, the objective of the research is to broaden the horizon of reflection by reviewing the relationship between poverty and reform in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, based on the analysis of various writings that Marie-Dominique Chenu (1895-1990) dedicates to this subject. His research takes on new topicality as it demonstrates the connection between poverty and reform in medieval Christianity and in that of all times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluntary poverty was an important element of the apostolic way of life embraced by many Christian religious groups in medieval Europe, both those considered heretical and others that were not. This article shows that the so-called Cathar heretics of Languedoc, however, did not embrace apostolic poverty. In fact, they participated actively in the local economy, even borrowing and lending money on occasion. Using testimony of Cathar supporters contained in thirteenth-century inquisition registers, this article shows that believers made large bequests and contributed both goods and money to the Cathars. These assets were held and managed collectively and used to support the heretical clergy and, at times, believers as well. The article also demonstrates the existence of a network of Cathar practitioners, believers, and supporters through which money was collected, held, and circulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a work of New Testament ethics which asks how to take seriously Jesus's teachings on wealth and poverty in a global economy, where markets and finance might considerably aid the flourishing of the poor. It begins with a summation of the wealth-ethical teachings of the Third Gospel, encapsulating Luke's teaching on wealth in the notion that disciples must commit all their resources to the Kingdom. The article then asks how constructively to appropriate this New Testament ethic for contemporary society. Finally, some comments are ventured on how one might transpose this biblical ethic onto the public sphere. It is the thesis of the present essay that recourse to the organizing concepts of repentance, sanctification, the double love command, and vocational diversity can enable the people of God faithfully to pursue the New Testament's wealth ethical imperative that disciples commit all their possessions to the Kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the recovery of virtue among theological ethicists, few concepts have proved as fruitful as that of practices. In this essay, I outline my view of formative practices as telos-shaped, embodied, social actions that carry an embedded intention to shape the character of the individual practitioner, the politics of the community, and the world "out there." I will then argue that this theory of formative practices provides a useful heuristic to illuminate the way Paul understands the Lord's Supper in I Cor II:17-34. Indeed, not only does formative-practice theory make clear certain aspects of Paul's view of the Supper but it also helps to solve the riddle how to understand Paul's apparent "compromise" with the "haves" in V. 34 just after his stinging critique of their shaming the "have nots" in V. 22. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the poverty and social problems of Christian community and the steps to be taken for reducing the poverty and other social problems.

The Christian response to food poverty in Britain has generally been two-fold. Foodbanks have become synonymous with Christianity and exemplify its charitable ethos. However, Christian churches have also called for social justice so that people can buy food in the normal way. Both responses are theologically problematic. The idea of foodbank is borne of a privileged theology that celebrates charitable giving, despite the humiliation it invites on recipients. Although social justice approaches originate in human rights discourse, the location of these rights in food consumerism means that it is equally privileged. Drawing on contextual and liberation theology, as well as ideas from radical orthodoxy, I argue that food poverty is better understood when we assign epistemological privilege to the poor. This leads me to advocate an alternative Christian response to food poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essay is presented on the approach of the Christian and Protestant churches on ecological problems being experienced in the world including global warming, garbage and toxic waste disposal, and diminution of food sources along with human justice issues like poverty and discrimination. It mentions a meeting conducted by the Protestant churches in 1910 on the impact of industrialization on nature and their approach to address such problems by conducting individualistic spiritual mission.

Recent statistics in South Africa shows that women mostly experience poverty as compared to their male counterparts. In the context of the experience of poverty by women, several Old Testament scholars have convincingly explored the theme of poverty in the Hebrew Bible. In her contextual rereading of the Naomi-Ruth Story, Madipoane Masenya (ngwan'a Mphahlele) links the issue of poverty to the theme of land. Also, from the historical-critical and partly, the contextual approach to ancient texts, Esias E. Meyer argues that Leviticus 25:8-55 holds liberating possibilities for women who are invisible in such a text. Based on the argument made by the preceding scholars, firstly, this article argues that in the context from which the texts of Ruth 4 and Leviticus 25:8-55 emerged, some women were both landless and poor. Secondly, it is argued in this article that the context of these texts carries a striking resemblance to the situation of women in modern South Africa, as many women do not own productive land and are poor. Thirdly, this article poses the question: What implications do the ideologies of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara and the hermeneutical approach of Fernando F. Segovia to ancient texts bear on the reading of Ruth 4 and Leviticus 25:8-55 in South Africa? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses why climate change is church-made through their tendency to read the bible with an anthropocentric interpretation. Topics include what the church uses can become a disaster for others in remote areas, the role of crisis in bringing the church new connections with each other, and the importance of going barefoot to understand the surroundings especially those the church is not used to seeing.

