Global Poverty: A Theological Guide

While a number of secular philosophers have written on global poverty, theologians have either steered clear entirely or simply mimicked the political analysis currently on offer. Christian authors have argued either for a free market solution to global poverty or for a radical reform of global capitalism as the best approach, but the theological underpinnings of such conclusions are noticeable by their absence. Justin Thacker offers a new way forward. He suggests deeply theological answers to questions around the effect of capitalism on global poverty and whether aid is really a sustainable long term solution for the world’s poor. This book will challenge theologians, church leaders and congregations to consider much more seriously the huge implications of faith and theology on our attitude to those who live in extreme poverty.

Justin Thacker is a lecturer in practical and public theology at Cliff College. He is the author of Postmodernism and the Ethics of Theological Knowledge (2007) and co-editor of "Micah's Challenge: The Church's Responsibility to the Global Poor" (2008). He has spoken regularly at some of the UK's major Christian conferences, including Spring Harvest and has written for the Guardian newspaper and Third Way.