Christianity: Wealth & Poverty (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)

Christian teachings about the causes of poverty

What are the causes of poverty?

• Poverty is a complex issue with multiple causes, and can result from both individual and societal factors

• Limited education or poor quality education can prevent individuals from gaining the skills needed to find good jobs

  • Without education, people may be stuck in low-paying or unstable jobs, which can lead to a cycle of poverty

  • In some countries, children may not have access to school due to cost, location, or social factors, limiting their chances to improve their lives

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• Lack of job opportunities or high unemployment rates can push people into poverty

  • Without a stable job, people struggle to earn enough money to meet basic needs such as food, housing, and healthcare

  • In some areas, jobs may be scarce due to economic downturns, factory closures, or limited industries available to work in

• Even if people have jobs, they may earn low wages that are not enough to live on

  • In many parts of the world, minimum wage jobs do not provide enough money for people to escape poverty

  • People working in sectors like agriculture, retail, or hospitality may struggle to earn a living wage, leading to poverty even if they are employed

• Discrimination based on factors like race, gender, or social class can prevent people from accessing good jobs, education, and opportunities

  • In some societies, certain groups may face inequality that limits their opportunities and contributes to their poverty

    • For example, women in some countries may be denied access to education or well-paid work, leading to higher poverty rates among women

• Poor health or lack of access to healthcare can prevent people from working or earning enough money

  • Serious illnesses can lead to high medical costs, and in places with poor healthcare systems, this can trap people in poverty

  • In some regions, lack of access to clean water, sanitation, and healthcare leads to diseases that further prevent people from working and earning an income

• Economic inequality within and between countries can lead to poverty

  • In some places, there may be a huge gap between the rich and the poor, with wealth concentrated in the hands of a few people or companies

  • Economic crises, such as recessions or financial crashes, can lead to widespread unemployment and poverty

• Natural disasters like droughts, floods, and earthquakes can destroy homes, crops, and infrastructure, leaving people without resources and pushing them into poverty

  • Climate change is also a growing concern, with its impact on farming, flooding, and other factors affecting the livelihoods of vulnerable communities

• War and conflict often lead to widespread poverty

  • In conflict zones, families may lose their homes, jobs, and access to basic services

  • Refugees and displaced people often struggle to survive, leading to poverty

  • Long-term conflict can damage infrastructure, disrupt economies, and leave people in extreme poverty for generations

• In some countries, poor governance and corruption prevent resources from being distributed fairly

  • Governments may misuse funds, fail to provide essential services like education or healthcare, or fail to create policies that help people escape poverty

  • Corruption can divert money that should be used to help the poor, making it harder for people to improve their living conditions

• A person's family background can influence their chances of escaping poverty

  • If a child grows up in a poor family, they may have fewer opportunities for education, may not have access to a stable home, and may face social and economic barriers throughout their life

  • Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to face poverty as adults due to the cycle of poverty, where the next generation inherits the challenges of the previous one

What are Christian responses to the causes of poverty?

• Christianity teaches that poverty is not just about a lack of money, but about people being deprived of basic human dignity, opportunities, and access to essential needs

  • Christians believe they have a responsibility to help the poor, fight inequality, and work towards a fairer society, both in the UK and around the world

• In the UK, churches and Christian charities are actively involved in helping the homeless

  • For example, Churches Together organises local initiatives like soup kitchens and shelter programs to provide care for the homeless

  • The Salvation Army, a Christian charity, offers support through housing programs, food banks, and practical assistance for people facing poverty and homelessness

• Christians believe that inequality in society can be a key cause of poverty

  • Many Christian organisations advocate for better wages, fair treatment at work, and improved employment opportunities for people in lower-income areas

  • The Church of England has spoken out against rising inequality and called for policies that support the poor, such as the Living Wage Campaign and government action on affordable housing

• Many Christian organisations focus on supporting families and children who live in poverty

