عنوان

Theology Mediating Social Capital:

LA115911

انگلیسی

Theology Mediating Social Capital:

[Article]

Ordinary Theology, Motivation and Relationships

Michael Smith

Leiden

Brill

The concept of social capital and its use as a sociological tool has received considerable attention and continues to provide insights into various aspects of community life. Social capital offers a means to study beneficial and detrimental aspects of relationships away from economic or rationalist reduction. Although social capital and religious affiliation has seen significant attention in the literature, there has been little research into the relationship between theology and social capital. In this article, theology and social capital is explored through a qualitative ethnographic study of an Australian faith-based organisation. It is argued that ordinary theology, defined as the beliefs found in the language of believers without scholarly religious education (Astley ) mediates social capital. The ordinary theology of the volunteers, which I call action-driven theology was found to mediate bridging social capital with refugees through developing theologically significant relationships. The concept of social capital and its use as a sociological tool has received considerable attention and continues to provide insights into various aspects of community life. Social capital offers a means to study beneficial and detrimental aspects of relationships away from economic or rationalist reduction. Although social capital and religious affiliation has seen significant attention in the literature, there has been little research into the relationship between theology and social capital. In this article, theology and social capital is explored through a qualitative ethnographic study of an Australian faith-based organisation. It is argued that ordinary theology, defined as the beliefs found in the language of believers without scholarly religious education (Astley ) mediates social capital. The ordinary theology of the volunteers, which I call action-driven theology was found to mediate bridging social capital with refugees through developing theologically significant relationships.

2017

87-103

Journal of Empirical Theology

30/1

1570-9256

bridging

faith-based organisation

History of Religion

refugee

Religion & Society

Religious Studies

social capital

Social Sciences

theology

volunteer

Michael Smith

10.1163/15709256-12341351

p

[Article]

275578

a

Y