Xavier Simoes Massingue

This dissertation sought to determine the need, possibilities, and strategies, necessary to alleviate urban poverty in Mozambique through the tool of transformational business, understood out of Contextual Theology of Work (CTOW). The focus of the study was the capital of Mozambique, Maputo metropolitan area; however, it makes generalizations that include diverse urban poor contexts. Two groups of people consisting of urban church leaders (UCL) participated in the research; one of UCL exposed to Theology of Work (TOW), and the other of urban church leaders not familiar with TOW. The study examines the dynamic relationships of urban poverty, unemployment, and work as raised and tackled by a CTOW. The biblical and theological basis of the study is faithful to contextual Bible interpretations. Thus, the study draws a parallel of the Exodus event with the development history of Mozambique.
Work was ordained by God. Thus, this dissertation explores its intrinsic, extrinsic, and eschatological importance in the mission of God. Transformational business is understood to be God’s way of providing employment in urban contexts. In urban contexts, employment affords Christian believers an altar on which to worship God with their work, which in God’s ecology translates into poverty alleviation.
This dissertation recommends the dissemination of contextual theology of work to mobilize the churches to engage in the mission of urban poverty alleviation. Urban poverty alleviation has impact beyond urban spaces.