October 2007 - Poverty

Instructor: Warren Stamp, MDiv.,M.S.W.

Scriptural References:
Old Testament: Book of Proverbs , 6.11 ,10.15 11.24, 13.18, 20.13, 23.21, 24.34, 28. 19-22 K.J.V.
New Testament: 2 Corinthians 8.2,9

“This Administration today, here and now declares unconditional war on poverty in America, and I urge the Congress and all Americans to join me in that effort. It will not be a short or an easy struggle, no single weapon or strategy will suffice, but we shall not rest until the war is won. The richest nation on earth can afford to win it. We cannot afford to lose it.” Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1964

Introduction:

What is a working definition of poverty? How many people live below the poverty line in the United States? Ct?, Fairfield County?, Monroe? Who is affected by poverty in the Bible?, in modern times?

Poverty is a serious national and global problem. The literature on this subject is overwhelming. Therefore, I chose to narrow my scope, to the subject of poverty in the United States.

Webster’s dictionary defines poor as “having little or no money, goods or other means of support.” Eerdman’s Dictionary of the Bible defines poverty as, “lacking material goods, honor and power.” From his economic classic, The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith defined poverty as a “lack of those necessities that the custom of the country renders indecent for creditable people, even of the lowest order, to be without.” What would these necessities be? How about food, clothing and shelter? Any absence of any one or all three necessities causes emotional stress on the individual and the family. To further understand the picture of poverty in America, let us view these sobering statistics.

The recent Census (2004) estimates that the United States had a total population of over 300,000,000 million. Of that total number, 37,000,000 million Americans are living at or below the poverty line. This is 12.7 percent of the total population. The poverty line criteria is established by the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. Each state establishes its own poverty line criteria. In 2004, the Federal poverty line threshold was $9,827 for any individual under the age of 65. In 2004, the Federal poverty line was $19,157 for a family of four. Let’s reduce the lens to the state of Connecticut, one of the wealthiest states in the United States.

In 2004, the estimated population for Connecticut, was over 3,000,000 people. The census estimate for Connecticut residents living at or under the poverty line was 315,000 or 9.1 percent of the total state population. In Fairfield County, one of the richest counties in the United States, 76,000 or 8.5 percent of the population was at or below the poverty line. What about Monroe? In 2000, Monroe had a total population of 19,247. Of those 19, 247, about 1.8 percent of families and 2.6 percent of those under the age of 18, lived in poverty. Folks 65 and over experienced a 5.5 poverty rate in Monroe, Connecticut. Who are these people? They are our neighbors. They are our friends.

Biblical Discussion:

Old Testament:

There are several interconnected themes found in the Old Testament regarding the poor and the subject of poverty. Mark Rank, in his book One Nation, Underprivileged writes, “To begin, there is a strong sense that it is God’s will for those in a community to help the poor.” (Deuteronomy 15.7-8) In addition, there are passages that detail the obligation and responsibilities of the ruler towards the poor. (Isaiah 3. 13-15) The ruler is seen and viewed as an advocate for the poor. Those who care for the poor, “follow in God’s footsteps”. (Psalm 111.9) “Finally, Rank concludes, the poor are seen as blessed in the eyes of God, and hence they will receive their just rewards.” (Proverbs 28. 6)

The word poverty is found in the Old Testament 12 times. Eleven of these occurrences are in the book of Proverbs. Poverty is a translation of the Hebrew word yiwaresh, “to be poor, to come to poverty.” The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia writes, “Four different Hebrew words are used in the 11 references in Proverbs, all bearing the idea of being in need of the necessities of life although a distinction is made between being in want and being in extreme want.”

New Testament:

The New Testament continues themes found in the Old Testament. There are differences however. In the New Testament, Jesus and his disciples convey God’s message. In the Old Testament, the prophets are the voices of God’s wisdom. Jesus is born in a stable, not a palace. Jesus is a carpenter by trade, not a king or a ruler. Jesus’ message gives power to the powerless. Hope to the hopeless. Another theme in the New Testament is the Golden Rule. Love your neighbor as yourself. Treat others as you would wish to be treated. The qualities of mercy, kindness and compassion permeate the text. (Matthew 22. 34-40) Finally, the New Testament warns of the dangers of wealth. (Luke 18. 22-25) There is the story of the rich man/rich ruler. “Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18.25)

In the New Testament, the word poverty is found in the text 3 times. Two of these uses are found in 2nd Corinthians, written by the apostle Paul. The word poverty, used from the Greek, is ptocheia , “to be reduced to a state of beggary or pauperism.” The commentary suggests a review of the references for poor, as the Greek root for poor is ptochos, which implies a spiritual deficit, rather than simply a material one.

Warren Copeland, from his book, And the Poor Get Welfare: The Ethics of Poverty in the United States, offers a clear synopsis of the Judeo-Christian perspective concerning poverty and the poor. He writes, “To be specific about the issues of poverty within the Christian tradition, there can be no doubt about its religious status. Indeed, of all contemporary public issues, historically the Christian Scriptures and Christian churches have been the most clear that poverty is a religious issue. In the Hebrew Scriptures, kings were judged on how the poor fared under their rule; prophets focused on the gap between the rich and the poor as a reason for God’s judgment. In the Gospels, Jesus associated himself with the poor and offered little comfort to the rich. The early churches raised funds to aid the poor among them. Again and again ever since, official and ethical statements by the churches have centered on the issue of poverty. The overall thrust of this tradition is to place God’s presence with the poor and God’s judgment upon the affluent who misuse or ignore the needs of the poor.”

Discussion Questions:

1). In your activities today, how have you encountered poverty, or how has poverty approached you today? How did you feel or not feel?

2). The story of the rich man/rich ruler (Luke 18. 22-25) presents a challenge for Christians concerning wealth, our relationship towards money, and our response to the poor and the subject of poverty. If you were a church leader, how would you approach this text?

3). Remember, every little bit helps. What realistic steps could you take to combat poverty in your town, state, U.S. and the world?

Websites of Interest:

U.S. Census Bureau: ask.census.gov.

United Church of Christ: www.ucc.org

National Council of Churches: www.ncccusa.org

For further reading:

1). Copeland, Warren R., And the Poor Get Welfare: The Ethics of Poverty in the United States. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1994

2). The New York Times Magazine, June 10, 2007. “John Edwards War on Poverty.”

3). Rank, Mark R., One Nation Underprivileged, N.Y.,N.Y. Oxford University Press, 2004

4). Shipler, David K., The Working Poor. N.Y. N.Y. Vintage Books, 2005