Throughout history, the issue of poverty has been a problem in society. In this article, examination of Hebrew and Greek words related to poverty throughout the Bible revealed descriptions of the various types and causes of poverty. Historical research uncovered writings on poverty by several early Church Fathers and influential Christian scholars down through the ages, focusing mostly on the negative effects of poverty on life and society. In current literature, consensus exists regarding the negative effects of poverty on health. Nurses encounter these effects in the form of vulnerability and high risk for disease among their patients. Those who are poor have less access to care as well as limited resources for managing health and illness, often becoming invisible to healthcare providers and “falling through the cracks” of a flawed healthcare system. Even with the Affordable Care Act, illness as a direct result of poverty contributes to increased health risks and vulnerability. The development of a theology of the poor is discussed, along with the challenge that Christian nurses must promote social justice, address policies that promote disparities among vulnerable populations, mobilize resources, and serve as advocates for those with little or no voice—especially the vulnerable poor—in order to make a difference to their overall health and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores how the heart of Jesus was shaped by a deep concern with people's suffering. It discusses the realization of Jesus that a lot of suffering was contrary to the will of God mainly due to false understanding of God's will through prayer and observation. It highlights how people were taught that dire poverty and severe illnesses were a punishment from God.

Giuseppe Dossetti was an important figure not only in Italian politics, in the reform of historical studies, and in the history of new monasticism, but also at Vatican II. One topic in particular--poverty--was at the core of his contribution to the activity of Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro, archbishop of Bologna, at the council. The article analyzes these contributions based on the private papers of Lercaro and Dossetti. It highlights the meaning of poverty, which was scarcely received in the conciliar decrees and about which post-Vatican II magisterial teaching has been virtually silent, until the election of Pope Francis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretical poverty controversy in 1322-1323 concerned the question of the Franciscan doctrine that Christ and the apostles had renounced both individual and communal property. This article examines Pope John XXII's final and often neglected text on the question of Franciscan poverty, the bull Quia vir reprobus published in 1329. It was only in this late bull that the pope addressed the question of the scriptural title of Franciscan poverty, and he used the bull to establish the (temporal) dominion of Christ through biblical exegesis. The middle section of John's bull constitutes an almost completely self-contained treatise on the role of dominion in Scripture, and it is therefore as close as we can get to a personal statement of the pope on his own definition of both the dominion and the poverty of Christ. The pope's preoccupation with the reconstruction of Christ's lordship and poverty from biblical texts shows a different aspect of John XXII's relationship with the Franciscans from the primarily legal argumentation in his earlier bulls, and it illustrates that his dissatisfaction with the Franciscan poverty ideal went beyond legal and administrative concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the moral and theological aspects of wealth creation. According to the author, progressive theology can play an important role in debates over poverty, inequality, and the exploitation of the environment. Details on the concept of theological imagination are presented. It is suggested that members of the middle class should become allies of social movements and create narratives which empower them to see themselves as part of the broader world.

