Urban Poor Spirituality: The Urban Poor Church & the Culture of Poverty Reflections by Viv Grigg on Oscar Lewis’ Culture of Poverty and the Slum Church Applications of a theory published in Scientific American, Oct 1966 based on his book “La Vida” Viv Grigg, 2004 Cry of the Urban Poor, chaps 15,16, Authentic

Place in Anthropological Genre Developed in opposition to Redfield’s “folk” – urban continuum A focus on cultures in the city rather than culture of the city Critique: Culture of Poverty is not really a culture as not transferred over generations, rather it is an in-between. Not all characteristics have been verified

Urban Consciousness & Slum Church Culture Peasant Village Culture Isolated Homogenous Group Solidarity Traditional Patterned Thinking Personal Spontaneous Consensus Decisions Sacred / Magic Festivals as Integrating Based on Redfield

Urban Consciousness & Slum Church Culture Globalised City Consciousness Easily accessible Multi-cultural Individual Units Experimental Abstract Thinking Impersonal Planning Individual Decisions Secular Festivals insignificant Compartmentalism Based on Berger

Urban Consciousness & Slum Church Culture Peasant Village Culture Isolated Homogenous Group Solidarity Traditional Patterned Thinking Personal Spontaneous Consensus Decisions Sacred / Magic Festivals as Integrating Based on Redfield Slum Church Culture Isolated 3 Extended families Group decision- making Traditional Noisy, Emotional High Emphasis on the Supernatural A Rhythm of Events Globalised City Consciousness Easily accessible Multi-cultural Individual Units Experimental Abstract Thinking Impersonal Planning Individual Decisions Secular Festivals insignificant Compartmentalism Based on Berger

Church Leadership Styles in Context Peasant Societies – Church as village Feudal Lord - Pastor Peasants – Congregation Group (Consensus) Decision Making Cities – Church as corporation CEO – Pastor Individual Decision Making “Slum dwellers are peasants of the city.”

What Do Poor People’s Churches Look Like? (Economic) Produce little wealth Unemployment, underemployment Low wages Lack of property Lack of savings Absence of food reserves Chronic shortage of cash Frequent purchases of food at high prices Pawning of personal goods Borrowing at usurious rates Informal credit arrangements Use of secondhand furniture The Nature of the Urban Poor Church Breaking Debt Barriers No More than 6 th Grade education Middleman The Nature of the Urban Poor Church Breaking Debt Barriers No More than 6 th Grade education Middleman

Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Psychological) Psychological CharacteristicExpected Church Culture Live in the present Pervading sense of hopelessness (?) (subsequent studies disprove this theory for migrant communities, but reinforce it for longterm slum communities To show their honor before God Fatalism, helplessness, dependence, inferiority To break their inferiority complex Break the fatalism. To provide the opportunity to be somebody, the roles High incidence of weak ego structure (?) Counselling through their emotional scars Confusion of sexual identification Accountability and good discipling relationships are the key.

Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Psychological) Psychological CharacteristicExpected Church Culture Present time orientation Little disposition to defer gratification or plan for the future High tolerance for psychological pathology (deviant) Pre-occupation with “machismo”

Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Relationship of Subculture to Major Institutions) Culture of PovertyExpected Church Culture Non-integration ?? Disengagement from marriage ?? Hostility to basic institutions Hatred of police Mistrust of Government Cynicism towards established church Potential for political unrest Alternative institutions and procedures

Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Relationship of Subculture to Major Institutions)

Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Family & Community) Few legally married (value marriage as morally good, but limits options) Minimal Organization beyond extended family Gregariousness in community Low level of organization (less than peasant village, less than middle class)

Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Family & Community cont.)

Leadership Development Among the Poor The missionary as equipper The key leader may be spiritually, in character, in terms of recognition by the group, the leader but have to deal with deep debt. Leadership groups make decisions in different style to Western thinking – consensus vs top down, holistic vs linear task oriented.

References Berger, P. L., B. Berger, et al. (1973). The Homeless Mind: Modernization and Consciousness. New York, Random House. Grigg, V. (2004). Cry of the Urban Poor. London, Authentic Press, ch 15, (1992). Church of the Poor. Discipling the City: A Comprehensive Approach to Urban Mission. R. Greenway. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker: Lewis, O. (1965). La Vida: A Puerto Rican Family in the Culture of Poverty. San Juan and New York:, Vintage Books. --- (1966). ""The Culture of Poverty."." Scientific American 215(4): 3-9. Redfield, R. and M. Singer (1947/1969b). The Folk Society. Classic Essays on the Culture of Cities. NY, Meredith. --- (1954/1969a). The Cultural Role of Cities. Classic Essays on the Culture of Cities. R. Sennett. NY, Meredith.