Thesis advisor: David Hollenbach / Solidarity as spiritual exercise: a contribution to the development of solidarity in the Catholic social tradition By Mark William Potter Director: David Hollenbach, S.J. ABSTRACT The encyclicals and speeches of Pope John Paul II placed solidarity at the very center of the Catholic social tradition and contemporary Christian ethics. This dissertation analyzes the historical development of solidarity in the Church's encyclical tradition, and then offers an examination and comparison of the unique contributions of John Paul II and the Jesuit theologian Jon Sobrino to contemporary understandings of solidarity. Ultimately, I argue that understanding solidarity as spiritual exercise integrates the wisdom of John Paul II's conception of solidarity as the virtue for an interdependent world with Sobrino's insights on the ethical implications of Christian spirituality, orthopraxis, and a commitment to communal liberation. The dissertation probes the relationship between spirituality and ethics in general, and Ignatian spirituality and Catholic social teaching, in particular. My analysis of solidarity in the encyclical tradition (Chapter 1) provides an historical overview of the incremental development of solidarity in the writings of successive popes and ecclesial councils from Pius XII through Paul VI. In considering the unique contributions of John Paul II, I turn first to the theological and philosophical formation of Karol Wojtyla and the sociopolitical context of Poland (Ch. 2). My analysis then turns to a consideration of Pope John Paul II's social encyclicals (Ch. 3), with the goal of offering a definition of solidarity that integrates his intellectual formation and social context with the development of solidarity in the official social tradition. Next, I examine the development of solidarity in the writings of Jon Sobrino, first through an analysis of his intellectual and spiritual formation in the revolutionary context of El Salvador (Ch. 4), and then through an analysis of his unique theological contributions to the topic (Ch. 5). Based on Sobrino, I offer an articulation of solidarity as spiritual exercise as an original contribution to the development of solidarity in the Catholic social tradition (Ch. 6). / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.

Thesis advisor: Thomas H. Groome / Thesis advisor: Stephen J. Pope / The story of the Good Samaritan in Luke's Gospel (10:25-37) may be Jesus' most well-known teaching. Though it epitomizes the heart of Christian faith and the Great Commandment to love God and one's neighbors as oneself, the depth of the challenge to "Go and do likewise" like the Samaritan is not well understood and less often put into practice. The Samaritan's example sets a standard that is not met by random acts of kindness; Samaritan-like neighbor love means acting with courage, compassion, and generosity in boundary-breaking solidarity to care for those most in need. According to Gustavo Gutiérrez, by going out of his way and into the ditch to draw near to the robbers' victim, the Samaritan's actions depict the preferential option for the poor. This reverence for the other, especially one in such a vulnerable condition, depicts what Gutiérrez calls a "theology of the neighbor," which he claims has not yet been developed. This dissertation proposes a "theology of neighbor" motivated and oriented by the details of this paradigmatic standard for Christian discipleship to more fully capture how the principles of solidarity and preferential option for the poor may be put into practice. Before working out the theological, moral, and pedagogical implications for this framework, this project focuses on three key features of the present praxis that influence how "neighbor" might be understood today: the complex and compressed systems of globalization, the social disengagement of the "buffered self" as described by Charles Taylor, and the "networked self" that enjoys unprecedented rates of connectivity via digital technologies and social media. In response to the challenges posed by this socio-cultural context, this dissertation articulates a moral vision for being neighbors today. This is given shape by a matrix of virtues that include compassion, courage, fidelity, and prudence. When put into practice, these dispositions and habits are meant to inspire and sustain an integral life-pattern committed to solidarity and preferential option for the poor held in balance with the moral obligations to one's family and friends. Narrowing the focus to students at U.S. Catholic colleges and informed by the current conditions for their personal, social, religious, and moral formation, this dissertation proposes a pedagogical approach to theological education as neighbor-formation. This involves establishing communities of practice that follow the Samaritan's example to draw near - physically and virtually - to neighbors in need in steadfast commitment to right-relationship in solidarity. In doing so, this dissertation develops a framework of principles and practices to effectively engage today's emerging adults to "Go and do likewise" in an increasingly globalized, digital world. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.

