Urban Poor Spirituality: The Urban Poor Church & the Culture of Poverty

1. Urban Poor Spirituality: The Urban Poor Church & the Culture of Poverty Reflections by Viv Grigg on Oscar Lewis’ Culture of Povertyand 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

2. 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

3. Urban Consciousness & Slum Church Culture

4. Urban Consciousness & Slum Church Culture

5. Urban Consciousness & Slum Church Culture

6. 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.”

7. 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 What Do Poor People’s Churches Look Like? (Economic) • The Nature of the Urban Poor Church • Breaking Debt Barriers • No More than 6th Grade education • Middleman

8. Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Psychological)

9. Characteristics of the Culture of Poverty (Psychological)

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

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

12. 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)

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

14. 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.

15. 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 15,16. • ----. (1992). Church of the Poor. Discipling the City: A Comprehensive Approach to Urban Mission. R. Greenway. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker: 159-170. • 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.