Subsidiarity and Serving the Poor

My next few blogs will be my reflections from the Acton University Conference held in Grand Rapids this past week. I recommend if you have the opportunity to go to this conference next year. Here is a link to Acton's website. http://www.acton.org/

Subsidiarity is a new term that I learned at Acton. It is based upon the idea that humanity and society is built upon and around institutions. Institutions include family, the Church, government, neighborhoods, etc. Subsidiarity says that decisions should be made at the lowest institutional level possible. For example, the government shouldn't regulate how to raise children because that is the families responsibility, but they should be the sphere of responsibility and authority over interstates, police, national defense, etc. When an authority oversteps their bounds, such as the government meddling with family decisions, then institutions become politicized, breakdown, and lose their proper role in humanity and society. For more on the definition on subsidiarity please check out the Wiki article.

Subsidiarity was originally a protestant idea that was taken over by the Catholics. Pope Leo XIII promoted subsidiarity as the medium and better solution to the excess of consumeristic capitalism and the state-as-god political system know as communism. The middle of the pendulum swing is one of the reasons I think I love subsidiarity. I see the excess and gluttony and greed produced from capitalism and I see the destructive nature of socialism in regards to the family, religion, and God given freedom.

So, I turn to the practical side of subsidiarity and serving the poor. First let me say that I think this alleviates the guilt of being American and seeing such poverty by providing a course of action. It is an alternative to just throwing money at the problem or getting rid of all wealth, joining the poor in their poverty, and not helping yourself or them escape it. Subsidiarity restores the dignity of the individual as well as transforms the structures that support and encourage that miserable poverty.

I credit this process to Marvin Olasky who has described seven principles of effective compassion through this concept of subsidiarity. What he understands compassion to be is accompanying another in their struggle of poverty. The first and second step of the process are very important as the starting block but the next steps are interdependent and can switch order. The first step is affiliation. This means that people need to belong to something at a local level. This is the beginning of relationship between two persons. The key to discover deeper human need is through relationship. The next step is bonding. Once a relationship is established, depth needs to be added. This is a connection to people in a long lasting relationship. Persons become very open and honest and truly are beginning to love one another. The next step is categorization. Not everyone is in the same boat because they have the same need. We need to differentiate the causes or the reasons behind the needs and behind their poverty. Next is discernment. This means helping the person toward good and lasting change through proper decision making. The next step is employment. This is where they learn to support themselves. This involves reconnecting with family and friends and well as finding a support system like a job. The next step is freedom. The person starts making choices for themselves. They now have the support, skills, and discernment to conquer their poverty. The final step is God. This is where the Gospel is brought in and shared.

I think an example of this is a ministry established my friend Tony called Life on the Brick. LOB is a relational dinner held twice a week. Everyone is invited. The dinners are centered around the idea of people getting to know one another and building that relationship. After awhile the bond is formed and Tony is able to categorize ones needs. He then invites them to join the team through volunteering and begins the process of helping that person make good decisions while giving them responsibility to help the cause. Eventually through this process people have found freedom from things like drugs, poverty, and broken situations but, they have also found Christ.

So those are my thoughts on that. I feel like I could type forever on the topic. Please post comments and questions because I really would love to hear your thoughts but would also like to know how I'm wrong because currently I think this is seemingly perfect solution to interactions with poverty.