Created in the image of God? Progressive social services and faith-based organizations

There are concerns that religion in state-funded social services for people experiencing poverty can lead to discrimination, proselytizing, and moralism. The welfare state ideals of universalism and comprehensiveness sought to overcome limitations of social services provided by faith-based organizat...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Authors: Parsell, Cameron 1974- (Author) ; Hutchins, Marcus (Author) ; Simpson Reeves, Laura (Author) ; Deighton, Chris (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Carfax Publ. 2021
In: Journal of contemporary religion
Year: 2021, Volume: 36, Issue: 3, Pages: 461-481
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Heilsarmee / Image of God / Inclusion (Sociology) / Social services / Religious organization
IxTheo Classification:CH Christianity and Society
KDG Free church
NBE Anthropology
NCC Social ethics
RK Charity work
Further subjects:B Justice
B Universalism
B Social Services
B faith-based organizations
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Description
Summary:There are concerns that religion in state-funded social services for people experiencing poverty can lead to discrimination, proselytizing, and moralism. The welfare state ideals of universalism and comprehensiveness sought to overcome limitations of social services provided by faith-based organizations. Against the backdrop of the secular welfare state theories—albeit often unrealized—and concerns that faith in social services leads to exclusion, this article demonstrates how evangelical faith can drive progressive social services. Drawing on ethnographic research in Australia, the article illustrates how commitment to the doctrine that all people are created in the image of God shapes a model of social service where faith is explicitly positioned to disrupt distinctions between the moral and the immoral. Our analysis demonstrates how faith is used to challenge the assumption that people’s behaviors reflect their values, aspirations, and identities. Faith drives and justifies non-exclusionary social service provision.
ISSN:1469-9419
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2021.1959163