AID ACTIVITIES OF LODZ PARISHES BELONGING TO TWO CURRENTS OF CHRISTIANITY – CATHOLICISM AND EVANGELISM. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

Abstract

Charity and mercy, that is, selfless help to another person who is in need, are key concepts and commands in Christianity. However, these ordinances apply not only to individuals, but also to the church institutions that constitute local parishes at the lowest level of the organizational hierarchy. The largest religion in Poland in terms of the number of followers is Christianity. Its biggest groups in relation to its followers are Catholics (almost 94% of the Poles) and Protestants (in various factions, including almost a million Poles). Institutions belonging to both fractions carry out numerous aid activities on a national scale. However, comparative research at the micro level, i.e. on the example of individual cities, is rarely undertaken. The aim of the article is to characterize the aid activities carried out by parishes in Lodz belonging to two currents of Christianity – Catholicism and Protestantism. In particular, I intend to show the differences in the aid activities of the two denominations and determine their reasons.