The Philanthropy of the Orthodox Church: A Rumanian Case Study

Abstract

On the basis of a definition of God as “love”, human philanthropy is derived from Divine philanthropy, and therefore extends to all human beings. Because Divine philanthropy is most centrally expressed in Christ's incarnation and resurrection, Christ's identification with all who suffer presents the strongest motivation for human philanthropy. After a short review of the Romanian Orthodox Church's development after 1989, the author turns to his special case study, the Social-Medical Day-Care Christian Centre for older citizens. He describes the wan in which Church-based philanthropy can integrate social-medical with Christian pastoral care, and how this work draws the local communities into assuming a shared responsibility.

Keywords:

• philanthropy
• Orthodox Church
• Romania
• pastoral care
• social care

Notes

1. Fr. Prof. Dumitru Radu, Învătătura Ortodoxă despre Dumnezeu, Bucureşti, 1986, p. 105 (The Orthodox Teaching about God, Bucharest, 1986, leaf 105)

2. Fr. Prof. Dumitru Stăniloae, ‘Dumnezeu este iubire,’ Ortodoxia, 3, 1971, p. 378 (God is love, article in Orthodoxy, 3, 1971, leaf 378.

3. Fr. Mihai Vizitiu, op. cit, leaf 13.

4. The European Union has allocated nonreimbursable funds through a number of programs for countries from Central and Eastern Europe in their pre-accession period. One of these schemes it is called PHARE Economic and Social Cohesion (Poland and Hungary Aid for Restructuring Economy), named so because initially it was addressed to these two countries. Romania will receive funds for programs financed from this financial instrument for another three years.

5. Should readers wish to support these plans, please use the Romanian Commercial Bank, the Sighişoara Branch, account : “FILANTROPIA ORTODOXA SIGHIŞOARA”, Banca Comercială Română S.A., Sucursala Sighişoara. Cont IBAN : RO 60 RNCB 0191 015666990001.