Why Church over State for solving The Future Poor?
In the last week I was asked about why I locate more responsibility and center more weight on churches and faith communities, rather than the state when it comes to solving The Future Poor.
What a wonderful and important question.
This is an important distinction and it is helpful in understanding the roles that each of our main social structures play. Government is part of the solution but it can generate the entire solution for us. This is why we need faith communities from a Social Determinants of Health perspective in that they provide “social and community context” that is vital to our health.
To be clear, my belief in the role churches play in The Future Poor does not have to do with any particular doctrine, rules or particular belief system but rather is located in people being together, This is what I believe to be the “magic” of faith communities and hopefully that is strengthened by ways of practice that take great concern for each other.
Regular rhythms of togetherness foster social and community context. Work can provide this. Regular participation at your local gym also does this. Shared context of concerts and sporting events also provide this “magic” and it should not go overlooked how vital these are. More frequent and closer participation in social and community context situations like faith communities provide a more regular and closer proximity context than seeing your favorite team or band on the occasional basis. For more on this see Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam.
I want to draw our attention to 4 distinctions that I hope are helpful in looking at why faith communities are vital in ways government may not be able to fulfill.
Voluntary
When I look at faith communities from a social connection standpoint and the value that they have, it does get back to where do we go to get interpersonal social connection? Work, friends, the bar, school, church, youth sports, etc. Where we build these voluntarily there is better fruit than forced attendance and participation. No one likes coercion. Voluntary is better.
Personal
Government is not interpersonal and close enough for the daily needs of life. Recent natural disasters in the US, which I am personally familiar with, requires closeness and the personal
Intentional
Intention and specificity is better for us in community context than generalities, randomness and broad sweeping aims. This also allows us to dictate more closely how we show up for our community than perhaps what is the mandate of a particular party or political persuasion. Here there is purpose and direction.
Insourced
This is a term that I borrow often from my wife, an award winning therapist. We often outsource issues and solutions. I believe a better human ethic is working together for a solution from within. What can we do versus they need to fix this.
I hope this is a helpful way to think about how our different social structures and why I land believing we still need faith communities and my hope that they will be central to making a better future.
As always, if you come across a financially related article you’d like to send my way please do!
Best place to send them is to me.
More next time!
Jonathan