An Exploratory Thought on the Spirituality in the Social Welfare

ABSTRACT

This study has a meaning in that it has tried to apply the spirituality to the social welfare in Korea. For this study, we defined the general meaning of spirituality and suggest the necessity of spirituality to the social welfare. In addition, we explained the principle of spirituality in the social welfare activities in Christianity and suggest the role of spirituality. As the method of this study, we mainly studied the previous publications and documents related to the study of spirituality. First of all, we studied the concept and characteristics of spirituality and then put an emphasis on the connectivity between social welfare and spirituality. In addition, we studied the principle of spirituality of social welfare in Christianity (Catholicism) by dividing it into the spiritual principle and practical principle. The social welfare in Christianity is different from typical social welfare in that it has the meaning of spirituality. To reflect the Catholic spirituality on the social welfare, the implementation of social welfare through the spirituality is required. Accordingly, as the practical principles for the implementation of social welfare, we suggested the implementation of love, the implementation of duties for community, diversity and flexibility, and acquisition of professionalism. Therefore, the realization of social welfare through spirituality is for us to live in the community as a small person. The social welfare in Christianity is the welfare based on the spirituality. The significance of this research is as follows: First, spirituality is a definitely necessary concept for the whole-person understanding of human beings. Second, should spirituality assume the nature of the might that can enable a human being to endlessly go toward the completion of life going beyond adversity, spirituality could be a substantially useful element in implementing a social welfare facility. Third, considering through the practicing principle of church-initiated social welfare service, the value pursued by Christianity social welfare has a lot in common with the value pursued by the general social welfare. However, there exists a difference in a spiritual principle between the social welfare led by the general social welfare and the one by Christianity, and there is also a complementary aspect in a practicing principle between these two forms of social welfare.