Experiencing visions of Canadian church workers: Exploring the mentality fueling systems involved in poverty reduction

Abstract To better understand the preferred role of faith‐based organizations in secular society, the Canadian Council of Churches partnered with researchers to explore current systems of poverty reduction. The nature of the systems involved in attending to the underlying collective subjectivities (i.e., group/communally‐shaped psychological experiences such as shared motivations, values, and aspirations) often being overlooked was justification for the importance of the research. These collective subjectivities are the forces that often drive system functioning. We conducted exploratory qualitative work situated in a theoretical frame informed by bringing together systems theory along with cultural psychology (an approach that focuses on socio‐communally shaped collective subjectivities). In turn, this theoretical frame‐shaped how Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was employed. A total of 33 participants' collective subjectivities undergirding systems surrounding poverty reduction reveals a missional faith foundation leading toward perceived essential processes of advocacy and congregational connections bridging communal divisions. They see themselves as distinctly striving to create opportunities that encourage poverty alleviation in a holistic and dignified manner reflected in a multidimensional understanding of poverty. Perceived procedural tension exists between giving (that has long‐lasting change and resonates with colonial forms of charity) and forming relationships can help people more effectively.