Johannes Eurich, Beate Hofmann and Thorsten Moos (eds)
2025 | 491pp pb | ISBN: 978-1-917059-67-1
Diaconia – the Christian practice of social service and care – plays a significant role in societies across the globe. Shaped by diverse contexts, it takes on a wide range of forms and purposes, organizational models and networks, and involves both professional and voluntary engagement. Its relationships with churches, as well as with public and private welfare systems, are equally varied.
This volume offers a comprehensive overview of the global landscape of diaconia, exploring its historical development, contextual expressions, organizational patterns, and theological foundations.
The collection of case studies included in this volume offers both depth and breadth as it showcases the changes that diaconia – the social practice of the church – has undergone in recent times. Its breadth lies in the wide range of contexts represented: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ghana, Germany, India, Indonesia, Norway, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, and the United States. Each case study offers its own depth by addressing the structures and frame conditions of diaconal organizations, the societal and cultural background of diaconia in that particular context, how diaconia is engaged in societal transformation and, finally, the challenges and possibilities of diaconal theology as a scientific discipline. I highly recommend this book!
Rev Prof Dr Wanda Deifelt, Professor of Religion at Luther College, USA
This volume makes a profound contribution to global diakonia studies. By combining rigorous contextual analysis with theological depth, it advances the frontiers of both scholarship and practice.
Rev Dr Kenneth Mtata, Director of Programmes, World Council of Churches
In a world facing an increasing number of global crises the last decade has seen a renewed interest in Ahe social practice of the Christian churches, diakonia. This volume is a welcome and impressive ecumenical addition to a number of books published on what this practice might imply in various contexts globally. Empirical and theoretical contributions provide the reader with a rich ‘smorgasbord’ of perspectives, each deepening our understanding on a phenomenon that may only be understood contextually.
Professor Emerita, Rev Dr Ninna Edgardh, former Chair of The International Society for Research and Study of Diaconia and Christian Social Practice (REDI)
