You may find that the scriptures surprise you, overturn your assumptions – and challenge you to take action to tackle poverty and injustice in the world today.
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In a thread that runs through all of scripture, God is concerned first and foremost with people who have been excluded from society by poverty, oppression and injustice. Laws like Jubilee in the Old Testament are designed to ensure that no one is left behind and exploited… The prophets stand up constantly against the rich and powerful who would oppress people in poverty… Mary sings of a God who has “brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly”… Jesus says “Blessed are you who are poor … But woe to you who are rich.”
But too often, when we read scripture in our churches, we forget that perspective. We focus on other aspects of the story, or we become so familiar with the text that we don’t notice the challenging things it has to say to us.
The five Bible studies in Untold Stories focus on the Gospel of Matthew, and highlight different perspectives. We look at Jesus’ teachings and miracles through the eyes of minor characters in the margins of the story. We remind ourselves that the original audiences for Jesus’ teaching, and for the Gospels, were primarily people who were themselves marginalised by poverty, living under military occupation.
The five studies in this resource look at different passages. Most of them also include an ‘unheard voice’ – a piece of creative writing, imagining the perspective of a minor or marginalised character in the story.
We hope that these Bible studies will help you find fresh perspectives on scripture, and challenge you to put your faith into action in the world today.
Ten years lie ahead like blank canvases or unfilled journals. 3,653 days that we can shape, use and hopefully enjoy.
We know our priorities as we begin the decade, but only time will tell what new issues, challenges and opportunities arise as we continue trying to loosen poverty’s grip. Before the 2020s gather pace, however, allow us to pause, and briefly look back at some of the work you helped to fund, enable and support in the 2010s. Thank you!
We began with a pleasing result from some of our earlier work. The Methodist Church and the Church of Scotland committed to support the Living Wage, helping ensure that people’s incomes are enough for them to live on.
Our ‘Rip-off TV’ action (pictured) persuaded the chief executive of a high-cost lender to sit down with his customers, listen to them, and join them in working for more responsible practices in the sector. Many aspects of our economy exacerbate poverty, charging poor people more for goods and services. We challenge this wherever we can.
Our Close The Gap campaign was launched, and thousands of you got involved, Giving, Acting and Praying to tackle inequality. We focused on fair taxes, fair prices and a fair say.
Working with partners near our own offices, our Salford Apprentice programme supported local people with experience of poverty to become community leaders. Those involved have since launched and spearheaded fascinating and powerful work of their own.
We and Christian Aid took a double-decker Tax Justice Bus around the UK, mobilising people to campaign against tax dodging.
There was more good news on the Living Wage, with support from the General Synod of the Church of England and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
We knew hunger was a growing issue in the UK, but it had been hard to quantify. Working with Oxfam, our joint Walking The Breadline research made front-page news as a pioneering and vital look at the full picture. Only by fully understanding such issues can we ensure we tackle the root causes effectively.
That Christmas, our “Britain Isn’t Eating” poster struck a chord across the country and went viral online.
We undertook a fascinating visit to India, which led to the creation of our Self-Reliant Groups project, small groups that can save and invest together, and provide mutual support.
We published the Charter to End the Payday Loan Rip-off in partnership with the Centre for Responsible Credit and Paul Blomfield MP. More than 40 MPs signed up to the Charter at the launch event in the House of Commons. This helped persuade the Financial Conduct Authority to crack down on payday lending and bring in new regulations, which led to Wonga and others paying more than £50m redress to customers.
The food focus continued. We began building partnerships among churches, charities, academics and others, to build an alliance that could explain, challenge and ultimately end food poverty. These were the foundations of the End Hunger campaign.
Many church leaders have embraced the campaign, and that year we worked with vicar Keith Hebden (pictured), as he fasted for the whole of Lent to raise awareness of the crisis.
We worked with the Joint Public Issues team on the Rethink Benefit Sanctions campaign. Sanctioning, which often tipped people into destitution, has since reduced and has been proven to be damaging.
Our Real Benefits Street project provided a true and balanced alternative to the sensationalist TV coverage, persuading one TV producer to meet our participants and listen to their concerns about stigma and inaccuracy.
We listened to churches around the UK, so their visions of what makes a Good Society could influence our planning.
We worked with the National Union of Journalists to produce new reporting guidelines, launched the End Hunger UK campaign, and launched our Church on The Margins work, exploring the challenge by Pope Francis and others to build a ‘poor church that is for the poor’.
