The Magazine - Autumn 2019

Poverty in plenty

Published on: 1 September 2019

Articles in this issue...

About this Issue

There are over 2,000 verses in the Bible on poverty and justice. This seemed as good a premise as any to invite some people to tackle the subject of poverty in our world today and how we might respond.

In our main feature (pg 6), a discussion is held among a small group of people who have some knowledge and experience of working or volunteering with people in poverty or have acknowledged a “lack” in their own life.

There is a concern around the issue of homelessness, as a symptom of perhaps both material and spiritual poverty, running through this issue.

Shelter solicitor Julia Wheeler urges us to respond (pg 4), Lucy McKitterick reflects on the first year of the King’s Lynn Winter Nightshelter (pg 11) and Andy Bryant explains how a knitted house in Norwich Cathedral is raising awareness of the issues around homelessness (pg 10).

Bishop Jonathan talks of the importance of us “reaching out” to alleviate all types of poverty in his Pause Button piece (pg 5). Some practical responses are shared with the idea of “frugal innovation” (pg 12) and community fridges (pg 14). Fiona Haworth shares her faith journey with a particular consideration of global justice issues (pg 15) and pupils at a rural primary school in south Norfolk prove that you’re never too young to challenge our policymakers to give access to education for all worldwide (pg 17).

I hope the theme of this issue, along with the other content, inspires you to look afresh at your own faith journey and response to some of these “big issues”.