When Diaconia Became an Exhausted Millionaire <subtitle>Experiences from the Coronavirus Pandemic in Finland</subtitle>
Abstract This article explores what happened to Finnish diaconia as the Coronavirus crisis hit in the spring of 2020. It is an empirical study conducted in Finland in 2021 and presents the experiences of 22 deacons regarding the impact of the Corona pandemic on their work. The data were gathered thr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlage
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Diaconia |
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| Online Access: | https://www.vr-elibrary.de/doi/10.13109/diac.2021.12.2.117 |
| _version_ | 1797980748762841088 |
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| author | Lise-Lotte Hellöre |
| author_facet | Lise-Lotte Hellöre |
| author_sort | Lise-Lotte Hellöre |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This article explores what happened to Finnish diaconia as the Coronavirus crisis hit in the spring of 2020. It is an empirical study conducted in Finland in 2021 and presents the experiences of 22 deacons regarding the impact of the Corona pandemic on their work. The data were gathered through semistructured interviews across the Porvoo diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (EvL). One contribution of the paper is the use of managerial models to analyze data in a research area where they have not been used much before (Theology and Diaconal Studies). The study shows that diaconia was hit hard by distancing restrictions in the Porvoo diocese. However, it came also in contact with new donors and volunteers. The crisis thus also offered new possibilities and ways of working. Most informants reported positive feedback from society, though some were disappointed by the lack of appreciation from within the Church itself. The pandemic showed how diaconia could benefit from exceptional times by jettisoning old conventions in favor of doing things in novel ways. The pandemic period can be seen as a liminal situation for the Church in society and for the role of diaconia, creating opportunities for change and authenticity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:59:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-803ee1afa602488e8629c89c72530c0a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1869-3261 2196-9027 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:59:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Verlage |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diaconia |
| spelling | doaj.art-803ee1afa602488e8629c89c72530c0a2022-12-22T04:41:47ZengVandenhoeck & Ruprecht VerlageDiaconia1869-32612196-90272021-09-0112211713610.13109/diac.2021.12.2.117When Diaconia Became an Exhausted Millionaire <subtitle>Experiences from the Coronavirus Pandemic in Finland</subtitle>Lise-Lotte Hellöre0Åbo Akademi University, The Polin Institute, Turku FinlandAbstract This article explores what happened to Finnish diaconia as the Coronavirus crisis hit in the spring of 2020. It is an empirical study conducted in Finland in 2021 and presents the experiences of 22 deacons regarding the impact of the Corona pandemic on their work. The data were gathered through semistructured interviews across the Porvoo diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (EvL). One contribution of the paper is the use of managerial models to analyze data in a research area where they have not been used much before (Theology and Diaconal Studies). The study shows that diaconia was hit hard by distancing restrictions in the Porvoo diocese. However, it came also in contact with new donors and volunteers. The crisis thus also offered new possibilities and ways of working. Most informants reported positive feedback from society, though some were disappointed by the lack of appreciation from within the Church itself. The pandemic showed how diaconia could benefit from exceptional times by jettisoning old conventions in favor of doing things in novel ways. The pandemic period can be seen as a liminal situation for the Church in society and for the role of diaconia, creating opportunities for change and authenticity.https://www.vr-elibrary.de/doi/10.13109/diac.2021.12.2.117diaconiadeaconspandemicCoronavirusCovid-19crisis |
| spellingShingle | Lise-Lotte Hellöre When Diaconia Became an Exhausted Millionaire <subtitle>Experiences from the Coronavirus Pandemic in Finland</subtitle> Diaconia diaconia deacons pandemic Coronavirus Covid-19 crisis |
| title | When Diaconia Became an Exhausted Millionaire <subtitle>Experiences from the Coronavirus Pandemic in Finland</subtitle> |
| title_full | When Diaconia Became an Exhausted Millionaire <subtitle>Experiences from the Coronavirus Pandemic in Finland</subtitle> |
| title_fullStr | When Diaconia Became an Exhausted Millionaire <subtitle>Experiences from the Coronavirus Pandemic in Finland</subtitle> |
| title_full_unstemmed | When Diaconia Became an Exhausted Millionaire <subtitle>Experiences from the Coronavirus Pandemic in Finland</subtitle> |
| title_short | When Diaconia Became an Exhausted Millionaire <subtitle>Experiences from the Coronavirus Pandemic in Finland</subtitle> |
| title_sort | when diaconia became an exhausted millionaire subtitle experiences from the coronavirus pandemic in finland subtitle |
| topic | diaconia deacons pandemic Coronavirus Covid-19 crisis |
| url | https://www.vr-elibrary.de/doi/10.13109/diac.2021.12.2.117 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT liselottehellore whendiaconiabecameanexhaustedmillionairesubtitleexperiencesfromthecoronaviruspandemicinfinlandsubtitle |