Religion in Philanthropic Organizations ― Family, Friend, Foe?

Religion in Philanthropic Organizations explores the tensions inherent in religious philanthropies across a variety of organizations and examines the effect assumptions about "professional" philanthropy have had on how religious philanthropies carry out their activities. Among the organizations discussed are the Salvation Army, the World Council of Churches, and Catholic Charities USA. The essays focus on the work of one individual, Robert Pierce, founder of World Vision and Samaritan's Purse, and on more general matters such as philanthropy and Jewish identity, American Muslim philanthropy since 9/11, and the federal program that funds faith-based initiatives. The book sheds light on how religion and philanthropy function in American society, shaping and being shaped by the culture and its notions of the "common good."

Thomas J. Davis is Professor of Religious Studies and Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). He is managing editor of Religion and American Culture: A Journal of Interpretation, editor of John Calvin's American Legacy, and author of the entry on philanthropy in the Encyclopedia of Religion in America.