Religious Congregations and Poverty Alleviation in the Age of New Public Governance

Abstract

AbstractWe discuss the implications of the new public governance and its impact on the social and economic outcomes of those experiencing poverty. As members of civil society, religious congregations are actively engaged in supporting people living in poverty with short-term responses. Addressing the societal focus on economic justice and the theological traditions of four world religions, this paper seeks to encourage religious congregations into innovative, actionable responses that help to offer long-term responses that align with poverty alleviation. We propose two approaches—community development and financial development— that serve as models for religious congregations interested in alleviating poverty.