The desire to remember the plight of the poor in South Africa has reduced in the last 20 years after the transition from apartheid to freedom. To a large extent, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) and the religious society at large have lost their 'dangerous memory' which keeps us mindful of those who suffered and whose plight is usually forgotten or suppressed. In this contribution the conditions of poor farm school children in multigrade rural education will be scrutinised by unpacking the contextual factors that cause us to forget their plight. This article will seek to reimagine the role of the church in poverty-stricken South Africa by engaging with the work of Talcott Parsons, the practical theologian Johannes A. Van der Ven, as well as the work of the political theologian Johann Baptist Metz in order to affirm the focus of Practical Theology to transform society and to contribute to the quest for justice and liberation for the poor in rural education. This reimagining discourse has a fundamental responsibility to challenge the social, political and economic realities that shape the lives of human beings within rural education, remembering the plight of the poor, and participating on their journey towards liberation and healing. It is proposed that if the church can activate its 'dangerous memory' it will be able to reimagine its role by transforming our povertystricken South African society, open new avenues for breaking the cycle of poverty and contribute to rural education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty is one of the greatest threats to society. In South Africa it is also one of the biggest challenges. This article starts with the challenges put to society by Mr Trevor Manuel at the Carnegie 3 conference. It then explores the possibility of if and how the church can act as a non-governmental organisation in the fight against poverty. A historical overview of the actions of Rev. E.P. Groenewald, during the drought of 1933-1934 in the Dutch Reformed Church Bethulie, serves as a case study of how the church can make a difference. It, however, also illustrates the many pitfalls on this challenging road. The article comes to the conclusion that the main challenge of the church in the fight against poverty is to act as a non-governmental organisation, which transforms values and assists society with good organisation and administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty is a human condition. Social, economic, psychological and political factors affect society and can alleviate as well as stimulate poverty. Religion provides a unique perspective on the phenomenon of poverty. This article suggests three functions of religion regarding poverty. Firstly, religion can redirect human thought to spiritual concerns, focusing on spiritual poverty instead of material concerns. Secondly, it can provide the moral fibres needed in society. Religion can influence the response to poverty by having an ethical impact when principles benefiting all in society are applied within economic systems. Religion can also influence the response to poverty by fostering an attitude of willingness to practise generosity. Religion can educate communities in order for human dignity of all in society to be restored. Thirdly, religion can be part of the system actively encouraging and participating in alleviating poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If a church uses a lectionary as its guide for worship and preaching, how likely is it to address the problem of poverty? If it does address this question, toward what answers does the lectionary guide the preacher? Using the New Common Lectionary as a general guide, and with occasional references to the Roman Catholic Lectionary for the Mass, this study will ponder how the lectionary serves as a basis for sermons and services on poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Miroslav Volf's A Public Faith invites religious traditions, especially Christianity, to bring their best elements into the public square in a spirit of hospitality and engagement for the common good. With regard to Christianity, he claims that one of the best elements we can offer the public square is a complexly relational vision of the human person made to love self, others, God. In this essay Dávila proposes that the preferential option for the poor is a particular expression of this anthropological vision of Christianity that is well poised for public engagement based on humility and care for the most vulnerable members of society. Following Volf's proposal, the option for the poor functions as a paradigm for imaginative and creative engagement in the public square that might help people of faith navigate seemingly intractable political and cultural disagreements in the public square. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses on the learning of real meaning of god and his importance. it states that god loves his every child and mentions that his people has been gifted with special present of poverty of spirit which gives us the knowledge that people are powerless without the presence of god. Further the article states that the son of god, Jesus knew that how to deal with temptation and thus with his wisdom and power of faith he rescued the mankind.

The article discusses the secularization of Catholic higher education as well as the educational poverty in Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S. It emphasizes the increase awareness of a healthy intellectual custom through institutional forms and practices taken by Catholics. It cites the importance of teaching intellectual virtue of wisdom to the student which refrain from selfish enjoyment of wisdom to acquire willingness and positive desire.

