Economics of Faith

Reforming Poverty in Early Modern Europe

Esther Chung-Kim (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

272 Seiten

2021
Oxford University Press Inc (Verlag)
978-0-19-753773-2 (ISBN)

Artikel merken

Economics of Faith examines the role of religious leaders in the development of poor relief institutions in early modern Europe. As preachers, policy makers, advocates, and community leaders, these reformers offered a new interpretation of salvation and good works that provided the religious foundation for poor relief reform. Although poverty was once associated with the religious image of piety, reformers no longer saw it as a spiritual virtue. Rather they considered social welfare reform to be an integral part of religious reform and worked to modify existing poor relief institutions or to set up new ones.

Population growth, economic crises, and migration in early modern Europe caused poverty and begging to be an ever-increasing concern, and religious leaders encouraged the development and expansion of poor relief institutions. This new cadre of reformers served as catalysts, organizers, stabilizers, and consolidators of strategies to alleviate poverty, the most glaring social problem of early modern society. Although different roles emerged from varying relationships and negotiations with local political authorities and city councils, reform-minded ministers and lay leaders shaped a variety of institutions to address the problem of poverty and to promote social and communal responsibility. As religious options multiplied within Christianity, one's understanding of community determined the boundaries, albeit contested and sometimes fluid, of responsible poor relief. This goal of communal care would be especially relevant for religious refugees who as foreigners and strangers became responsible for caring for their own group.

Esther Chung-Kim is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California and the Associate Director of The Gould Center for Humanistic Studies.

Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
List of Figures

Introduction: Religious Foundations of Reform
Chapter 1: Wittenberg Reformers: Critique as Catalyst
Chapter 2: Johannes Bugenhagen: Diplomat of Poor Relief
Chapter 3: Heinrich Bullinger: Preacher for Poverty Prevention
Chapter 4: Migration and Religious Refugees: Poor Relief in Crisis
Chapter 5: John Calvin: Refugee Pastor and Promoter of the French Fund
Chapter 6: Swiss Brethren and Dutch Mennonites: Networks of Mutual Aid
Chapter 7: Hutterites in Moravia: Communal Property
Conclusion: Religious Reformers as Practical Visionaries

Bibliography
Index

Erscheinungsdatum	28.04.2021
Reihe/Serie	Oxford Studies in Historical Theology
Verlagsort	New York
Sprache	englisch
Maße	236 x 157 mm
Gewicht	612 g
Themenwelt	Geschichte ► Allgemeine Geschichte ► Neuzeit (bis 1918)
	Geschichte ► Teilgebiete der Geschichte ► Religionsgeschichte
	Religion / Theologie ► Christentum ► Kirchengeschichte
	Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie
ISBN-10	0-19-753773-1 / 0197537731
ISBN-13	978-0-19-753773-2 / 9780197537732
Zustand	Neuware