  • Programs like The Children’s Society work to support disadvantaged children, providing them with education, emotional support, and practical help to improve their living conditions

• Christian organisations like Christian Aid, Tearfund, and CAFOD work in developing countries to tackle global poverty, providing emergency aid, supporting sustainable development, and fighting for fair trade

  • The Bible teaches that Christians should work to help the global poor, as seen in Isaiah 58:10, which says, ‘If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness’

  • Many Christians support campaigns that tackle global hunger and inequality

• Many Christians advocate for fair trade, which ensures that workers in poorer countries are paid fairly for their work

  • Christian organisations, such as the Fairtrade Foundation, work to ensure that the products Christians buy do not exploit poor workers

  • Fair trade principles are in line with the Christian teachings of justice and fairness, as it helps ensure that producers in developing countries are treated with dignity and paid a fair wage for their labour

• Corruption in some countries can prevent the poor from receiving help, and Christians often campaign for responsible governments

  • Organisations like Tearfund and Christian Aid advocate for fair policies that tackle corruption and ensure resources are used to support the poorest

• Many Christian organisations are aware that climate change disproportionately affects the poorest people in the world, particularly in developing countries

  • Natural disasters like floods, droughts, and hurricanes make it harder for people to escape poverty

  • Pope Francis called for action on climate change, stressing that environmental damage harms the poor and that Christians have a responsibility to protect the planet and the vulnerable

Absolute and relative poverty

What is absolute and relative poverty?

• Poverty can be understood in two different ways: absolute poverty and relative poverty

  • These two concepts help describe different levels and types of poverty that people experience around the world

• Absolute poverty refers to a situation where people cannot meet their basic needs for survival

  • This includes the inability to access essentials such as:

    • food

    • clean water

    • shelter

    • clothing

    • healthcare

  • People living in absolute poverty are usually unable to afford the things needed to survive

  • They may struggle to get enough food to eat or live in unsafe, overcrowded conditions

  • Absolute poverty is often defined by a specific income level or poverty line, below which individuals cannot meet their basic needs

    • An example of absolute poverty might be people in developing countries who live on less than $1.90 a day, a common threshold used by organisations like the World Bank to measure extreme poverty

• Relative poverty, on the other hand, refers to people who may have enough to survive, but their standard of living is much lower than that of others in their society or community

  • In relative poverty, individuals experience:

• Lack of access to goods and services that are considered normal in their society

• Social exclusion, as they may not be able to participate fully in society due to their lack of resources

• This type of poverty is about inequality, as those in relative poverty may not have the same quality of life as others

  • For example, in a wealthy country, someone may be considered in relative poverty if they can't afford a basic holiday, a new coat, or to go out to eat with their family, even though they can still meet their basic needs

Christian teachings about wealth and poverty

What are Christian teachings about wealth and poverty?

• In the Bible, Jesus emphasises the importance of caring for the poor

• In Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus teaches that helping the hungry, thirsty, sick, and imprisoned is like helping Jesus himself

  • This passage encourages Christians to show compassion and care for those in need

  • Jesus said in Luke 4:18 that he was sent ‘to proclaim good news to the poor,’ demonstrating that helping the poor is a central part of his mission

• In Luke 10:25-37, the Parable of the Good Samaritan teaches Christians to love their neighbours, regardless of social status or background

  • The Samaritan helps a man in need, even though they were not from the same community

    • This parable encourages Christians to care for people in need, no matter who they are

• The Bible teaches that God is a God of justice and righteousness

  • In Micah 6:8, God says, ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’

    • Christians are called to act justly, which includes addressing poverty and inequality

• Proverbs 31:8-9 urges people to ‘speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute’ 

  • This highlights the responsibility Christians have to fight for the rights of the poor

• The early Christian community cared for the poor, with members selling their possessions and sharing their wealth with those in need (Acts 4:32-35)

  • This example inspires Christians to live by the principle of sharing and helping others, particularly the marginalised