Philanthropy as a matter for civil society
The two keynote lectures provided a broader context: theologian Erik Borgman (Tilburg University) revealed the (hidden) religious pretensions within capitalism, which clash with the core of Christianity (personal care and welfare). When economic returns become decisive, this prevents genuine help to others and blocks the search for creative solutions and alternatives. In short, the means have become the end: society has come to serve the economy instead of the other way around. The good news is that on the social side (including the churches), a rebellious attitude can be taken against this purely profit-oriented thinking.
The lecture by Theo Schuyt, professor of philanthropic studies at VU University Amsterdam, tied in with that last point: civil society must make its voice heard in order to convey to the government what the public interest entails and to call the government accountable for what is truly no longer acceptable. The largest transgenerational capital transfer in history is set to take place within the coming years. The question is how we as a society will deal with this. The billions from inheritances will make many private funds available that can be used for charitable causes.
Intertwining and criticism of churches
With these two lectures participants were brought up right up to speed with current affairs. Both elements, reflection and action, were addressed in the fifteen presentations. Various historians traced the intertwining of churches with financial interests. Especially in the early stages of the colonies, churches already made use of commercial channels, which meant that systematic oppression continued to exist. In Europe, church members were able to voice their opposition to exploitation. Protestants in the 19th century often did so on an individual basis and observed that the nature of labour had changed. Catholics participated in a broader discussion in response to papal messages. This led to the development of Catholic philosophical thinking, which allowed the working class room to negotiate a living wage, although there was disagreement as to whether this applied only to the worker himself or also to his family. Protective measures found their way into legislation.
Stronger together for a parish church
In the mid-19th century, individual philanthropists used targeted donations to put new social issues on the agenda and looked beyond their borders for good examples. Large groups of believers (from the middle class) were also able to do this by organising themselves into foundations. As a result, money began to flow more and more into church communities. An example of what could be achieved by joining forces was the many new parish churches that were built in Belgium and the Netherlands around the turn of the last century. In practice, it took a lot of money to establish new parishes in working-class neighbourhoods. Parish priests became skilled at tapping into private capital. In Belgium, civil authorities sometimes made up the shortfall, but private lenders were also called upon.
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