Foi Et Pauvreté A Madagascar : Enjeux Et Effets Socio-Théologiques De La Théologie De La Prospérité

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between faith and structural poverty in Madagascar through a contextual socio-theological approach combining religious studies and social analysis. Madagascar is characterized by persistent economic precarity and social vulnerability, within which evangelical and Pentecostal churches have experienced sustained growth. Prosperity theology has become a significant component of contemporary religious discourse. The study analyzes how this theological framework reshapes interpretations of faith, blessing, poverty, and prosperity, and how it informs believers’ economic perceptions and practices. It argues that prosperity theology functions ambivalently: it offers symbolic resources that foster hope, agency, and resilience, while simultaneously encouraging individualized interpretations of poverty that may obscure structural inequalities. By situating theological discourse within the Malagasy socio-religious context, the article contributes to interdisciplinary debates on religion and development, religious economies, and the socio-economic implications of contemporary Christianity in the Global South.