Having researched ways for communities to tackle the Poverty Premium in their neighbourhood, we launched the Your Local Pantry network nationally. Pantries alleviate poverty by reducing shopping bills, allowing other essential costs to be met. Research has shown they are having a fantastic social, economic and health impact.
Our Voices From The Margins project, putting people with experience of poverty at the forefront of social and political conversations, was launched. More than 120 people have contributed so far.
We exposed the scale of cuts to localised crisis support in England. When people are swept into poverty, there must be lifelines to reach for, but most have been removed or neglected.
We launched our Scripture from the Margins Bible studies, helping churches and church-goers to think more deeply about, and respond more effectively to, poverty and injustice.
Our Food Power programme shifted the narrative around food and poverty, and helped strengthen local campaigning. Young people we worked with in Lancashire appeared on national TV and spoke truth to power, when they met politicians and took part in the national Children’s Future Food Inquiry.
Hundreds of people embraced a week of action in October, calling on the Government to Act Now To End UK Hunger.
Food Power supports food poverty alliances around the country to develop a sustainable response to food poverty and its root causes. Our independent evaluators from Cardiff University have now conducted their second annual evaluation of the programme. We are grateful to the team and all the alliances and individuals who fed into the evaluation.
We’re pleased that the year 2 evaluation continues to identify many positive findings, as well as some helpful reflections for us. The evaluation team presented us with four key questions to consider as we deliver the programme and we provide our responses below.
We will publish guidance for alliances and others working with experts by experience in the New Year. This will cover a wide range of aspects of involving people with lived experience of food poverty. We will work with Barbora Alderova who has just begun a PhD at Cardiff University. Her research will be on Food Power and the role of people with lived experience of food insecurity, specifically who gets involved, how and what happens (or not) next.
We have published our briefing on challenges faced by rural areas and the response in different rural areas. We will continue to work with alliances based in rural areas and gather learning from our shared experiences. We continue to be mindful of the interactions between food insecurity and characteristics such as disability, gender, ethnicity and age and will continue to encourage alliances to consider how they can respond to the needs of particular groups.
We continue to support eight alliances to develop tools for assessing their impact. The eight alliances will come together in early 2020 to assess progress and help us finalise what we can share more widely with the network and beyond. We aim to publish materials in the first half of 2020 and will actively promote these resources. As we deliver the second half of the programme we will continue to share learning from the network and feed this into national policy discussions.
Our local evaluation tools mentioned above should help alliances to identify progress, even where the best case is ‘standing still’ given the ongoing pressures on household and public sector budgets. In terms of future activities beyond the lifetime of the current programme, we are currently thinking through the questions we need to bring to the network in order to think through future plans. We are committed to involving the network as we think through any future plans.
Sharing learning and experiences is a fundamental part of Food Power and evaluation and reflection is a core part of this. Please do contact Simon Shaw at Sustain if you have any thoughts on the programme to date and/or our future activities.
Read how we loosened the grip of UK poverty in 2018-19.
Cast your mind back to 2015. Churches together in Britain and Ireland had asked churches to discuss with their local communities the question ‘What makes a good society?’ From these discussions they produced the 2020 vision. The expectation that the churches, other religious bodies and community organisations would work together with our elected representatives to build a good society in which all could thrive. It was where we aspired to be by the year 2020.
This is what it said:
This was not meant to be an exhaustive list. For example, the local conversation that I was involved in wanted to add ‘There is a thriving NHS which meets the needs of all.’
So with only just over a month until 2020, and another general election looming, this seems a good time to take stock. How did we do?
Quite simply, we failed. We did not build a good society – or even make steps towards it. If anything, we have moved further from our vision.
The implementation of Universal Credit and PIP assessment has led to greater hardship for many vulnerable people. An increasing number of people rely on food banks to get by. Homelessness is still evident in our communities. Most school budgets have been cut in real terms, reducing children’s and young people’s’ opportunities to thrive and achieve their potential. Cuts in local government have made youth services almost non existent in some areas. Young people’s mental health is an increasing concern. Tax dodging is still prevalent. As extinction rebellion campaigners remind us, the climate is in crisis and we have been far too slow to respond.
We failed – big time.
So what did we do with our vision? Did we hold it up as a beacon? Did we shout from our pulpits and to our communities “Look, this what we said. What are we doing about it?” No, we didn’t. We filed it away as yesterday’s news, a sound bite for the 2015 election.
Building the Good Society, or what Christians call the Kingdom of God, is not a short-term project. Neither is it only for politicians. It is a long term task that involves us all.
The General Election will take place during Advent. This is traditionally a time of waiting and preparation. But what are we waiting for? Not for a political leader, but for a vulnerable refugee child. A child who reminds us that leadership is about love and service. This is the way to a good society.
