Abstract:
Abstract: The subject of wealth and poverty is one of the major themes in the JudeoChristian Scriptures. The continent of Africa is one of the regions hugely affected by poverty.
As such, there is an ongoing discourse about the biblical view of wealth and how it may be
used in tackling the canker of poverty. At one breath, our contemporary materialistic culture
is seducing Christians to accept the idea that poverty is a curse from God, whilst on the other
extreme, wealth is viewed as an impediment to entering the kingdom of God. While a
complete eradication of poverty remains a formidable challenge, particularly in vulnerable
contexts, there exists an opportunity for more concerted efforts to alleviate the plight of the
impoverished. As a contribution to the scholarly discourse, this paper examined what the
Bible reveals about wealth and poverty and made relevant theological deductions for African
church in dealing with wealth and poverty. This is timely against the backdrop that the
“centre of gravity” of Christianity is in Africa which makes it befitting to address the menace
of poverty from the biblical standpoint. The paper conducted a theological study of relevant
biblical passages. The fact that one’s wealth does not necessarily indicate their acceptance by
God and the need to share material resources were emphasized. Though the authors had the
African continent in mind, the paper also applies to other contexts which share Africa’s
socio-economic realities.
Keywords: Bible, God, Poverty, Wealth
