The “Appropriateness” of Religious Welfare from Lebanese Christian Churches

Abstract

Since 2011, more than a million Syrians have fled to Lebanon. Standing close to the Syrian border, the welfare departments of Eastern Christian bishoprics in Zahle are at the forefront of the humanitarian response. Through the comparison of the Maronite, Greek Catholic and Syriac Orthodox Churches, I argue that these faith-based organisations (fbo s) implement an “appropriate” mode of reasoning to design their humanitarian aid strategies which challenges rational assumptions. This article reveals that the “national” or “diasporic” character of Lebanese Christian fbo s matters more than their welfare capacity in determining the Church’s policy of care at times of crisis. These examples illustrate that fbo s present a rare adaptiveness to their beneficiaries’ needs, notably by relying on transnational and diasporic support. Overall, this research demonstrates that fbo s are essential actors in addressing situations of forced displacements, but it also emphasises the importance of considering each fbo’s identity to understand their mechanisms of solidarity.