CCD Saturday: fcs urban perspectives

In his books Toxic Charity, Charity Detox, and Compassion, Justice, and the Christian Life, Bob Lupton challenges our paradigms of compassion and helping that are well intended but often unknowingly are paternalistic.  If you're interested in continuing to learn from the wisdom and experience of Lupton, you can sign up to get FCS newsletters here.

From this month's newsletter focusing on parity rather than charity:

"But what if we really wanted to forge genuine, trusting relationships? What if we wanted to engage as peers rather than patrons? Perhaps we would seek out activities providing a level playing field, like a soccer (or chess!) tournament. Or indigenous students teaching us conversational Spanish as we teach them English. Or employing experts in local culture and history – perspectives unlikely to appear in tourist brochures and guide books. Or having village elders impart wisdom borne of scarcity – faith journeys about which Western Christians know very little.

 

Parity eliminates pity. If we seek out talents and abilities rather than deficits and needs, we might encounter spiritual wealth that largely eludes the materially wealthy American missioner." 

 -Bob Lupton, June Urban Perspectives