Lutheranism and social responsibility

Nina J. Koefoed, Andrew G. Newby, Nina J. Koefoed, Andrew G. Newby

• Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9783525558683
• eBook ISBN: 9783647558684
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Theology

The contributions in this volume enter the debate about the way in which the provision of poor relief can be influenced by its national confessional context. They bring new perspectives to the understanding of theological aspects of Lutheranism, such as the connection between justification by faith alone and care for the poor, and work and work ethics. The articles also analyse the implementation of social responsibility of the authority towards different categories of poor ('deserving' and 'undeserving'), local administration and centralization of poor relief through connections of public and private sources of funding, and collaboration between state, church and civil society through different public and private aspects of poor relief. In this way the various contributions combine to demonstrate new ways in the study of the connection between confessional specifics and historical developments through detailed knowledge of theology, supported by concrete historical case studies.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright
• Table of Contents
• Preface / Acknowledgement
• Nina Javette Koefoed, Andrew G. Newby | Introduction. Lutheranism, Social Responsibility, and the Poor
• Esther Chung-Kim | Johannes Bugenhagen and Christian III. Reforming Church and Society in Denmark
• Christian Neddens | Justification and care. Reformation images of social responsibility
• David C. Fink | Against the Busybodies. Philipp Melanchthon and the “Protestant Work Ethic”
• Maria Nørby Pedersen | Christian relief for the poor in Early Modern Denmark
• Johanna Annola, Riikka Miettinen | Piety and prayers. Religion in the lives of the indoor poor in Finland, 1600s–1960s
• Nina Javette Koefoed | Lutheran social responsibility and the early Danish welfare state
• Andrew G. Newby | “Brothers of the Nordic Tribe”. Danish Famine Aid to Sweden and Finland 1867–68
• Anders Sevelsted | Lutheran doxa and Reformed action. Interconfessional influences on voluntary social work in late nineteenth-century Copenhagen
• Gorm Harste | Blind path dependencies. War and Welfare in the Lutheran States
• Index
• Notes on Contributors
• Body