W&P UK

Question 1

Relative poverty?

Answer 1

Generally having sufficient abilities to meet survival necessities but lacking the minimum income to maintain the avg standard of living in their society. (= compromised QoL)
Normally above international poverty line but below the national poverty line
Eg in London living on minimum wage

Question 2

Poverty trap?

Answer 2

It is v hard for some people to escape the cycle of poverty because they have no means to get out of it (eg no fixed address, unfinished education, if u have been unemployed for a while u have a small CV making it hard to get a job)

Question 3

What can Christians do to help the homeless?

Answer 3

Give to foodbanks
Pray for them
Give them money
Prayer meetings (eg in the Salvation Army)
Many Westminster churches do their own homeless ministry (eg Langham Place run ASLAN)

Question 4

Homeless statistics

Answer 4

98% aren't in full time employment 
...HOWEVER 77% would like to be
70% have mental health issues
13x more likely to be victim of crime 
50-75% have history of substance abuse
...HOWEVER 40x less likely to be registered w GP

Question 5

Apathy?

Answer 5

To not care

Question 6

Living wage?

Answer 6

More than the minimum wage, it’s the threshold required to sustain basic financial security and meet ones needs

Question 7

Fat cat salary?

Answer 7

Excessive salary (eg premier league footballers)

Question 8

Gambling?

Answer 8

Playing a game in which u can win or lose possessions in hope of a desired result
Eg placing bets, playing slot machines, National lottery

Question 9

Homelessness?

Answer 9

Lacking a physical/emotional space to call home- can be when people are living in temp accommodation rather than just sleeping rough

Question 10

Sources of wealth in uk

Answer 10

Fat cat salary 
Gambling 
Inheritance
Assets going up in value
Crime
Invention/entrepreneurship 
Earning it

Question 11

Christian teachings on wealth?

Answer 11

Matthew 19:24 = ‘it is easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’ (rich man will be too attached to wealth to live a virtuous life)
Timothy 6:6-9 = ‘those who want to get rich fall info temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction’
Timothy 6:10 = ‘the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil’
Proverbs 23:4 = ‘do not wear yourself out to get rich, have the wisdom to show restraint’
Matthew 6:19-21 = ‘do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth (…) but store up yourselves treasures in heaven’ (wealth is transient with no lasting value)

Question 12

Christian teachings on poverty

Answer 12

2 Thessalonians 3:10 = ‘the one who is unwilling to work shall not eat’
Mark 8:1-10 = shows how Jesus broke up bread and fish to disciples who had nothing to eat
Matthew 6:1-4 = ‘but when u five to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be done in secret’ (do not give to people to simply impress others)

Question 13

Causes of uk poverty?

Answer 13

Unemployment (2 mil Brits are registered as unemployed)
Poverty trap
Low wages (lots of jobs require little skill so can be done by those who have little training)
Wasteful spending (gambling, alcohol, tobacco)
Addiction
Inflation

Question 14

How can poverty be overcome?

Answer 14

Education (leads to good career)
Counselling (eg Citizens advice service = national charity w 3200 offices providing free advice)
Governmental help (eg min wage introduced in 1999 to protect against exploitation of workers)

Question 15

Why is national lottery (and gambling) bad?

Answer 15

Glorifies chance rather than God (we should have trust in him rather than luck)
Runs against stewardship (everything belongs to God and we’ve been entrusted with it : gambling involves needlessly risking what belongs to God)
Gambling glorifies self interest (one seeks to profit from other’s losses: a spirit of self interest= selfish and against Matthew 22:39)
Fuels human covetousness (7 deadly sins eg envy)

Question 16

Why is the lottery good?

Answer 16

Creates millionaires (£53 billion given out in prize money)
Has helped sports : in 1999 GB won 1 gold medal, in 2012 GB won 29
Parks, museums, theatres, heritage sites have all received national lottery funding
£32 billion raised for these projects
Every week £33 mil is raised for project
Projects include the Lowry in Manchester
144 grants per post code

Question 17

Hindu attitudes to wealth?

Answer 17

Create artha for fam and maintainence of society
Excess wealth can lead to overindulgence and a materialistic rather than spiritual life
Pancatantra = ‘money causes pain when earned, causes pain to keep and it causes pain to lose as well as spend’
Manu 4 = ‘uncontrolled pursuit of wealth will result in unhappiness as happiness arises from contentment’
Shri ramakrishna = ‘look after everyone and act as if everything belongs to you but know in your heart nothing does (…) you are the servant of God’

Question 18

How to relate wealth and poverty to Brahman is in everything

Answer 18

Helping others is no different than helping ourselves as ‘it is the same God shining through so many different eyes’

Question 19

Why should Christians help the homeless?

Answer 19

Christ started his ministry and until his death/resurrection did not have a fixed address he could call ‘home’
Paul the Apostle became homeless purposefully to spread the gospel among Gentiles
Adam and Eve wondered the desert and were technically homeless (Christians should have empathy and awareness that it can happen to anybody)
Parable of the Good Samaritan (person who received help was in a needy, desperate situation on the street)

Question 20

Work of Salvation Army?

Answer 20

Originally East London Christian Mission
Formed by Methodist reform church minister, William booth, after observing poor area of Nottingham
Denomination of Christianity = calls disciples of Christian to ‘save souls, grow saints, and serve suffering humanity’
They provide services for families (eg nurseries) and emergency assistance and support for jobseekers
Eg Jobs for All campaign = ‘provides a bridge between people affected by unemployment and the local labour market’