A Spirituality of Service: Reflections on a Life-Long Journey of Faith and Work Among the Worlds Poor
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Wealth is interpreted in prosperity theology as a blessing from God, obtained through a spiritual law of positive confession, visualization, and donations.
The prosperity theology teaching of positive confession stems from its proponents' view of scripture. The Bible is seen as a faith contract between God and believers; God is understood to be faithful and just, so believers must fulfill their end of the contract to receive God's promises. This leads to a belief in positive confession, the doctrine that believers may claim whatever they desire from God, simply by speaking it.
Prosperity theology teaches that the Bible has promised prosperity for believers, so positive confession means that believers are speaking in faith what God has already spoken about them. Positive confession is practiced to bring about what is already believed in; faith itself is a confession, and speaking it brings it into reality. The teaching is often based on non-traditional interpretations of Bible verses, [49] the Book of Malachi often being given special attention.
While Malachi has generally been celebrated by Christians for its passages about the messiah, teachers of prosperity theology usually draw attention to its descriptions of physical wealth. Prosperity theology casts itself as the reclamation of true doctrine and thus part of a path to Christian dominion over secular society. Peter Wagner , a leader of the New Apostolic Reformation , has argued that if Christians take dominion over aspects of society, the Earth will experience "peace and prosperity". They often view this as a Roman Catholic doctrine that should be discarded and replaced with an emphasis on prosperity.
Prosperity churches place a strong emphasis on the importance of giving. Some services include a teaching time focused on giving and prosperity, including Biblical references to tithing ; and then a sermon on another topic which follows the offering. Prosperity church leaders often claim a specific blessing can be exchanged for the money being donated to their ministry; some have been reported to instruct worshipers to hold their donations above their heads during the prayer.
Congregants in prosperity churches are encouraged to speak positive statements about aspects of their lives that they wish to see improved. These statements, known as positive confessions distinct from confessions of sin , are said to miraculously change aspects of people's lives if spoken with faith. Jakes , pastor of The Potter's House non-denominational mega-church, has argued in favor of prosperity, rejecting what he sees as the demonization of success. He views poverty as a barrier to living a Christian life, suggesting that it is easier to make a positive impact on society when one is affluent.
While some prosperity churches have a reputation for manipulating and alienating the poor, [60] many are involved in social programs.
Prosperity theology
Underlying these programs is a theology of empowerment and human flourishing with the goal of releasing people from a "welfare" or "victim" mentality. Kate Bowler, an academic who studies prosperity theology, has criticized such seminars, arguing that though they contain some sound advice the seminars often emphasize the purchase of expensive possessions.
She maintains that home ownership was heavily emphasized in prosperity churches, based on reliance on divine financial intervention that led to unwise choices based on actual financial ability. Most churches in the prosperity movement are non-denominational and independent, though some groups have formed networks.
They argue that leaders attempt to control the lives of adherents by claiming divinely bestowed authority. In the United States, the movement has drawn many followers from the middle class [48] and is most popular in commuter towns and urban areas. Global Christian Fundamentalism Steve Brouwer, Paul Gifford, and Susan Rose speculate that the movement was fueled by a prevailing disdain for social liberalism in the United States that began in the s.
Tony Lin of the University of Virginia has also compared the teaching to manifest destiny , [36] the 19th-century belief that the United States was entitled to the West. Marvin Harris argues that the doctrine's focus on the material world is a symptom of the secularization of American religion. He sees it as an attempt to fulfill the American Dream by using supernatural power. Prosperity theology has become popular among poor Americans , particularly those who seek personal and social advancement. Simon Coleman developed a theory based on the doctrine's rhetoric and the feeling of belonging it gave parishioners.
In a study of the Swedish Word of Life Church, he noted that members felt part of a complex gift-exchange system, giving to God and then awaiting a gift in return either from God directly or through another church member. Marion Maddox has argued that this message has drawn a significant number of upwardly mobile Australians. In a interview in Christianity Today , Bong Rin Ro of the Asia Graduate School of Theology suggested that the growth in popularity of prosperity theology in South Korea reflects a strong "shamanistic influence".
