Religion and poverty

Abstract

Religion and poverty are two of the world’s most enduring social and cultural phenomena. They have a long and eventful history, and are not separate from one another, but closely interrelated: on the one hand, there is a long tradition of religiously motivated poverty; on the other hand, giving to the poor is often seen as a religious duty. In recent years, faith-based organisations have been recognised in research as an important factor in global poverty reduction. This comment surveys some of the key areas of enquiry and debate focused on exploring the connection between religion and poverty.