Expert reflections on the relationship between religion and philanthropy to be focus of
IU Indianapolis public conversation May 17 in Indianapolis
Giving to religion makes up one-third of all charitable giving in America, and over half of Americans report that their religious or spiritual values motivate their giving. So why do religion and money remain such taboo topics in our society?
The full philanthropic impact of religious communities goes far beyond finances. It includes when, why, and how religious institutions engage their broader communities in volunteering, advocacy and cultivating a civil society.
A public conversation in Indianapolis on Thursday, May 17, 2018 hosted by Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, both at IU Indianapolis, will examine those issues and explore questions such as:
• Is philanthropy primarily meant to take care of those within one's community or the larger society?
• Does philanthropy provide for basic needs or should it promote big-picture, long-term changes?
• Should religious giving develop an individual's character and shape public morality, or are such purposes off limits in a pluralistic society?
Two noted experts will discuss the intersection of religion and philanthropy and the issues that may define how they interact in the future.
• Jim Hudnut-Buemler is the Anne Potter Wilson Distinguished Professor of American Religious History at Vanderbilt University
• David Hammack is the Hiram C. Haydn Professor of History at Case Western University
The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Athenaeum, 410 East Michigan Street, in Indianapolis. IU Indianapolis faculty members David P. King, the Karen Lake Buttrey Director of Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and Philip Goff, Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture, will moderate the conversation.
About Lake Institute on Faith & Giving
Lake Institute on Faith & Giving exists to serve the public good by exploring the multiple connections between philanthropy and faith within the major religious traditions. Its mission is to foster greater understanding of the ways in which faith inspires and informs giving. Lake Institute is a program of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
About The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture
The Center was established in 1989 by the Indiana University Board of Trustees to explore the connection between religion and other aspects of American culture. We are a research and public outreach institute that supports the ongoing scholarly discussion of the nature, terms, and dynamics of religion in America. As a program of the IU School of Liberal Arts at IU Indianapolis, the Center pursues its aim as part of the mission of liberal and humane learning. It seeks to elevate among students, faculty, and the larger American public the understanding of the influence of religion in the lives of people.