Christianity in India
- Submitted by: kuttyponnu
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- Category: History: Religion
- Date Submitted: 11/01/2011 09:22 AM
- Pages: 3
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Features of Christian social work
1. From option to compulsion: The persisting effort to work for the uplift of the poor and marginalized of the society amidst the opposition is derived from the Ten Commandments and its gist “love your neighbour as you love your God ….” Explained in the parable of Good Samaritan Jesus asked them “go and do likewise”. Therefore, for a Christian, social service is not an option but essential part of his day-to-day life.
2. From Working for; to working with the least, lost and last: Jesus Christ was always the part of the humanity and part with the poor and marginalized but did not ignore the rich. “By taking the side of the poor and downtrodden and by raising voice against prevailing injustice and the authority of the ruling class, Christ had to pay the price of accepting his crucifixion. Thus, social worker, according to Christianity, must continue to have vision of just society and work towards the realization of t basic Christian values, accompanied by both a faith dimension and spiritual aspect”
3. From Humanism to Spiritualism: mere humanism will not suffice the integral development of the community. The Christians are aware that those guided only by humanistic values and social work principles and scientific methods will achieve their social work objectives but they will fall short of continuous commitment and selfless services. The concept of Amartya Sen is significant to the above statement ‘there is a need for incorporation of ethics into economic development’.
4. From Charity to Development: The commandment to love your neighbour as you love yourself is the inspiration for starting charitable services by the Christians. But close examinations of the work reveals that it can create ‘a feeling of benevolence and superiority on the part of giver and sense of inferiority among the recipient. Thus experimenting community model and to practice of equality, fraternity the shift of work especially among funding agencies have...
1. From option to compulsion: The persisting effort to work for the uplift of the poor and marginalized of the society amidst the opposition is derived from the Ten Commandments and its gist “love your neighbour as you love your God ….” Explained in the parable of Good Samaritan Jesus asked them “go and do likewise”. Therefore, for a Christian, social service is not an option but essential part of his day-to-day life.
2. From Working for; to working with the least, lost and last: Jesus Christ was always the part of the humanity and part with the poor and marginalized but did not ignore the rich. “By taking the side of the poor and downtrodden and by raising voice against prevailing injustice and the authority of the ruling class, Christ had to pay the price of accepting his crucifixion. Thus, social worker, according to Christianity, must continue to have vision of just society and work towards the realization of t basic Christian values, accompanied by both a faith dimension and spiritual aspect”
3. From Humanism to Spiritualism: mere humanism will not suffice the integral development of the community. The Christians are aware that those guided only by humanistic values and social work principles and scientific methods will achieve their social work objectives but they will fall short of continuous commitment and selfless services. The concept of Amartya Sen is significant to the above statement ‘there is a need for incorporation of ethics into economic development’.
4. From Charity to Development: The commandment to love your neighbour as you love yourself is the inspiration for starting charitable services by the Christians. But close examinations of the work reveals that it can create ‘a feeling of benevolence and superiority on the part of giver and sense of inferiority among the recipient. Thus experimenting community model and to practice of equality, fraternity the shift of work especially among funding agencies have...