文章基本信息

标题：Aid Under Protest?
本地全文：下载
作者：Herman Noordegraaf
期刊名称：Diaconia
印刷版ISSN：1869-3261
电子版ISSN：2196-9027
出版年度：2010
卷号：1
期号：1
页码：47-61
DOI：10.13109/diac.2010.1.1.47
语种：English
出版社：Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlage
摘要：This article deals with the involvement of churches in the Netherlands in material aid to the poor. It deals with the subject at three levels: the Dutch context in general, the churches, particularly the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, and financial aid to the poor provided by local churches. In the fifties and later on the churches' role in material aid diminished as a consequence of the improvement of living standards and the building up of the welfare state. However, as a consequence of social-economic developments and the restructuring of the welfare state churches were confronted with questions about how to deal with people who had got into financial problems after becoming dependent on benefits because of unemployment, disability, divorce, single motherhood etc. Data that are based on empirical research among local churches are given about the developments in the material aid provided by churches from 2002 on and a description of churches' involvement in foodbanks. Moreover the question on how the churches understand their responsibilities in this field is discussed. It is shown that churches promote the vision that material assistance provided by churches should be combined with protest because it is the task of the state to promote general welfare and to secure the basic needs of people in society. Advocacy and lobbying on behalf of the poor are essential tasks of churches.