Engaging the World

Afe Adogame

• Publisher: Regnum
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781908355218
• eBook ISBN: 9781912343355
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

Engaging the World deals with the lived experiences and expressions of Christians in diverse communities across the globe. Christian communities do not live in a vacuum but in complex, diverse social-cultural contexts; within wider communities of different faith and social realities. Power, identity and community are key issues in considering Christian communities in contemporary contexts. Also important is the nature and texture of mission; while a reflection on 'context' is a priority in working to improve peoples and communities.

PART ONE

CHURCH AND SOCIETY

POVERTY ALLEVIATION: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES TO THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NIGERIA

Elijah Obinna

Introduction

The global increase of economic poverty as experienced in Nigeria has resulted in major researches by many social scientists. The researches are expected to translate into practice, the relationship between realities and theory. Martin Bulmer observes that research on people’s daily lives ‘are not just feedbacks to fellow academics, but are used to influence the life and chances of millions upon millions of people’.¹ Economic poverty is a visible problem in Nigeria, however it is easy for both government and religious institutions to stop thinking about it.² The victims of economic poverty are found in both urban and rural centers of the country and they include Christians, Muslims and adherents of the indigenous religions. However, the problem of poverty is rarely discussed in terms of showing how religious institutions could share in the processes of alleviating it. Strangely, despite the abundant material and human resources, poverty has persisted, thus raising contemporary challenge for understanding God’s sovereignty and providential care and the church’s calling in the midst of poverty. Admittedly, the problem of economic poverty in terms of meaning and scope appears complex, but that should not undermine actions.

Following the justice traditions of the biblical prophets and of Jesus in the gospel narratives, the church and individual Christians are called to hear ‘the cries of the people who suffer and the woundedness of creation itself, over consumed and undervalued by the current global economy.’³ The Bible relates to economic questions throughout; it speaks of justice as central to God’s will. The prophets call the people not to sit comfortably under dehumanising structures, to repent and create institutions which protect the rights and dignity of the poor. Jesus in his life and ministry fulfilled the prophetic message of liberation in solidarity with the poor. This chapter focuses on the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (PCN). The contemporary PCN was established in April 10, 1846, through the missionary enthusiasm among the emancipated slaves in West Indies, thus accentuating the wealth that freed minds can accomplish.⁴ The chapter therefore draws attention to the contemporary challenges facing the PCN and other Christian traditions which share aspects of the Reformed traditions on matters of economic justice. The chapter highlights the economic situation within Nigeria, and affirms that an understanding of the sovereignty and providential care of God should not undermine social actions, but stimulate them. In this chapter, I argue that a neglect of the PCN’s social responsibility will affect its integrity and amount to a dereliction of its Reformed calling.

The Politics of Economic Poverty

The question of how to define economic poverty has dominated academic debates on the subject. Scholars have often defined poverty according to their theological, cultural, social, ethical, political or ideological backgrounds as well as the practices and conventions of their society. This in part explains the difficulty in reaching one universally accepted definition of economic poverty. However, Ali Khusro notes that no part of the world is free from poverty, even as affluence is growing around the world. He highlights two different ways of measuring poverty – GDP per capita and Human Development Index. Any definition of poverty thus has to be understood at least in part and in relation to particular social, cultural and historical contexts.⁵ Poverty therefore is not a simple phenomenon; it is is rather a series of contested definitions and complex arguments which overlap and at times contradict each other.

Macpherson and Silburn define poverty as a ‘basic lack of the means of survival; the poor are those who, even in normal circumstances, are unable to feed and clothe themselves properly and risk death as a consequence.’⁶ The economically poor according to Samuel and Sugden are:

‘The manual worker who struggles to survive on a day to day basis, the destitute, cowering as a beggar; the one reduced to meekness, the one brought low…those weak and tired from carrying heavy burdens and the leper and very often the common people….’⁷

Furthermore, William Jennings has argued that there is much more to economic poverty than money. Poverty he argues, involves a complicated matrix of issues, many of which are only indirectly economic issues such as patterns of education, the self-image of the poor, consumer protection, political representation, the police and legal system, the very structure and management of government programs.⁸ Poverty therefore is a complex problem which involves political processes and policy development. It is a moral and political concept, but it implies and requires actions.

Pete Alcock insists that: ‘Poverty is a problem, or it is nothing. What it cannot be is not a problem…poverty is also a basis for action and policy.’⁹ Economic poverty is not only a state of affair; it is an unacceptable state of affair and discussions about it should intrinsically include the question, what should be done about it? It is possible to politicize or trivialize economic poverty especially when one’s life has not been touched directly or indirectly by it. Furthermore, poverty can be relativized, with some people arguing that it is a ‘state of mind’ shaped by expectations – that people do not experience themselves as poor unless they compare themselves with others who have more. Economic poverty, as pointed out by Alcock is a reality and a problem with which many people in Nigeria live.

