Grace and a Rights-based Approach to Development

Radical Abundance

Grace is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to people – "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" – that takes the form of divine favor, love, clemency, and a share in the divine life of God. It is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of sinners. Grace is most often described as God's unmerited favor toward His people.
The Radical Abundance theme for January is God's Abundance of Grace.
We are starting off the series with a discussion indirectly related to grace-- the rights-based approach to development work and humanitarian aid. Before 1997, most UN development agencies pursued a ‘basic needs’ approach: They identified basic requirements of people and either supported initiatives to improve service delivery or advocated for their fulfillment.
A human rights-based approach seeks to reinforce the capacities of duty bearers (usually governments) to respect, protect and guarantee the rights of people. It aims to address development complexities holistically, taking into consideration the connections between individuals and the systems of power or influence. And it endeavors to create dynamics of accountability.
But there is a big challenge in actually implementing a rights-based approach to development. It begins with inconsistent definitions of rights and the lack of understanding of whose responsibility it is to provide goods and services to people in need. This often leads to entitlement, dependency, and continued poverty.
Dan and Teresa Janzen live and serve in South Sudan where God's grace intersects with mankind's needs.
https://danandteresa.org
https://radical-abundance.org
More resources:
Universal Declaration of Human Rights with Scipture Annotation
https://www.cartercenter.org/resources/pdfs/peace/human_rights/universal-declaration-human-rights-scriptually-annotated.pdf
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Teresa Janzen is your host. She ignites a passion for abundant living through radical service. Teresa is an international speaker, author, and coach of speakers and writers. Her experience in leadership and global ministry drives her to share inspiring stories with wit and insight. Her candid and personable style is sure to capture the heart of any audience.