Social Responsibility of Religious Organizations

Abstract

The main topic of the study is the social responsibility of religious organizations, the specific features of which are investigated on the example of individual dioceses of the State Christian Church of England. The goal is to analyze the leading ways of advancing of the indicated type of economic activity, to identify instruments for the implementation of social responsibility by a foreign religious institute on the territory of structural units of a regional level – dioceses. The main hypothesis of the study is that religious organizations, implementing a variety of activities within the framework of social responsibility, play a significant role in the economy of the region, largely taking on the social obligations of the state. To achieve the goal and confirm the statement, methods of analysis of actual and economic-statistical information and comparative comparison were used. The main findings of the study can be useful both in the realization of inter-confessional contacts and in the formulation of strategy for the development of state-religious relations in Russia, where the social and economic role of religious organizations is increasing. One of the distinguishing features of social responsibility of the Anglican Church organizations is implementing environment protection goals as one of the important directions in their social work. This part of social responsibility of religious institutions in our country is rarely embodied. The experience and model of managing social responsibility issues by the dioceses of the Church of England can be useful for Russian religious institutions aiming to build more successful and constructive partnership with the state.