| dc.description.abstract | Churches and faith-based organizations have made concerted attempts towards answering both
spiritual and physical cries of the poor in Africa, and Kenya in particular. This has partly been
attributed to the fact that religion is got lived in a vacuum and that spiritufl progress and worldly
development are necessarily interrelated. However, documents of earlier studies have focused on
the economic systems while underestimating the power and influence of religion in the
eradication of poverty; thus, relegating religion to a matter of spiritual significance. It is evident
that economic systems alone to date have been inadequate and the growth of poverty has not
been reversed. Nevertheless, the role of religion particularly the Church of God in Kenya (CoGK)
in poverty eradication has not been adequately studied by researchers yet human spirit and
determination are cornerstone for poverty alleviation and wealth creation. Over 65% of the
people living in Emuhaya District live below the poverty line and are food poor. The overriding
objective of this study was to assess the role of the CoG-K in alleviating poverty in Emuhaya
District of Western Kenya. Specifically, the study analyzed the contribution of CoG-K's
teachings to people's participation in poverty alleviation, assessed the achievements of the CoGK
projects meant to alleviate poverty, and evaluated the social-economic challenges facing the
CoG-K in alleviating poverty in Emuhaya District. This study was a cross-sectional research that
sought to give an examining and descriptive scrutiny of the CoG-K's activities in Emuhaya
District of Western Kenya. The concepts of liberation theology and reconstruction provided the
analytical framework for the study. It posited that a socia-political process represents a radical
engagement for Christianity with the world, with the intent to represent human freedom and
God's gratuitous activity in the questions aQd issues of the day. This study sampled a total of312
respondents (1 Bishop, 1 General Secretary, 1 General Assembly Trustee, 1 General Assembly
Treasurer, 16 Directors, 282 Pastors, and 10 Elders) through purposive sampling method. Oral
interviews, questionnaire methods and focus group discussion were used to collect data from the
respondents. Observation method was used to validate the information obtained through oral
interviews and questionnaires. Secondary data was sourced from published and unpublished
literature. Data was analyzed using the theological method of induction (TMI). The findings of
the study showed that the teachings of the CoG-K formed the basis by which social problems
were viewed and addressed. This was revealed in the people's participations in religious, social
and economic activities in Emuhaya District. Consequently, the research established that the
CoG-K's teachings is a major force influencing efforts that promote religious values as an
avenue for enhancing development at grassroots level where the majority of the poor live.
Therefore, the contributions of the CoG-K's teachings to people's ideas about alleviation of
poverty are closely connected to fundamental economic activities in Emuhaya District. The study
further established that whereas the church's motive was need based evangelism, it also initiated
development projects in various areas such as health care, education and training, empowerment
of women, youth and children, social welfare programs that provide for shelter and housing. The
church has done all these in order to improve the living standards of the people in Emuhaya
District. Regardless of the CoG-K efforts towards development, some of its programs and
ceremonial functions like ordination, baptism, marriage and weddings tend to retard these efforts
of alleviating poverty. Thus, they delay change in behavioural and institutional transformation
capable of sustaining economic growth. H;wever, it is recommended that if Emuhaya District is
to develop, it has to place the CoG-K's teachings and theology of the option for the poor at the
top of the agenda and to consider it as is so often the case, as adjunct to core of the work, that is
development. | en_US |