The "Patience" poet's choice of Jonah as his example of an impatient figure from Scripture has long puzzled scholars, given that Jonah is best known for his disobedience. Assuming that the poet was writing within a monastic context, however, the implicit link between patience, poverty, and obedience becomes clearer through the discussions of those virtues in the "Rule of Benedict" and the writings of Bernard of Clairvaux. Within that context, the poet retells the story of Jonah in a way that frames Jonah as a stereotypical fugitive monk whose disobedience is a direct result of his lack of patience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai, Theologia Catholica is the property of Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An encounter between strangers in public space is critically interrogated from both socio-cultural and theological perspectives to uncover “operational” (experiential) connections between Christian worship and public action. The article concludes with the constructive proposal that perceiving the presence of the God of redemptive promise in public space forms the primary link between worship and witness, sanctuary and street. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Social scientists in disparate fields are now employing the construct of honour to ameliorate various social problems, such as immorality, failed states, international discord, poverty and mental illness. Moreover, historians of global religion cite Christianity's shift towards cultures shaped by the values of honour and shame. Despite this growing prominence of honour in social theories and the emergence of Christianity in honour–shame cultures, the notion of honour remains absent from theological discourse. In light of these global realities, we explore how God's active transformation of humanity from shame to honour can interpret both salvation-history and Christian theology. To this end I first explore the nature of humanity's problem of shame before God, using anthropological and biblical insights. Throughout the Old Testament, God's covenant initiatives with Abram, Moses and David, along with the common socio-literary pattern of God exalting a servant from unjust shame, reveals the dignified status God intends for humanity. God's programme to restore people from shame to honour climaxes in Jesus, who embodies honour in the incarnation, mediates dignity to the marginalised by healings and public fellowship, elaborates God's new code of honour which reinterprets social stigmas, and procures an exalted status for all peoples by atoning for shame and resurrecting to exaltation. Romans and 1 Peter are interpreted in their socio-historic contexts as apostolic instruments which expound the social implications of God's honour code. To unify the fractured Romans for the upcoming Spanish mission, Paul confronts social imperialism by replacing false honour claims with God's status now available by faith through grace in Christ. Meanwhile, 1 Peter assures maligned Christians of their exalted status and outlines honourable social relations. Then, in closing, we examine a soteriology of honour diachronically and systematically. In particular, how: biblical metaphors symbolise believers’ status transposition, group incorporation is key to New Testament soteriology, Eastern Orthodoxy's doctrine of theosis articulates the infusion of divine status, and other theological categories could be interpreted through honour-shame social values. These reflections towards an exegetical soteriology of divine honour are offered as an initial theological platform for addressing social issues where honour values prevail. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article offers the author's perspectives on Pope John XXIII's declaration about the Catholic Church as the church of the poor in a radio message on September 11, 1962. The author reflects on the legacy left by archbishops Ignacio Ellacuría and Oscar Romero on the church of the poor. He also stresses that the church of the poor has helped enrich certain aspects of the Second Vatican Council, such as the people and word of God.

Copyright of Estudos de Sociologia is the property of Universidade Estadual Paulista and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article presents a manifesto of the World Council of Churches (WCC) which is the result of a six-year process of consultations and regional studies linking poverty, wealth and ecology (PWE). The manifesto is founded on the notion that God's justice demands that human beings should enjoy life free from poverty, death and destruction. The role of the 10th WCC General Assembly is realizing this manifesto is emphasized.