Thesis advisor: Devin O. Pendas / This dissertation examines the relationship between Black America and East Germany from 1949 to 1989, exploring the ways in which two unlikely partners used international solidarity to achieve goals of domestic importance. Despite the growing number of works addressing the black experience in and with Imperial Germany, Nazi Germany, West Germany, and contemporary Germany, few studies have devoted attention to the black experience in and with East Germany. In this work, the outline of this transatlantic relationship is defined, detailing who was involved in the friendship, why they were involved, and what they hoped to gain from this alliance. This dissertation argues that the GDR's ruling party utilized the relationship as a means of authenticating claims of East German anti-racism, a component of the Party's efforts to acquire legitimacy and diplomatic recognition from the international community in the wake of World War II, the Holocaust, and the division of Germany. African American radical leftists saw in East Germany a means of support and solidarity in the struggle for rights at home, as well as a society that was allegedly racism-free, upon which they could model their own attempts to eradicate racism in the US. Utilizing a transnational framework and analyzing government documents, newspapers, correspondence, photographs, and autobiographies, this work probes the ways in which two groups, pushed to the margins, sought to navigate the geopolitics of an ideologically-charged world. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: History.

Thesis advisor: Jane E. Regan / In Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (1987) Pope John Paul II proposes solidarity as a social virtue for our fragmented yet interdependent world. This lens raises several important questions, but also suggests new opportunities for moral formation and the promotion of institutional charism in the context of Catholic higher education. Employing a praxis methodology, this dissertation begins by analyzing contemporary declines in social capital and the rise of atomistic individualism. The philosophical writings of Alasdair MacIntyre and Charles Taylor help us to understand the moral and spiritual roots of these sociological trends. With the context established, the dissertation next traces the development of solidarity in the Catholic social tradition and attempts to locate the virtue within a Thomistic moral framework. Closely related to both charity and justice, the vision of solidarity advanced is linked to Aristotle's notion of civic friendship, perfected in its origin (the dignity of the human person) and goal (the common good). Constructive proposal are grounded in the concept of social practices developed by MacIntyre and adapted by religious educators and practical theologians. Beyond textual analysis, this dissertation includes a national survey of 87 senior mission leaders at Catholic colleges and universities. From these findings, concrete recommendations are offered for the practices of mission leadership and service-learning. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry.

A expansão do consumo, estimulada pela fabricação sempre crescente de produtos e de desejos, acontece de forma ambientalmente impactante e socialmente desigual. Há alguns anos está em pauta no Brasil e no mundo o debate sobre o \"Consumo Responsável\", que trata da adoção de comportamentos conscientes pelos consumidores e/ou do desenvolvimento de práticas solidárias de consumo. Porém, seria possível, no contexto social de hegemonia do modo capitalista de produção, desenvolver práticas de consumo que contribuam para a melhoria das condições de vida das pessoas? A aposta em transformações sociais estimuladas por mudanças nas relações de consumo não se sustenta com ações descoladas da esfera da produção e da comercialização. Nesse sentido, desenvolvemos a presente análise no campo da economia popular e solidária, onde se situam empreendimentos associativos que trabalham pela efetivação de relações econômicas pautadas pela lógica da cooperação e da solidariedade. A economia solidária surgiu no Brasil em meados de 1980, no contexto de uma forte crise, que se agravou na década seguinte. Desde então, esse movimento social teve grande expansão e importantes avanços no campo político. Porém, boa parte dos seus empreendimentos apresentam dificuldades e fragilidades em relação à sustentabilidade de suas atividades e dos sujeitos envolvidos. O Instituto Kairós, organização da sociedade civil, trabalha nesse campo, com o desenvolvimento de práticas de formação em que propõem o consumo responsável como um conjunto de hábitos e ações que fomentam um modelo de desenvolvimento comprometido com a redução da desigualdade social, visando a melhoria das relações de produção, distribuição e aquisição de produtos e serviços. A pesquisa destaca a importância das práticas de formação para a ampliação do debate em torno da concepção de consumo responsável como estratégia de fortalecimento dos empreendimentos associativos e como instrumento de alcance da segurança alimentar e demais condições de vida digna por parte das pessoas envolvidas. / The expansion of consumption, stimulated by the even increasing manufacture of products and desire, happens in an environmentally impactful and socially unequal way. For the last few years the debate on Responsible Consumption is part of Brazil and global agenda and deals with the adoption of behavior awareness by consumers and/or the development of supportive practices of consumption. However, would it be possible, in the social context of hegemony of the capitalist mode of production, to develop consumption practices that contribute to the improvement of people living conditions? The bet on social transformation stimulated by consumer relations change is not tenable with actions detached from the sphere of production and marketing. In this regard, we have developed the present analysis in the field of popular and solidarity economy, in which associative groups work for the realization of economic relations guided by the logic of cooperation and solidarity. The solidarity economy emerged in Brazil in mid 80s, in the context of a strong crisis, which worsened in the following decade. Since then, this social movement had a great expansion and major advances in the political field. However, a good part of their ventures present difficulties and weaknesses in relation to the sustainability of its activities and of the individuals involved. The Kairos Institute, a civil society organization, work in this field with the development of training practices that propose the responsible consumption as a set of habits and actions that promote a model of development compromised with the reduction of social inequality, aiming at the improvement of the relations of production, distribution and acquisition of products and services. The research highlights the importance of training practices for the debate broadening around the concept of responsible consumption as a strategy to strengthen the associative ventures and as an instrument to achieve the food security and other conditions for a dignified life for the people involved.

