Social impulses of the Reformation and their importance for the development of the welfare state: Comments from the perspective of the study of Diaconia

• Published in: Diaconia (Göttingen, Germany) Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 3 - 15
• Main Author: Eurich, Johannes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlage 10-07-2018
• Subjects: diaconia; lutheran tradition; reformation; social responsibility; welfare state
• ISSN: 1869-3261; 2196-9027
• DOI: 10.13109/diac.2018.9.1.3

Religious traditions had great influence on fundamental concepts of social orders and on the motivations for sociopolitical action. Calvinism is known for its important impulses for the emergence of the capitalist economic system and the resultant welfare state development. Martin Luther’s influence was disregarded for a long time, but has been rediscovered in the last two decades. This article takes a closer look at Luther’s ideas for the social development in the 16th century. Luther laid the ground for socio-theological conceptions, which were later on influential in the shaping of modern welfare states. In this regard, Scandinavian welfare states can serve as an example because their Lutheran background has not yet been sufficiently taken into account; however, Scandinavian countries were among the first to create welfare states that took over responsibility for socio-political matters.