The themes in the Gospel of Luke connected to building up the community are important for the intended readers who, in the last quarter of the first century, were part of Christian communities which comprised various groups. Among them there were differences in social and economic positions and in cultural and religious origins. For these intended readers the themes of poverty and wealth were of great importance. Poverty and wealth relate in the first instance to economic positions. But they could also denote spiritual openness or spiritual closeness. While the poor are oriented towards God, the rich are oriented toward themselves and focused on preserving their future. Jesus' contact with tax collectors and sinners, and the Pharisees' and scribes' opposition towards this behavior, mirror the social contact with people who have hardly or no prestige in the Christian community. Table companionship in which everyone, whatever his or her position, is allowed to participate is not only realized in Jesus' relationship with real people, it is also an image of the eschatological realization of the Kingdom of God. For the Christian communities with their many groups at the end of the first century, the liberating initiative of God becomes concrete in a community spirituality with its concern for the poor, the lowly, the not esteemed and the oppressed. This spirituality is messianic and prophetic. It is rooted in the orientation on God who has solidarity with the poor and the oppressed. At the same time this community spirituality is eschatological. For those who accept the announcement of liberation this liberation is completely realized in the coming of the Son of Man. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The church has an essential role to play in communities riddled with poverty, disease, and despair. Communities in informal-settlement areas suffer a great deal. Churches in these communities are often small and have few means for alleviating poverty. In the Bible, the community of God is a community of love. Although there are instances of retribution in the Old Testament, there are clear instances where the community of God experiences the implications of love for one's neighbour. In the New Testament, the essence of the church is to be the community of love. Congregations in Mangaung's informal settlements bring a message of hope by being the community of love in their area. The church can become the true messenger of God's hope in informal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses developments in the historical discourse on evangelicalism, poverty and prosperity. Have the global evangelical celebrations of 2010 bridged the dichotomy between social responsibility (Ecumenicals) and the proclamation of salvation (Evangelicals)? The article focuses on the rapid growth of a specific brand of evangelicalism, namely "prosperity faith" as predisposition within the neo-Pentecostal churches, especially throughout sub-Saharan Africa. In an appreciative, but critical enquiry, this article reflects on the radical claim of dispensing "health and wealth" to the desperately poor. Are proponents of prosperity faith putting forward a credible answer to poverty, a new entrepreneurial and creative evangelical response to the call for social responsibility? Or will the poor ultimately be disillusioned? What challenges are posed to Evangelicals? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gap between the rich and the poor is widening daily and the proportion of people living in poverty in South Africa is steadily on the rise. The phenomenon of white poverty has existed since the 1890s and is becoming a more common trend across South Africa. White poverty left a number of whites in South Africa homeless. Consequently, they are forced to live in the streets, in shelters and informal settlements such as Bethlehem Mission Centre in Pretoria. A descriptive study was undertaken within the qualitative paradigm to describe the living conditions at the Bethlehem Mission Centre in Pretoria. The mission operandi, faith-based focus and funding of the Centre is described. In describing the experience of people involved in Bethlehem Mission Centre a story unfolds of how hope may be restored to a seemingly hopeless situation. The church living out "mission as action in hope" can address the issue of poverty in the context it serves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (1221-1274) was one of the most influential thinkers of the minor friar's Order, considered by the historians as the second founding of the movement owing to the his orthodoxy and the 'reforms' employed by him during his generalate. It is our objective to make a re-reading of the work Expositio super Regulam Fratrum Minorum that has the interpretation's question of Rule of 1223 as the conductor thread, departing from the normative poverty discussion and its expanding. When Bonaventure was a general Minister, he pledged fidelity at the religious proposal of Saint Francis and the Friar's Rule. However, owing to his cathedratic culture, he expressed a new interpretation of the Norm, in which he emphasized the conceptual precision of all the words that transmited values or instructions to the monastic discipline at a key moment of the Friar's history. This article intends to demonstrate that Bonaventure contributed with a lexicon interpretation of Norm and the poverty, both of them thought more than a fact which requested concrete behaviors in the convents; it turn out to be a problem of intellect, therefore, he collaborated for the growth of ecclesiastics and ecclesiology conflicts of juridical complexity in the Franciscan Order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the plight of the poor and Christian benevolence is a topic often discussed in scientific and popular literature, the existing research is not nearly enough to address the many complicated issues surrounding the subject. Many reasons for this sad state of affairs may exist, one being the lack of the necessary skills to apply biblical and economic principles in order to make a marked difference. This article presented a biblical perspective on the caring of the poor and suggested a few contextual principles for pastoral counselling. Forces were joined with economic insights and the experience of Local Economic Development to empower the church to make a substantial difference to the plight of the poor. This approach could give structure to efforts that often achieve very little in terms of lasting results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special place that the poor should have in the life of the believer and in the Church has its roots in the Old Testament. Jesus also gave the poor special consideration through individual interaction and through his teachings, making the relationship with the poor a criterion for the Last Judgment (cf. Mt, 25). Throughout history, the Church has given special consideration to the needs of the poor and to the alleviation of their plight. Yet the mission of the Church in an impoverished society represents a different challenge, since poverty in this situation is not something that has simply happened to people. On the contrary, poverty has resulted from the actions of individuals and groups that have systematically impoverished the broad mass of people and society. The purpose of this article is to undertake an inquiry into the possible direction of Church actions in the impoverished society of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Impoverishment is treated as a given fact and the article does not set out to establish that this is an impoverished society. The author examines the Church's teaching on poverty and her relationship to the poor, distinguishing four periods according to the different emphases of the Magisterium in teaching about poverty. The historical review gives a clear answer to the question posed in the title: Church actions should be directed toward promoting integral human development, but the giving of alms remains a constitutive part of her mission. In the final section, the author formulates three general tasks for the Church: 1) material help for the poor; 2) a critique of unjust structures; and 3) empowerment of the people as a subject of action. By formulating these tasks the author does not pretend to formulate a pastoral program, but rather to indicate a theoretical framework for the consideration and determination of practical steps in the pastoral activity of the Church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

