The Role of Religion in Development Cooperation with Focus on Resilience Building

Abstract: The lack of consensus and consistency in defining and integrating the role of religion in development cooperation as well as in resilience building agendas undermines the Global Development Agenda and the effectiveness of interventions being implemented in the Global South. This research examines international development and aid organizations’ resilience frameworks and concepts, such as the ACT Church of Sweden, Oxfam, Lutheran World Relief, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and Baha’i International Community. The data collection and analysis are guided by the Social Capital Theory and by Resilience Building Approach. Analyzing how international organizations theorize the role of religion in resilience building provides this research with concrete examples to how faith-based actors are pinnacle actors of their communities during shocks, stressors, and everyday adversities. Spirituality in specific is a powerful capital that drives inner and outer movements and contribute to building hopeful and compassionate societies. However, this role of religion, faith, and spirituality and their conceptualization and use by faith actors remains to be complex and problematic to donor, intergovernmental and governmental agencies.