Poverty as the impact of the COVID-19

Abstract

This is an ethnography study which aimed to find out the real condition of poverty in Indonesia. Preliminary study showed that there are massive social impacts in the new normal due to COVID-19. There are three kinds of poverty that can be seen in real terms namely extreme poverty, absolute poverty, and relative poverty. Moreover, when viewed from the biblical approach, there are two words used that helped us in our research on poverty, namely "race” = “poor people" and "dal” which is more translated as “weaker” than “poor”. The Bible does not state a single view on poverty but mentioned some Bible passages. The first is idleness poverty. This poverty is caused by laziness or negligence over personal responsibility to look for means to meet needs. The Bible uses ants as an opposite example of laziness in the book of Proverbs 6:6. The second is theodise poverty. This poverty is illustrated by Job who was stripped off of his riches, yet he was able to accept and embrace whatever the Lord gave to him.