Religion In Philanthropy

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Religion in philanthropy and faith-based organizations have been frequently discussed in academic literature and research. Through this literature review, I will discuss the research on both.
All major religions emphasize generosity to those in need. In Christianity, believers are called to love their neighbors (Seelarbokus, 2016). In Islam, there are the concepts of the zakat and sadaqua to care for those in need (Lambarra & Riener, 2015). Judaism stresses the importance of tithing to provide for the poor (Seelarbokus, 2016). With religion playing a critical role for many individuals, it is no surprise that around half of all philanthropic giving goes to religious organizations (Seelarbokus, 2016). Research has shown that donors who
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Seiple says fundraising is a ministry, “because it is energized by thoughtful giving, the kind of giving that allows for radical hospitality, a giving that speaks to the “way of the Cross” and the spiritual maturity that should compel Christians to follow Jesus’ example. There is nothing trivial about the asking, giving, and receiving of funds to further worthy endeavors. In this sense, the fundraiser occupies an anointed position.” Based on explanation of his own occupation as an “anointed position” it is clear the Seiple views his work as a ministry and not just a job for a paycheck.
My review of the literature also found that faith-based organizations perform better than secular organizations when it comes to serving individuals with multiple service needs due to not using rigorous criteria in selecting whom they will serve (Sinha, 2013). A comparison of faith-based and secular service recipients furthermore found that recipients at faith-based nonprofits were more likely to have experienced multiple and more extreme conditions of poverty and need than recipients of secular service providers (Reingold, 2007)
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In his article, Levin notes the fundamental questions of this debate, “What should be the parameters surrounding federal funding of faith-based initiatives/partnerships? Who defines what is and is not acceptable behavior—of a religiously partisan nature—on the part of funding recipients? How are assurances regulated and enforced regarding: Potential misuse of federal funds by faith-based organizations in ways that violate church-state separation? Potential federal violations of the religious freedom of faith-based organizations?”
Under Presidents Clinton and Bush, the concept of charitable choice was established (Daly, 2009). Charitable choice provides faith-based nonprofits a right of eligibility for government grants or contracts for social services, along with protections to maintain their religious independence within federally- funded programs (Daly, 2009). Despite this concept being continued by President Obama, the debate on separation of church and state

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