A amizade é concebida neste estudo como tendo um sentido político pois uma condição necessária do exercício político é aquela de considerar a opinião do outro.Em seu sentido político, a amizade favorece o questionamento de pontos de vista fixos e a irrupção de ações inovadoras. A experimentação política da amizade constitui uma relação agonística, de abertura ao outro na qual os corpos estão dispostos a afetar e serem afetados, implicados em contribuir com o aumento da capacidade de reflexão e ação do amigo. A experiência intersubjetiva encontra-se no centro da compreensão contemporânea dos processos de constituição de subjetividade, configurando uma ética da imprescindibilidade do outro para a produção do si mesmo. Este trabalho busca investigar as semânticas da amizade intrínsecas à atual mediação das relações pela internet, e busca discutir se os vínculos de amizade mediados pela internet possibilitam ou não a experimentação da qualidade política da amizade. A experimentação política da amizade na internet é lida à luz da teoria dos afetos de Baruch Espinosa. A concepção do corpo em Espinosa, sustentada pela unidade corpo-alma e capacidade de afeto constitui um elemento precioso para a compreensão da presença e das intensidades afetivas em jogo nas relações de amizades na internet, as quais excluem contato físico. A experimentação política da amizade é também compreendida a partir de um outro elemento da Filosofia de Espinosa: o corpo é essencialmente relacional e é na relação com seus outros, na maneira como afeta e é afetado por eles que se dá a condição de possibilidade da resistência à tristeza e afirmação da alegria - compreendida como aumento da potência de pensar e agir. Adultos foram entrevistados sobre suas histórias de amizades mediadas pela internet. Os afetos nas relações mediadas pela internet presentes nas narrativas revelam uma nova maneira de estar junto. Nela, os amigos não só estimulam o aumento da capacidade de reflexão uns dos outros como também incentivam o engajamento em novas atividades e a mobilização para realização de ações práticas no cotidiano para além do contexto das conversas online. As narrativas mostram que os vínculos de amizades travados na internet configuram relações de enriquecedoras trocas de opiniões e aprendizagens - inclusive de caráter transcultural, que propiciam a reflexão e relativização do pensamento. Os resultados da pesquisa demonstram que os vínculos de amizades mediados pela internet podem compor encontros alegres na medida em que se expressam como relações solidárias onde os amigos favorecem o aumento da potência de refletir e de ação dos corpos. Os vínculos entre amigos na internet não só se expressaram como viabilizadores da experimentação da qualidade política da amizade naquilo que concerne à possibilidade de deslocamento e relativização do pensamento, mas também porque engendraram gestos com o vigor da solidariedade que mobilizam os corpos a agir em defesa da afirmação de sua potência. / Friendship is conceived in this study as having a political meaning, since a necessary condition of political engagement is to consider the views of others. In its political meaning, friendship can change fixed points of view and can foster the emergence of innovative actions. The political experimentation of friendship is an agonistic relationship, an opened relationship to others where bodies are prepared to affect and to be affected, and where each one is engaged in contributing to the increased capacity for reflection and action of his friend. The intersubjective experience is at the center of the contemporary understanding of the processes of formation of subjectivity, setting up an ethics of the other as indispensable for the production of oneself. This study investigates the friendship´s semantic within the current mediation of the Internet, and looks forward to discussing if the bonds of friendship mediated by the Internet enable or not the experimentation of political quality of friendship. The political experimentation of friendship by the Internet is read in the light of Baruch Spinoza´s theory of affects. His conception of body states a mind-body unity and a capacity for affection which is a precious tool in the understanding of the modality of presence and the affective intensities at stake in the relations of friendship on the Internet, which preclude the physical contact. The political experimentation of friendship is also understood with another element of Spinoza´s Philosophy: the body is essentially relational and it is in its relationship to others and in how it affects and is affected by them that it gives the condition of possibility of resistance against sorrow and affirmation of joy - which are respectively understood as a decreasing and an increasing power to think and act. We interviewed adults over their stories of friendships Internet-mediated.The affects present in Internet-mediated relationships unveiled by the narratives reveal a new way of being together. Friends not only show an increased ability to reflect each other but also encourage engagement in new activities and mobilization for implementation of practical actions in everyday life far beyond the context of online conversations. The accounts show that the bonds of friendship caught on the internet relationships shape an enriching exchange of views and learning - including cross-cultural characters, which provide matter for reflection and foster relativistic thinking. The survey results show that the bonds of friendship mediated by the Internet can make up joyful meetings as it is expressed in supportive relationships where friends help to increase the power of thinking and the action of the bodies. The bonds between friends by the Internet not only reveal themselves as ways of experimentation of a political quality of friendship, understood as the possibility of a shifting and a relativistic thinking, but also engendered gestures with the strength of solidarity which mobilize the bodies to act in defense of affirmation of its power.