An analysis of the Nigerian situation highlights the complex and compelling nature of economic poverty. According to Ogunleye Sola Nigeria is held to be the World’s 13^th largest oil producer and the 6^th largest in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).¹⁰ This makes the poverty situation in Nigeria the more astonishing and raises the question about who they are that benefit, at the expense of others, from Nigeria’s rich resources. According to the 2008 United Nations projection Nigeria has a population of 151.5million with a life expectancy of 46 years (men), and 47 years for women while the GNI per capita is US$930.¹¹ Although such statistics have often been contested, they offer helpful insights into the economic situation of Nigeria.

The 2005 survey of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shows that about 70% of the Nigerian population live in economic poverty. According to a survey about 1.5 million Nigerians have died from, while at least about 4 million live with, HIV viruses. The most affected age range is 18-45; this comprises the main work force of the nation.¹² The statistic is startling, but shows the extent of the problem. The HIV/AIDS pandemic constitutes a major factor in the escalating level of poverty. Alan Whiteside describes HIV/AIDS as the ‘most devastating epidemic in recent history.’¹³ There is thus a distinct relationship between poverty and communicable diseases; epidemic disease like any illness has potential to increase poverty. Illness therefore affects individual and household resources and income. Illness and death deprive households of labor; this may include paid or unpaid labors on the farm or caring for the family. Poverty, as argued, compounds the problem of disease: because of poverty, disease and suffering persons (including HIV/AIDS) do not receive the treatment needed. Many thus suffer and die who may have otherwise survived in situations of affluence.

The unabating rate of corruption among several political and public office holders in Nigeria compounds the issue. According to Transparency International’s submission, Nigeria is perceived as the most corrupt of 102 countries assessed.¹⁴ Corruption refers to a misapplication of public goods to private ends. However, since the notion of what is public, what is held in trust for the people, varies across cultures, ‘corruption’ like ‘poverty’ is also a relative concept. However, within Nigeria, corrupt practices include: advance fee fraud (OBT – Obtaining by Trick), Money Laundering, bribery (PR – Public Relations), nepotism and political favoritism (IM – Imma Madu).¹⁵ These practices violate the written codes of conduct for office bearers and have had severe negative consequences on the country. The impact includes decreased foreign direct investments in Nigeria as well as tainting the image of country’s national image.¹⁶ Poverty appears to encourage all temptations for public officials; especially because of insatiability, they know that their opportunities may vanish. As such, they devise means of taking their share of the ‘National Cake.’ It is thus common to hear questions like: ‘Is government your father – Government na your papa?’ Or ‘does Government money belong to your father?’ Implying that government fund belongs to no individual, thus breeding the idea that it is ‘the winner who take it all’.

In response to this problem, the Federal Government of Nigeria on September 29, 2000 inaugurated the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC). Its main duties include: receiving complaints, investigating and prosecuting offenders.¹⁷ Furthermore, in 2002 the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) was established with the aim of curbing the menace of corruption; protect national and foreign investments in the country and contribute to the global war against financial crime.¹⁸ Although these crime-regulating bodies are in place, corruption seems to be soaring higher each passing day. It seems therefore that although there are forces in place to deter corruption, it appears weak in exercising the functions or that the forces are politicized.

The description so far made about the poverty and economic situation within Nigeria poses a huge challenge to the prophetic ministry and calling of the PCN today. The PCN’s members, as part of Nigerian society, are involved in or affected by the resultant poverty which corruption imposes on the country. This poor economic situation calls for a re-conceptualization of the PCN’s foundational belief in God’s sovereignty and the church’s responsibilities.

Sovereignty of God in a World of Economic Poverty

In recent years, a growing number of historical and theological studies on Calvin’s social and economic thought have been written.¹⁹ Calvin does not marginalize poverty as something that is characteristic of the derelict in society; he recognizes poverty as a reality from which nobody is necessarily exempted. Pattison notes that Calvin indeed encountered the reality and experience of economic poverty in his days, being that many major cities in Europe had numerous beggars and poor.²⁰ Calvin, and with him the Reformed theological tradition he inspired, makes it clear that economic questions, th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Part One: Church and Society
• Part Two: Christianity and Socio-political Action
• Part Three: Christianity and Culture
• Part Four: Mission, Migration, Diaspora and Ethnicity
• Part Five: Conference Reports
• List of Contributors
• Back Cover