Religious Attitudes to Rich and Poor in British Society

Within this topic candidates should be aware of religious beliefs and teachings concerning individual wealth and poverty and explanations for the existence of both rich and poor in society. They should be aware of the implications of these beliefs and teachings in relation to:

• religious attitudes towards the rich and the poor;
• religious attitudes towards the responsible use of money;
• the possible causes and sources of wealth, including business and enterprise, gifts and inheritance, earnings and savings;
• the possible causes of poverty, including:
  • homelessness,
  • laziness,
  • apathy,
  • gambling,
  • lack of education,
  • family situation,
  • dependency,
  • illness;
• ways of overcoming poverty: what is being done to help people break out of the poverty trap, including counselling, training, education, fund raising and the work of charities and religious organisations;
• issues such as the minimum wage and excessive salaries;
• the debate about who is responsible for the poor and what they should do to care for the poor, including the roles of the state, the community and the family;
• the role of the lotteries as a source of charity funding and personal wealth; whether or not it is right to take part.