Bong pointed to parallels between the tradition of paying shamans for healing and the prosperity theology's contractual doctrine about giving and blessings. Asia's economic problems, he argued, encouraged the growth of the doctrine in South Korea, though he claims it ignores the poor and needy. During the interview, he stated that he saw the problem beginning to be reversed, citing calls for renewed faith and other practices. This criticism has focused on his healing and exorcism ministries and his promise of material blessings.
Malaysian Christian writer Hwa Yung has defended Cho's healing and exorcism ministries, arguing that he successfully contextualized the Gospel in a culture where shamanism was still prevalent. However, Hwa criticizes Cho's teaching of earthly blessings for not reflecting a trust in God's daily provision and for their heavy focus on earthly wealth. Historian Carter Lindberg of Boston University has drawn parallels between contemporary prosperity theology and the medieval indulgence trade.
Coleman has speculated that modern-day prosperity theology borrows heavily from the New Thought movement, though he admits that the connection is sometimes unclear. Matthew Wilson of Southern Methodist University compares the movement to Black theology owing to its focus on uplifting oppressed groups, though he notes that it differs in its concentration on individual success rather than corporate political change.
Mainstream evangelicalism has consistently opposed prosperity theology as heresy [36] and prosperity ministries have frequently come into conflict with other Christian groups, including those within the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. Jesus, Servant and Savior , R. Kent Hughes notes that some 1st-century rabbis portrayed material blessings as a sign of God's favor.
He cites Jesus' statement in Mark Other critics of the movement assail promises made by its leaders, arguing that the broad freedom from problems they promise is irresponsible. For instance, some theologians believe that the life and writings of Paul the Apostle , who is believed to have experienced significant suffering during his ministry, are particularly in conflict with prosperity theology. During his earthly tenure, he spoke time and again about the importance of spiritual wealth and health. When he talked about material wealth, it was usually part of a cautionary tale.
In their book Health, Wealth and Happiness , theologians David Jones and Russell Woodbridge characterize the doctrine as poor theology. The spiritual teacher Anthony Mello has said: Some other examples follow.
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At the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Rwanda there is the story of Nsengiyuumra, a Muslim who during the genocide is said to have saved over 30 people by protecting or hiding them in his outhouse. I was going to die any second. I banged on the door of the yard. It opened almost immediately. He Nsengiyumra took me by the hand and stood in his doorway and told the killer to leave. He said that the Koran says: For eight years The Forgiveness Project has run RESTORE , a group-based restorative justice RJ intervention program in England to enable prisoners to turn their lives around and give them the tools to re-enter society as active and responsible citizens.
Restorative justice views crime as injury rather than law-breaking, and justice as healing rather than punishment. This restorative justice process demonstrates how individual transformation can lead to societal change. As participants learn about different aspects of forgiveness and reconciliation, and practice them in their own lives, there is a ripple effect into communities.
The overall impact of this restorative program can lead to reduced offending behavior both in prison and beyond release; it has been shown to result in fewer victims and offenders amongst participants, their families, and the communities they live in. In these communities, naming and shaming is considered justice, and while forgiveness is imperative, it is not granted without remorse.
This community-healing process of reconciliation and forgiveness addresses the roots of conflict at the local level, and restores dignity to the lives of those who suffered most directly from violence.
The work helps war-affected individuals reflect on the past and move forward in ways that avert the renewal of aggressions. By grounding reconciliation in traditional practices, it also helps create healthy communities capable of building new foundations of peace. How does the Fambul Tok process work? Hawa Koroma, Moyamba town: With Fambul Tok, we can now share our stories and have the opportunity to forgive and reconcile. Sahr Ngaoja, Lei chiefdom, Kono district: After the war, plenty of people are afraid to return to their homes for fear of revenge.
Now that Fambul Tok is creating the platform for victims, witnesses, and perpetrators to mediate reconciliation for peaceful co-existence, we have no alternative but to welcome Fambul Tok. I am sure community reconciliation will help us fight poverty.
Hawah Wurie, Bunumbu, Kailahun district: Some of them amputated hands, some of them slaughtered women, some split women open to see what baby was in their stomach; but at the ceremony most of them came forward and confessed and asked for forgiveness and we have forgiven them. We have encouraged them, embraced them, we do things together. Even myself, my elder sister was killed during this war. Those that killed her, I knew who they were, but when they confessed, I forgave them. To practice forgiveness and reconciliation in daily life comes with its own challenges, and prompts a number of reflection questions.
