Van Deren addresses the possible negative aspects of Christian benevolence ministries and proposes a path toward more a more relational, biblical, Trinitarian approach to these ministries. He states that, “when divorced from genuine personal engagement, efforts by Christians to provide one-time or short-term financial assistance to those of lower socio-economic status—though well-intentioned—can rob the recipients of their dignity and can become little more than a form of religious imperialism.” He asserts that, “these benevolence efforts fail to capture the true nature of covenantal love for neighbor, which derives from the eternal relationship of love within the Trinity between and among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” He discusses the negative nature of these benevolence ministries using personal examples, followed by a discussion of how a relational Trinitarian perspective should shape our future ministry efforts.
White-Man’s Burden Revisited: The Oppressiveness of Certain Forms of Christian Benevolence Ministry
This entry was posted by Kurt Van Deren on Saturday, January 26th, 2008 at 3:21 pm and is filed under Essays.
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