Poverty as an Issue of Justice: A Comparative Islamic and Christian Theological Analysis of Socio-Economic Inequality in Indonesia

Abstract

Persistent socio-economic inequality raises not only questions of economic policy but also fundamental questions concerning justice, human dignity, and moral responsibility. Islamic and Christian traditions contain extensive theological reflections on poverty, charity, solidarity, wealth, and obligations toward vulnerable communities. This article comparatively examines Islamic and Christian theological approaches to poverty and their implications for socio-economic justice in Indonesia. Using comparative theological analysis, the study explores concepts such as zakat, sadaqah, stewardship, charity, solidarity, and responsibility toward the poor. The research argues that poverty should not be understood solely as an individual failure or a matter of voluntary charity. Theological justice requires attention to structural conditions that produce and reproduce economic exclusion. Accordingly, religious communities have responsibilities not only to provide charitable assistance but also to advocate for fair institutions, social protection, and equitable access to economic opportunities. The article proposes a comparative theological justice framework combining individual responsibility, communal solidarity, and structural transformation. Such an approach can enrich public debates on poverty by connecting religious ethics with questions of distributive justice and public policy. The study concludes that theological traditions can provide powerful normative resources for addressing inequality when charity is connected to structural conceptions of justice.