Theological basis for the proposition

God’s original intent was for the flourishing of all of creation, reflected in harmonious, life-giving relationships between God, humanity and the wider creation. The breaking of these relationships, and the resulting forms of poverty and injustice, are a result of human sin (Genesis 3) and are a distortion of God’s good world. Poverty is not God’s ultimate plan for the world.

The church is central to God’s saving purpose. We are called to participate in God’s active, ongoing work towards the restoration of relationships – the redemption and renewal of all things. We are commissioned to act as ‘co-labourers with God’ and mandated to seek God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy established on earth. This cosmic redemption is holistic in that it includes the fullness of human flourishing, and thus the restoration of relationships and the elimination of poverty and injustice.

God’s plan involves the church working to eliminate poverty.