Numa sociedade marcada pela intensa competição, individualismo, produtividade, consumismo e hierarquia, a economia solidária surge configurando-se como alternativa de modo de produção e distribuição, baseada na posse dos meios de produção pelos trabalhadores e na autogestão. São cooperativas, associações, clubes de trocas e redes de articulação com valores e práticas comuns, que se unem na construção de um movimento social. Nelas, os trabalhadores constroem conjuntamente a experiência cotidiana do trabalho autogestionário, compartilhando uma cultura fundamentada em valores como a cooperação, a solidariedade, a igualdade e a tolerância. A educação popular se faz presente no processo de formação dos integrantes desse movimento social, por meio da troca de conhecimentos e da vivência de um processo de aprendizagem de novos valores, que se irradia para além do trabalho, abrangendo outras dimensões de suas vidas. Essas experiências contribuem para a construção de um outro caminho de desenvolvimento da sociedade. Esse caminho assemelhase em muito com a perspectiva pluralista de desenvolvimento do economista indiano Amartya Sen, que vai muito além da concepção simplista do aumento de renda, centrando-se na valorização do processo de expansão das liberdades reais que as pessoas desfrutam. Isto inclui, além do econômico, o político, o social, a transparência de informações, entre outros. E estes se influenciam mutuamente. Esta pesquisa examina como os processos educativos presentes nas experiências de economia solidária, que se baseiam em princípios e práticas da educação popular, influenciam o desenvolvimento, entendido como a expansão das liberdades. Os estudos sobre a economia solidária, a educação popular e o desenvolvimento como liberdade se fundamentam nos autores Paul Singer, Paulo Freire e Amartya Sen, respectivamente, e servem como base para a análise da experiência da Cooperafis, uma cooperativa de 122 mulheres que trabalham com artesanato em sisal e outras fibras naturais do semiárido baiano. A análise destaca diversas mudanças e aprendizados, a partir da observação do cotidiano de trabalho dessas mulheres e de seus depoimentos: a valorização da liberdade, a expansão da liberdade no trabalho e em outros âmbitos da vida, como o doméstico, educacional, cultural e ambiental, o assumir-se como sujeito de sua história, o enfrentamento da opressão, a valorização da democracia, entre outros. Mesmo com as dificuldades encontradas, o caráter educativo da experiência está presente a todo momento, explicita ou implicitamente, misturando educação e trabalho e incentivando a criação e recriação participativa dos caminhos do desenvolvimento. / In a society characterized by intense competitiveness, individualism, productivity, consumerism and hierarchy, the solidarity economy emerges as an alternative mode of production and distribution, based upon workers possession of all means of production and self-management. They are co-operatives, associations, Local Exchange Trading Systems, and economic and political networks with common values and practices, constructing together a social movement. In these experiences, workers together build up an everyday experience of self-management working, sharing a culture established on values of cooperation, solidarity, equality, and tolerance. Popular education takes part in the formation process of these social movement participants, exchanging knowledge and experiencing a new values learning process that irradiates beyond working, for other dimensions of life. These experiences contribute to the construction of another path of development of society. This path is very similar to the pluralist view of development elaborated by the Indian economist Amartya Sen. This view goes beyond simply increasing income; it concentrates on valuing the process of expanding the real freedoms that people enjoy. This includes not only economic improvement, but also making it better in political and social aspects, among others. All these aspects affect one another. This research examines how the educative process in solidarity economy experiences, based on popular education principles and practices, influence development, understood as expansion of freedom. The studies on solidarity economy, popular education, and development as freedom were obtained from the following authors: Paul Singer, Paulo Freire, and Amartya Sen, respectively. They serve as the basis for the analysis of the experience of Cooperafis, a cooperative of 122 women that works in crafts made of sisal and other natural fibers from the Bahias semi-arid region. The analysis highlights several changes and learning, using data from observing the everyday work of these women and their statements: the valuing of freedom, the expansion of freedom in the work and other areas of life such as domestic, educational, cultural and environmental, the assuming as the subject of his story, the confrontation of oppression, the enhancement of democracy, among others. Despite the difficulties, the educational nature of this experience is present all the time, explicitly or implicitly, mixing education and work and encouraging the participatory creation and recreation of the ways of development.

