Religious Affiliation and Social Action in the Public Space
Religious Affiliation and Social Action in the Public Space

Summary/Abstract: The relationship between religion and the public space has turned into a high interest topic under the pressure of two phenomena: on the one hand, secularization is part of everyday life, as an inherent value of modern life and of the processes of political and social democratization; on the other hand, the strong reaction of fundamentalist movements to secularization phenomena – and particularly to the globalization of Western values – leaves us with no other choice than to reevaluate how religion can adjust its position in the public space in a nonviolent manner. On these grounds, the expression of religious organizations in the public space becomes a very interesting phenomenon, especially if we consider social actions, the expertise on vulnerable populations, and the professional labeling. Special attention will be paid to the ambiguous relationship between state and religious organizations in general, and faith-based organizations in particular, which lead to special interactions between the religious affiliation and the individual institutional participation in the public space.

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