Let us remain faithful to our vision. No matter what happens in the election, let’s keep holding our politicians and churches to account. None of the people standing in this election is our saviour. We simply need to decide who would best love and serve with us as we strive towards a good society. The road is long, and sometimes difficult, but as the advent and Christmas stories reminded us, Christ walks with us.
This post first appeared on Liz Delafield’s blog.
Church Action on Poverty is nationally facilitating a number of regional gatherings engaging with local groups to explore issues related to poverty with a particular focus on ‘Speaking Truth to Power’.
On 9 November, St Nicholas’s Anglican Cathedral was the venue for the regional gathering for the North East of England, hosted by Church Action on Poverty North East.
Niall Cooper, the Director of Church Action on Poverty nationally, introduced the theme of the day ‘Speaking Truth to Power’. He noted that ‘truth’ does not seem to be held in much esteem at the moment. Niall then facilitated a ‘fireside chat’ with three women living and working in disadvantaged communities in Tyneside [including Heather and Cath], who in different ways have attempted to speak truth to power. It was evident that one reason truth needs to speak to power is that many of our law-makers have no idea what it could be like to be living on zero-hours contracts or welfare payments. The word ‘ignorance’ came up a great deal in the discussion.
Three workshops then followed. Niall Cooper showed (but with little sound) a short film made with support from Church Action on Poverty called Edgelands. It portrays the life of young people in Lancashire, where there is little adult support as they seek to deal with caring for sick parents, little money, homelessness and drug culture. The film was very much in the style of Ken Loach, revealing the stark reality of so many young people on these ‘edgelands’.
Revd Tracey Hume, a Methodist Deacon from Blaydon, Gateshead, talked about the Gateshead Poverty Truth Commission, which is bringing together those in authority and power with those experiencing poverty, so that it is the experiences and reality of those in poverty which will inform policy.
Rev Chris Howson, the Anglican Chaplain at Sunderland University, led a reflection on Matthew’s Gospel parable of the talents. He gave an ‘alternative reading’ of the parable arguing that the hero of the parable is the man who buries his talent since he is the one speaking truth to power.
The final input of the event was led by Debbie Honeywood, who plays Abbie in the new Ken Loach film Sorry We Missed You. After showing the trailer, Debbie talked about the issues in the film and how she prepared for the role. She worked in a care home for four weeks and discovered what life was like for carers as they sought to balance their holding up of a creaking social care system while still seeking to be mothers to their own children even if it is on a phone. Debbie spoke very powerfully on how people portrayed in the film are in isolated vulnerable situations. Communities of support have disappeared.
In the ensuing discussion, Debbie responded to a criticism of many of Loach’s films and especially in I, Daniel Blake, that one is left with no sense of hope. Debbie’s response was to say that it was the family, the one place where people are not isolated, that was the source of hope. This point is made very clear in the film when policeman makes it clear to the son that in having a family that cares he has an advantage that sadly many do not have.
As I left the event, I reflected on the ‘them’ that have power. It is ‘big business’ and ‘big government’. I wondered on how we can build relationship with those in power so that people in run-down communities in Tyneside can speak truth to power. It also struck me that although ‘big business’ is not democratically accountable, ‘big government’ is supposed to be. We are at the start of an election campaign, so I do wonder if in a very limited extent, those who have power is not simply ‘them’ but in a restricted way it is ‘us’. When politicians want our vote, we have more power over them than once they are elected for up to five years. So perhaps at this stage of an election where the next one may not be till autumn 2024, speaking truth to power, could also involve the opportunity, or perhaps an obligation, we have to ask our politicians to make commitments on the issues that matter to us. I appreciate that people may be sceptical on promises made, but at least with promises on particular issues politicians will be accountable to the electorate for the commitments made. It would be regrettable if this opportunity to speak truth to power while those who seek power need our vote is wasted. So I am left wondering what commitments do I want those who want my vote to make. I sense the possibility of speaking truth to power will only increase if we all ask that question.
This article first appeared on the Independent Catholic News website.
We were meeting as part of a reflection day for a new ecumenical network of people who are working in churches ‘on the margins’ in South Yorkshire, set up by Church Action on Poverty. We are people who want to challenge injustice, build solidarity between the church and people marginalised by society, and recognise the spirit at work all over our community!
So what does it mean to be a church on the margins? Maybe it means pushing back against institutional pressure to shut down buildings that have dwindling populations in poorer areas. Maybe it’s the thin places. Maybe church on the margins is just, well, church? My favourite suggestion was that we stop thinking about the margins and start talking about church on the fringe. Fringe festivals are exciting, edgy; experiments happens, and we take risks on people we don’t know anything about. Shouldn’t church be a bit like that?
