ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to discuss the dynamics of educational activities implemented by faith-based and religious organizations in the social work sector. Although little attention has been paid to these activities in NFE studies, a closer examination in the area of social work reveals that some do contain educational characteristics that are planned and organized. To address these, the main focus is on activities by Christian and Buddhist organizations in Japan conducted from the late 19th century to the present.
In the early days of Christian settlements and charitable works that started in the late 19th century, most of the activities placed emphasis on providing education to children and young people living in poverty. Some of them survived during World War II and continue to play a role in society today.
The chapter further discusses special attributes and limitations of faith-based and religious organizations in relation to NFE in social work. It concludes that additional research remains to be done so as to have a deep understanding of the contribution of education in social work for sustainable community development.
