ABSTRACT
This chapter explains a case study of church welfare activities that of the diocese of Thiva and Livadeia. Anastassios Anastassiadis examines the links between religion and welfare at the national level. It explore the extent to which church welfare activities may be considered as evidence of a new role being played by the church, a renewed role referring back to the church's historical experience as a provider of welfare services, or indeed little more than a continuation of age-old patterns in churchstate relations. An impressive model of a welfare provision system had developed under the Byzantine Empire, administered jointly by church and state. According to Constantelos, the church's social philanthropy continued under Ottoman rule, but it was not manifested on a systematic or organized basis. Rather, it was an everyday activity and expression of concern, mercy and compassion, a religious philanthropia rather than aim towards social welfare as such, that is, an expression of Christian agape.
