Justice and Poverty as Challenges for the Christian Churches

338 Pages·2015·1.54 MB·English

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Justice and Poverty as Challenges Justice and Poverty as Challenges
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Steering Committee for Quality Assurance at the Inter-University Council for East h
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Patriotism | Advocacy | Governance | Social Justice
The goal of this thesis is to investigate the role of Christian churches and the
government in the fight against injustice and the eradication of poverty. In the Culture | The Church | Corruption | Dictator
first two Chapters, an overview of the concept of justice is proposed in both the
New and Old Testaments, in the light of the challenge for the churches. Chapter Empowerment | Justice | Economic Policy | Bi
three concentrates on an in-depth analysis of the issues surrounding poverty and its B
o
causes. The role played by international organisations with regard to the eradication se
la Developing Country | Prophecy | Cha
of poverty in developing countries, and especially in the Democratic Republic of E
. E
Congo (DRC), is questioned, while an analysis of the impact of industrialisation a
le
and globalisation on developing countries is carried out. Chapter four discusses the Poverty | Ehtical Issues | Moral Virtue | Theolo
theological concept of poverty. The aim of this discussion is to develop theological
ethics that can be applied by the churches in their struggle against poverty. The last Globalisation | Independence
Chapters tackeles poverty in DRC: plausible explanations are given for why some
people live in extreme poverty and not others.
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Justice and Poverty
as Challenges for the Christian Churches
With a Case Study
on the Democratic Republic of Congo

Justice and Poverty
as Challenges for the Christian Churches
With a Case Study
on the Democratic Republic of Congo
Bosela E. Eale

Globethics.net Theses No. 16
Globethics.net Theses
Series editor: Christoph Stückelberger. Founder and Executive Director of
Globethics.net and Professor of Ethics, University of Basel

Globethics.net Theses 16
Bosela E. Eale, Justice and Poverty as Challenges for the Christian Churches:
with a Case Study on the Democratic Republic of Congo
Geneva: Globethics.net, 2015
ISBN 978-2-88931-077-7 (online version)
ISBN 978-2-88931-078-4 (print version)
© 2015 Globethics.net

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Table of Contents
Abbreviations and Summary ............................................. 9
1 Orientation to the Study ............................................... 15
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................. 15
1.2 Research Approach ...................................................................... 28
1.3 Delimitations and Limitations of the Study ................................ 32
1.4 Democratic Republic of the Congo: Historical Background ...... 33
1.5 Outline of the Proposed Study ..................................................... 39
2 General Overview of the Concept of Justice ............... 41
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................. 41
2.2 Definitions ................................................................................... 44
2.3 Biblical Background of the Concept............................................ 54
2.4 State of Justice in the Governing Institutions
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ......................................... 73
2.5 Summary ..................................................................................... 80
3 General Overview of the Phenomenon of Poverty ..... 83
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................. 83
3.2 Poverty: Definitions ..................................................................... 85
3.3 Understanding Poverty ................................................................ 94
3. 4 Developing Countries and Industrialisation ............................. 116
3.5 Developing Countries vis-à-vis World Trade Organization,
International Monetary Fund, and World Bank ............................... 121
3.6 The Effect of Globalisation in Developing Countries ............... 133
3.7 Causes of Poverty ...................................................................... 141
3.8 Summary ................................................................................... 145
4 Theological Reflections on Poverty ............................ 147
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................... 147
4.2 The Concept of Poverty in the Bible ......................................... 148
4.3 Biblical Views on Poverty ......................................................... 151
4.4 Jubilee Commands: A Paradigm for Poverty Eradication in Both
New and Old Testament .................................................................. 161
4.5 Moral Virtue, Poverty and Social Justice .................................. 164
4.6 Church: An Agent of Change .................................................... 170
4.7 Democratic Republic of Congo Nation-Building ...................... 174
4.8 Summary ................................................................................... 179
5 The Democratic Republic of Congo:
a Case Study of Poverty ................................................. 181
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................... 181
5.2 Democratic Republic of Congo’s Economy
at The Dawn of Independence ......................................................... 184
5.3 Democratic Republic of Congo’s Economy
During the Post-Colonial Era .......................................................... 197
5.4 State of Poverty in The Democratic Republic of Congo ........... 218
5.5 Summary ................................................................................... 234
6 The Role of Christian Churches in Justice and Poverty
Eradication in the Democratic Republic of Congo ...... 237
6.1 Introduction ............................................................................... 237
6.2 Challenges ................................................................................. 243
6.3 Expectations .............................................................................. 250
6.4 The Government’s Failure to Fight Corruption ......................... 276
6.5 Churches Struggle against Mobutu’s Dictatorial Regime ......... 287
6.6 Summary ................................................................................... 293
7 Conclusion and Recommendations ............................ 295
7.1 Introduction ............................................................................... 295
7. 2 Concluding Remarks ................................................................ 295
7.3 Recommendations ..................................................................... 299
7.4 Conclusion ................................................................................. 302
Bibliography .................................................................... 303
Appendix ........................................................................ 329

ABBREVIATIONS
ACP : African, Caribbean and Pacific
ASV : American Standard Version
BCK : Chemin de Fer du Bas-Congo au Katanga
[Bas-Congo to Katanga railway]
CENCO : Conférence Nationale Épiscopale du Congo
[Congo National Conference for bishops]
CIDA : Canadian International Development Agency
DGI : Direction Générale des Impots
[Income Tax Office]
DRC : Democratic Republic of the Congo
ECZ : Église du Christ au Zaire
[Protestant Church in Zaire, actually DRC]
EPAs : Economic Partnership Agreements
FAO : Food and Agriculture Organization
FLNC : Front de Libération Nationale du Congo
[Front for the National Liberation of the Congo]
FORESCOM : Forestry Harvesting Company
GATT : General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
GDP : Gross Domestic Product
GECAMINES : Générale des Carrières et des Mines
[Congolese State Mining Company]
IMF : International Monetary Fund