A solidariedade ressurge, na contemporaneidade, como valor ético e princípio jurídico, envolvendo o desafio da responsabilidade para com o outro. Torna-se fundamental, assim, investigar os diversos sentidos de solidariedade, a qual se mostra relevante para a construção de um espaço comum, marcado pelo respeito à pluralidade e destinado a uma eficaz proteção aos necessitados. Um dos princípios norteadores deste trabalho é a indagação acerca de até onde estamos dispostos a financiar um sistema fundado no princípio da solidariedade. Outro questionamento também se revela essencial: seria preciso buscar, em alguma esfera de transcendência, motivações possíveis para a solidariedade num mundo pós-moderno que parece primar pelo individualismo exacerbado? Na busca por respostas, delineia-se um sentido específico do humano, voltado à responsabilidade para com o outro, sobretudo para com aquele que é estranho, estrangeiro, diferente. A solidariedade, para além da mera noção de tolerância que incorpora a diferença, exige um compromisso coletivo. Alcançar a plenitude polissêmica da solidariedade passa pelo esforço de valorizar a diversidade humana, de modo a viabilizar o agir conjunto, pressuposto basilar da atitude política. / The current resurgence of solidarity appears in the form of ethical values and legal principles and involves the challenge of accepting responsibility for another person. It is important to examine the manifold significance of solidarity in order to consider the possibility of constructing a common space that both respects plurality and ensures the longterm security of those protections for the disadvantaged and vulnerable. The question is: to what extent are we willing to fund a system founded on the principle of solidarity? Might a driver toward solidarity require the invocation of a higher purpose for this post-modern world, so characterized by acute individualism? Would this then reframe the meaning of humanity to include the othered those deemed strange, alien or foreign? Solidarity goes beyond tolerating diversity, it requires a collective commitment evidenced by political collective action.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:48:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Simone Barbosa de Santana Silva.pdf: 748043 bytes, checksum: 3e8a4426901d593e27b7d804066846c3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-10 / The growth of unemployment, together with the changes in the labor market and their own economic organization in Brazil and worldwide, is triggering a strong process of expansion of new forms of work and production organization. The Solidarity Economy has been widely presented and discussed, both in academia and in the institutional environment, as a possible alternative to unemployment and job insecurity, and have the cooperative movement as an important tool in this process. The cooperative garbage collectors, like other members, working for the same ideals and united by the same goals, directing its activities to meet their personal and financial needs, and the appreciation of the work. In this sense, the objective of this study is to discuss the role of labor unions in promoting solidarity economy, from a case study conducted by the Badameiros Cooperative of Feira de Santana (COOBAFS), identifying that economic and social benefits this organization provided to their members. An analytical survey was conducted, conducted in the form of a case study with a qualitative approach. The results showed that the initiative despite facing problems related to the absence of external supporters and local government, has managed to maintain its continuity over time, fairly ensuring the survival of its members which, in most cases, receive monthly up to one minimum wage They are women and have not finished elementary level. It is concluded that the initiative has contributed to enable the withdrawal of its public economic marginalization and precarious spaces and working conditions, but still need to take significant steps to ensure that these better quality of living conditions and health, which It could be solved if there were in the local community, effective support from public authorities, in promoting solidarity economy, through projects that congregassem support to recyclers, which reveal a niche market to be explored in the city, reserved for political neglect / O crescimento do desemprego, juntamente com as modificações no mercado de trabalho e na própria organização econômica no Brasil e no mundo, está desencadeando um forte processo de expansão de novas formas de organização do trabalho e da produção. A Economia Solidária vem sendo amplamente apresentada e discutida, tanto no meio acadêmico como no ambiente institucional, como uma possível alternativa ao desemprego e à precariedade do trabalho, e tem o cooperativismo como um importante instrumento neste processo. Os catadores de lixo