As one example, there is a popular notion that if you do not forgive you will be depleted in some way, tied to the past, holding on to grudges, filled with negative and even violent thoughts. But it glosses over the fact that forgiveness is a slippery and complex concept, meaning many things to many people. The above assumptions not only ignore the real pain many people suffer, but shame those who chose not to forgive.
Rowan Williams, warned against forgiving too easily. He told the Radio Times: I sought help through Christian literature, but it just told lovely stories about reconciliation. Trusted Christian friends offered well-meaning advice, and in one case an exorcism. It is not hard to see how in this context, forgiveness can allow abuse to thrive. Many of the questions below are thought-provoking and challenging. What are your own answers to them? Forgiveness, as a means of relieving oneself from the burden of victimhood, is intrinsically subjective.
In her book The Forgiveness Project: Stories for a Vengeful Age , Marina Cantacuzino writes:. Forgiveness may unfold like a mysterious discovery, or it may be a totally conscious decision, something you line yourself up for having exhausted all other options. For those working to promote forgiveness and reconciliation, it is important to remember that forgiveness is first and foremost a choice, and not necessarily the best medicine for all people all the time.
At the same time, it is also important to remember that when introduced as an option, as a concept with limits as well as opportunities, forgiveness if chosen as a path through trauma is undoubtedly a powerful healing process that can mend broken hearts and repair broken communities.
The Forgiveness Project has no religious or political associations. Visit The Forgiveness Project on facebook and twitter. Stories for a vengeful age. Transforming lives through the power of personal narrative. Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. Forgiveness is a c hoice. A research agenda for social and personality psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Review , 7 4 , A human being died that night: A South African woman confronts the legacy of apartheid.
Boston and New York: When the geographies of crime and of healing justice matter. Peace Research , 39, Nos. A review of the theoretical and empirical literature. Journal of Family Therapy , 20 1 , The b ook of f orgiving. In a search of a common core: A content analysis of interventions to promote forgiveness. Theory, Research, Practice and Training, 42 2 , Forgiveness is an emotion focused coping strategy that can reduce health risks and promote health resilience: Skip to main content. Chapter 28 Sections Section 1.
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Being Compassionate Section 3. Being Charitable Towards Others Section 4. Forgiveness and Reconciliation Section 5. Promoting Peace Section 6. Spreading Hope Section 7. Promoting Hospitality as a Way of Life Section 8. Mindfulness and Community Building.
The Tool Box needs your help to remain available. Toggle navigation Chapter Sections. Main Section Examples PowerPoint. Study forgiveness and reconciliation in community settings, and learn how to apply these concepts to improve individual and community outcomes. Introduction Forgiveness and reconciliation can occur in every sphere of human experience, including individual, community, national, and trans-national levels. Forgiveness is both a process and a choice, and may be both intrapersonal and interpersonal.
For some, it may result in reducing a personal hurt that makes life easier; for others, it may mean reconciling with an enemy and being able to live side by side again. If legislated or regulated in any way, forgiveness may become fraught with difficulty. As Richard Wilson, whose sister was murdered in Burundi, put it: We destroy its power as a gift by making it a duty. However, community leaders should also understand that if community members — including both authorities and civilians — adopt a forgiving attitude, that can be a very useful public health and community-building tool; multiple studies have shown that forgiveness produces better health outcomes, helps sustain good relationships, and reduces anxiety Exline et al, ; Luskin, ; Worthington and Scherer, Forgiveness may require relinquishing something that was important to you, such as giving up your moral indignation, your desire for retaliation, or your attachment to being right.
Yet forgiveness is useful to community building, because people who forgive tend to be more flexible and less certain in their expectations, both in how life will be or how others will treat them. Forgiving people have chosen not to perpetuate a historical grievance; they are somehow able to turn the page, loosen themselves from the grip of the past, and reframe their own story.
To persuade people to forgive who have no interest in such processes can place yet another burden on victims. Print Resources Arendt, H. University of Chicago Press. Insight and r esponsibility. The Gulag Archipelago — The little book of restorative justice.