The Urban Poor Church the Culture of Poverty
The Urban Poor Church & the Culture of Poverty Reflections on Oscar Lewis’ Culture of Poverty and the Slum Church Applications of a theory published in Scientific American, Oct 1966 based on his book “La Vida” Viv Grigg, 2003
Church Styles in Context n Peasant Societies – Church as village n n Feudal Lord - Pastor Peasants – Congregation Group (Consensus) Decision Making Cities – Church as corporation n n CEO – Pastor Individual Decision Making “Slum dwellers are peasants of the city. ”
Urban/Peasant Contrasts Peasant Urban Society Resultant Church Easily accessible Multi-cultural Individual Units Experimental Abstract Thinking Impersonal Planning Individual Decisions Secular Festivals insignificant Compartmentalism Isolated 3 Extended families Group decision-making Traditional Noisy, Emotional High Emphasis on the Supernatural A Rhythm of Events Isolated Homogenous Group Solidarity Traditional Patterned Thinking Personal Spontaneous Consensus Decisions Sacred / Magic Festivals as Integrating
Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Psychological) The Church Response n To show their honor Live in the present before God Pervading sense of hopelessness (? ) (subsequent studies disprove this n To break their inferiority theory for migrant communities, but complex n To provide the reinforce it for d communities Fatalism, helplessness, dependence, opportunity to be somebody, the roles inferiority High incidence of weak ego structuren Counselling through their emotional scars (? ) Confusion of sexual identification n I am a nobody because that is who I am, and Present time orientation nothing will change. Little disposition to defer gratification Break the fatalism. or plan for the future n Accountability and good High tolerance for psychological discipling relationships pathology (deviant) are the key. Pre-occupation with “machismo” n n n n n
Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Relationship of Subculture to Major Institutions) n n n n Non-integration Disengagement from marriage Hostility to basic institutions Hatred of police Mistrust of Government Cynicism towards established church Potential for political unrest Alternative institutions and procedures n n n Do not belong to labor unions, political parties, could help them deal with poverty Involved in jails, armies, public welfare – these institutions do not change poverty Little sense of history Not class conscious Yet sensitive to symbols of status
What Do Poor People’s Churches Look Like? (Economic) Frequent purchases of food Produce little wealth at high prices Unemployment, n Pawning of underemployment personal goods Low wages n Borrowing at Lack of property usurious rates Lack of savings n Informal credit Absence of food arrangements reserves n Use of Chronic shortage ofsecondhand furniture cash n n n The Nature of the Urban Poor Church Breaking Debt Barriers No More than 6 th Grade education
Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Family & Community) n n Few legally married (value marriage as morally good, but limits options) Minimal Organization beyond extended family Gregariousness in community Low level of organization (less than peasant village, less than middle class) n n n n Sense of community and espirit de corps Sense of territoriality Early initiation into sex Mother-centered families Sibling Rivalry Little privacy Maternal deprivation
Leadership Development Among the Poor n n n The missionary as equipper The key leader may be spiritually, in character, in terms of recognition by the group, the leader but have to deal with deep debt. Leadership groups make decisions in different style to Western thinking – consensus vs top down, holistic vs linear task oriented.
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