cooperativados, assim como outros cooperados, trabalham em prol dos mesmos ideais e unidos pelos mesmos objetivos, direcionando suas atividades para a satisfação das suas necessidades financeiras e pessoais, e da valorização do trabalho. Nesse sentido, o objetivo desse estudo é discutir o papel das cooperativas de trabalho na promoção da Economia Solidária, a partir de um estudo de caso realizado junto à Cooperativa de Badameiros de Feira de Santana (COOBAFS), identificando que benefícios econômicos e sociais esta organização proporcionou a seus associados. Foi realizada uma pesquisa analítica, conduzida sob a forma de um estudo de caso, com abordagem qualitativa. Os resultados demonstraram que a iniciativa apesar de enfrentar problemas relacionados à ausência de apoiadores externos e do governo local, vem conseguindo manter sua continuidade ao longo dos tempos, garantindo razoavelmente a sobrevida de seus cooperados que, em sua maioria, recebem mensalmente até um salário mínimo, são mulheres e possuem o nível fundamental incompleto. Conclui-se que a iniciativa tem contribuído para possibilitar a retirada de seu público da marginalização econômica e do precarização de espaços e condições de trabalho, mas ainda precisa avançar de modo significativo para garantir a esses melhores condições de qualidade de vida e saúde, o que poderia ser resolvido, se houvesse na comunidade local, apoio efetivo das entidades públicas, na promoção da economia solidária, por meio de projetos que congregassem o apoio aos recicladores, que revelam um nicho de mercado a ser explorado no município, reservado ao descaso político

Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-27T13:48:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CLAUDECIR JOSE JAQUES.pdf: 824181 bytes, checksum: c0179fd8b83010eff1080320e20717d9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-23 / This work is part of the completion of the Master of the Graduate Program Religious Science Stricto Sensu the Catholic University of Goiás, in the search line Religion and Social Movements. The central theme of this work is Religion and Solidarity, with the object of research the motivation for solidarity. The main hypothesis is that a mature religious faith is one of the important motivations for solidarity action. Solidarity is treated here as a constitutive element of religion, especially Christianity. At the beginning of this work, if they work out some important concepts and categories that are the basis and reference for its construction. After the general approach on religious topics, ethics, solidarity and education, the work is directed to the field of effective social projects, with the main action to be analyzed the Pastoral. The Ministry was chosen for its relevance on the national scene and its effectiveness in changing the lives of children abandoned by the government. It is not understood here as a project of transformation or social criticism, because it directly is not. However, being very effective in the mission that was proposed and indirectly question those responsible through its action. To make the concrete work and test the hypothesis, there was a field research, interviewing some volunteers of the Pastoral of the Child Palmas region, State of Tocantins, aiming in particular to identify the motivations that led to social engagement. / Esta dissertação faz parte da conclusão do Mestrado em Ciências da Religião do Programa de Pós-graduação Stricto Sensu da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, na linha de pesquisa Religião e Movimentos Sociais. O tema central deste trabalho é Religião e Solidariedade, tendo como objeto de pesquisa a motivação para a solidariedade. A hipótese principal é de que uma fé religiosa madura é uma das motivações importantes para a ação solidária. A solidariedade é tratada aqui como um elemento constitutivo da religião, especialmente do Cristianismo. No início desta obra, trabalham-se alguns conceitos e categorias importantes que dão base e referenciais para a sua construção. Após a abordagem geral sobre os temas religião, ética, solidariedade e educação, o trabalho se direcionou para o campo dos projetos sociais efetivos, tendo como principal ação a ser analisada a Pastoral da Criança. A Pastoral foi escolhida por sua relevância no cenário nacional e por sua eficácia na mudança de vida das crianças abandonadas pelo poder público. Ela não é entendida neste trabalho como um projeto de transformação ou de crítica social, pois diretamente não o é. No entanto, está sendo muito eficaz na missão que se propôs e indiretamente questiona os responsáveis através de sua ação. Para tornar o trabalho mais concreto e testar a hipótese levantada, fez-se uma pesquisa de campo, entrevistando alguns voluntários da Pastoral da Criança da região de Palmas, Estado do Tocantins, visando identificar especialmente as motivações que levaram ao engajamento social.