Our day together was a chance to reflect on our own discipleship and explore our vision for our own churches and communities. I’ll tell you what we got up to, in case it’s helpful for your church.
After introducing ourselves – sharing our name and our pronoun and a little about our communities – we kicked off by looking at different images of Jesus, and picking out one that spoke to us. We had loads of them; here are three. What reaction do you have to them?
We then did what’s known as a ‘living’ Bible study, looking at the story of Jesus healing a man with leprosy, written about in the Gospel of Mark. We read the story a few times out loud, and then everyone was given a role and had to imagine they were Jesus, the person with leprosy, one of the onlookers, one of Jesus’ disciples, or one of the religious leaders.
In the story, the crowd drew back when they heard the leper’s bell ringing in case they were defiled by coming into contact with him, but Jesus had been sent by God to proclaim good news to the poor and destitute. The disciples and everyone else witness something outrageous, when Jesus transforms both the man’s disease, and his banishment from society. Before that, he’d been seen as unclean physically and religiously, because he is excluded from the worshipping community.
We started to ask who we exclude from our worshipping communities. Who do we not want to touch?
Next we shared stories we’d thought about in advance, of where we’ve seen the Spirit at work in what might be called the ‘margins’ of our society. Geoff talked about the man who comes to a group he’s part of and how he says it’s the only place he’s not viewed only as an addict, but something more than that. Alex talked about how they got drawn back to church when they came across one that was campaigning on behalf of a gay person seeking sanctuary. We heard lots of exciting things.
(We are not using people’s real names.)
Over a hearty lunch, Lisa showed us the art project she’d run with a local church, and the beautiful drawings she’d co-created with people in the community that got them interested in church, and coming to the coffee mornings.
In the afternoon, we shared some quiet time. Some people sat and drew, or wrote. Some people went for a walk in the rain. We were thinking about various questions, like:
After sharing our responses, we closed a day of meeting old and new friends with a blessing (thanks to jesuitresource.org):
May the God who created a world of diversity and vibrancy
Go with us as we embrace life in all its fullnessMay the Son who teaches us to care for strangers and foreigners
Go with us as we try to be good neighbours in our communitiesMay the Spirit who breaks down our barriers and celebrates community
Go with us as we find the courage to create a place of welcome for all
We gave people some useful resources to take away and mull over, like…
I hope they’ll be useful to you, too.
I hope we can work together as a group in the future. I think we need time together to fuel up for our work living church in this way. Watch this space.
Hannah Brock Womack is working to support our ‘community of praxis’ in Sheffield.
Photos: Sarah Purcell
Creatively amplifying the voices of our young people, telling their truth and stories in their language…
In the Edgelands, a land of forgotten estates, the film demonstrates the grim reality of issues surrounding food poverty, homelessness, and welfare. Edgelands contextualises these topics and uses them as a backdrop to put forward a message of resilience as one of the many creative ways the #DarwengetsHangry campaign is working to loosen the grip of poverty.
It was made by the young people involved in the ‘Darwen Gets Hangry’ campaign, who have had Church Action on Poverty’s support for a couple of years now. We were pleased to be able to provide a small grant through our ‘Speaking Truth to Power’ programme, which helped them to work with a young local film-maker and produce this powerful piece.
Please note that the film includes strong language from the start, and addresses issues including drug use and sexual exploitation.
Please share the film online, and help us make sure many people see it.
We’ve produced a set of cards you can use to prompt discussion of the issues raised by Edgelands. Click the link below to download a set of cards – or email us if you’d like to order a printed set.
In 2018, Church Action on Poverty’s report for End Hunger UK Step Up to the Plate called for comprehensive government thinking on responding to hunger in the UK. Household food insecurity is now being measured in the UK – but comprehensive policy responses are still lacking.
Our new report Why End UK Hunger?, published in November 2019, emphasises again why action is so urgently needed.
We worked with the University of Sheffield, King’s College London and ENUF to produce the report. Edited by leading food poverty experts Dr Hannah Lambie-Mumford and Dr Rachel Loopstra, Why End UK Hunger? newly brings together leading thinkers to make renewed arguments for why it is so important to address the root causes of hunger on the basis of seven key ‘cases’:
This report supports End Hunger UK’s new goal: to persuade all UK political parties to develop serious action plans to halve household food insecurity by 2025, and to make good on our existing commitment within the Sustainable Development Goal to end hunger by 2030.