JESUS'S BLESSING OF the "poor in spirit," who recognize their dependence on God, suggests that an awareness of human limitation is necessary for wise living. How can the Christian educator teach for spiritual poverty? Both Parker Palmer and Richard Kearney, from their different disciplinary and denominational perspectives, argue for the central importance of story and of developing a narrative imagination which is both an agency of moral empathy and a vehicle for making some sense of what surpasses our limits. An informal survey of some of the author's students tends to confirm that such experiences of epistemological humility are a necessary component of an education that valorizes poverty of spirit over worldly success or intellectual mastery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's views regarding the religious aspects of poverty especially in Christian community.

The article discusses the role of Russian beggars in Christianity. The author discusses how Russian singing beggars often performed and thus aided in the distribution of religious folk songs and how Slavic religious composers served as mediators between the public and the Orthodox Christian Church. Blind and crippled pilgrim beggars regarded begging as a vocation which had been granted to them by God as a way of representing Jesus Christ and serving as Christian icons through their embrace of poverty.

The article examines the role of theology in the context of globalization and its challenges to the human community. It explores the issue of human solidarity in the context of increasing economic polarities, cultural upheavals, and social disintegration. It offers an "over-view" of globalization by looking at the current demographics of the global village, an "under-view" by examining the problem of poverty, and an "inner-view" by investigating the role the human heart plays in our current world (dis)order. In sum, the article describes contours of a liberating theological anthropology for a globalized modern world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article criticizes liberation theology by exploring the success of efforts to blend secular philosophy and Christian doctrine in order to address poverty in Jamaica. Liberation theology is defined as a religious movement that uses sociology and economic sciences to understand poverty from a theological standpoint and advocates for social action and justice as a means of doing away with sin. The popularity of liberation theology in Latin America is noted and its founders Gustavo Gutierrez and Juan Luis Segundo are referenced. The structure of poverty in the Caribbean is explored in this context and the author argues that Christian ideals have served to reinforce, and not to combat, the various social and institutional forces that contribute to poverty there.

The relation between religiosity and donations to charity has frequently been subject of research. We analyzed effects of dimensions of individual religiosity (Glock and Stark 1966) on people's intention to donate to the poorest countries. We tested for cross-national effect differences in representative samples of seven European countries. Results turned out to be relatively robust across countries. We found that church attendance, dogmatic conviction and a consequential religious attitude affect intentional donations positively. The religiosity of one's network does have an additional effect. Partner's church attendance is positively related to willingness to donate. However, people with mainly friends with the same religious opinions are less willing to donate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the impact of scholasticism and mercantilism on the economic development of California from 1769 to 1834. When the Franciscan missionaries arrived in the region in 1769, the territory was controlled by an estimated 300,000 native people. Over the next 60 years, the missionaries struggled to persuade 80,000 to give up their nomadic methods of subsistence along with the gods that had sustained them, and to become agriculturists in Christian villages on the missions. Central to Franciscan discussions of poverty is the following line from the Franciscan rule of 1223: The brothers shall not acquire anything as their own, neither a house nor a place nor anything at all. Instead as pilgrims and strangers in this world who serve the Lord in poverty and humility, let them go begging for alms with full trust. The tension between private property and public need originated in contradiction between God's gift of the earth to humanity in common and the man-made institution of private property. When Indians converted to Christianity, they brought their land with them. As Indians converted to Christianity, they relocated from their communities to homes next to the mission church. Thus,the direction of population movement was toward the church.