Biblical Perspectives on Poverty and Transformational Development

Upon successful completion of this unit, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Evaluate problems associated with modern worldviews that are not holistic in relation to issues of poverty.
2. Articulate the meaning of transformational development and how it differs from previous understandings of the ways to address issues of poverty.
3. Communicate a holistic and comprehensive understanding of what the Bible teaches about poverty and transformation.
4. Articulate differences between healthy and unhealthy models of poverty alleviation.
5. Critically assess interventions into issues of poverty.
6. Develop a contextually appropriate and empowering program for addressing issues of poverty that takes into consideration what this means for Christian witness.

• One critical review (1,500 words) (20%)
• One written assessment task (2,500 words) (35%)
• One 30 minute presentation (3,000 words equivalent) (45%)

Set texts recommended for purchase are highlighted in blue

• Barker, Ash. Make Poverty Personal. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2009.
  • ––––. Risky Compassion. Birmingham: Urban Life Together Publishing, 2014.
• Christian, Jayakumar, God of the Empty-Handed. Rev. ed, Melbourne: Acorn Press, 2011.
• Corbett, S. & B. Fikkert. When Helping Hurts. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2012.
• Lupton, Robert, Toxic Charity. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2011.
• Myers, Bryant, Walking with the Poor. Maryknoll: Orbis, 2016.
• Payne, Ruby, De Vol, Philip, & Smith, Terri, Bridges Out of Poverty. Highlands, TX: aha! Process Inc., 2009.
• Sider, Ron, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson, 2015.
• Snyder, Howard, The Radical Wesley. Franklin: Seedbed Publishing, 2014.