The Conflict between Lived Religion and State Control of Poor Relief: The Case of Emma Mäkinen’s Private Orphahage at the Turn of the 20th Century
The article discusses the conflict between lived religion and the state control of poor relief in a modernizing society by analysing the case of Emma Mäkinen’s private orphanage. Emma Mäkinen’s philanthropic work among neglected children was motivated by her Evangelical Revivalist conviction. Becaus...
| Published in: | Perichoresis |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sciendo, De Gruyter
2015
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| In: |
Perichoresis
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| RelBib Classification: | KAH Church history 1648-1913; modern history KBE Northern Europe; Scandinavia KDG Free church RK Charity work SA Church law; state-church law |
| Further subjects: | B
Revivalism
philanthropy
poor relief
state control
modernization
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| Online Access: |
Presumably Free Access Volltext (Verlag) |
| Summary: | The article discusses the conflict between lived religion and the state control of poor relief in a modernizing society by analysing the case of Emma Mäkinen’s private orphanage. Emma Mäkinen’s philanthropic work among neglected children was motivated by her Evangelical Revivalist conviction. Because of her trust in the transformative power of faith, she considered it appropriate to establish an orphanage next to a shelter for ‘fallen’ women. This decision led her onto a collision course with the State Inspector of Poor Relief and the general public, who did not share her religious views but emphasized the legislative and moral aspects vis-à-vis organizing social work. The conflict demonstrates, firstly, how the ancien régime and the traditional religious authority of the Evangelical Lutheran state church in particular was challenged by individual agency in voluntary associations such as the Evangelical Revivalist Free Mission. Secondly, the case of Emma Mäkinen’s orphanage reflects how new kinds of boundaries were created by the encroaching of state control into the sphere of private philanthropy, followed by the strengthening role of scientific theories and nationalistic thinking in social work. Thirdly, the conflict opens up a view on border-crossings, thus emphasizing the undefined nature of a modernizing society. |
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| ISSN: | 2284-7308 |
| Contains: | In: Perichoresis
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1515/perc-2015-0011 |