Religion, Welfare and Social Service Provision

Abstract

For the last two decades from 30,000 feet, the average person and the distant scholar would think that religion’s contribution to public life has been embodied by a shadow boxing of sorts between the right and left. Such a broad stroke does make for good news, debate, and discussion, but does not capture the thousands, if not hundreds of thousands partnerships among religious communities, government, nonprofits, to fill the gaps mostly created by a world-wide shrinking of the “welfare state” and aimed at the “public good.” We are calling for papers that capture how houses of worship at the ground level, are increasingly “houses of service.” Papers in this Special Issue will be focused on building a better understanding of the intersection of general welfare policy, religion, and religion and service as it takes shape in the voluntary actions of the religious community.