Religion and Philanthropy in a British Context

Introduction

The relationship between religion and philanthropy is one which goes back many centuries. It has multifaceted roots, covering theological concepts surrounding charity and the nature of giving and the relationship between the state and the private sector, and has deep historical connections to social welfare. In this context, this piece will explore philanthropy and its intersections with religion. This piece shall examine the journey of this relationship in the British context, from the 19^th century through to the contemporary era, and will do so through focusing in particular on three religious case studies: Quakers, the Nonconformist churches, and Judaism.

Nonconformist Philanthropy

This section will approach the topic of religion and philanthropy through the example of Nonconformist Christianity and its approach towards philanthropy and place within the landscape and history of philanthropy in England. Whilst there was broader philanthropy in the 19^th century within the Church of England (Flew, 2015), there is a particular tradition of philanthropy with the non-Anglican and non-conformist religious traditions in the UK (Bowpitt, 1998). Examples from the early to mid-19^th century include figures such as Samuel Morley – a Liberal Member of Parliament, philanthropist, Congregationalist, and abolitionist, whose work centred around adult education – and Andrew Reed – a Congregationalist minister, philanthropist, and social reformer, who focused on education and schools, social reform such as the repeal of the Corn Laws, and the abolition of slavery. Much of this philanthropy does draw on the Nonconformist – or dissenter – traditions of Protestantism (Binfield, Ditchfield, and Wykes, 2020). Early dissent and charity in the 17^th and 18^th centuries took the form of providing aid to ejected ministers following their ejection (the Great Ejection) from the Church of England in 1662 after the Act of Uniformity, as well as charity schools, support for literacy, and the distribution of Bibles, which would go on to lay the groundwork for later institutional philanthropy (Wykes, 2020), in addition to charity sermons in support of charities, which were often followed by collections (Farooq, 2020). In the 18th century, figures such as the prison reformer John Howard relied heavily on Dissent networks (Cunningham, 2020) and, in the 19th century, Joshua Wilson donated at least one third of his income to charitable causes (Binfield, 2020). Figures such as David Nasmith were involved in town missions, young men’s societies, and servants’ homes, which encouraged the mobilisation of broader Protestant networks through energetic campaigning rather than simply giving (Orchard, 2020). Other examples of dissenter – in the broad sense of not being part of the Church of England, of dissenting, having separated from the Church of England in the 17^th and 18^th centuries over issues such as the episcopacy, the role of the state in religion, and various rituals – philanthropy include Unitarianism, which Ditchfield (2020) discusses in the context of rational piety and rational philanthropy, highlighting its distinctive nature through its emphasis on reason, moral duty, social responsibility, and reform in its approach to issues surrounding education, poverty, and public health, but through rational means.

By the 19th century, many within the Nonconformist movement also felt they had a spiritual duty to care for the poor, in particular in light of the 1834 Poor Law, fracturing communities towards the anonymous world of the industrial revolution and the machine by introducing a duty to help orphans and destitute youth (Briggs, 2020). This included providing both material relief and moral instruction, with an estimated 30,000 children under 16 on the street in 1876 in London alone according to Thomas Barnardo (Briggs, 2020). Whilst the Poor Law exempted children from the workhouse, the workhouse and youth destitution nonetheless cast a shadow over the public mind (Briggs, 2020). Notable figures in challenging and seeking to address this poverty included Thomas Barnardo, Thomas Bowman Stephenson, and Benjamin Waugh (Briggs, 2020), with their values of integrity, equality, simplicity, peace, stewardship, and service (Freeman, 2020; Malin, 2016), and their business grounded in ethics (Freeman, 2020).

Methodism also played an important part in the development of philanthropy in the British context and drew on a broader cross section of society, including many middle- and lower-class supporters. Methodists organised large-scale fundraising campaigns between 1839 and 1914, including the Centenary Fund of 1839-44, the Wesleyan Methodist Relief and Extension Fund of 1853-57, the Jubilee Fund of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society of 1863-68, the Wesleyan Missionary Fund of 1868, the Thanksgiving Fund of 1878-83, the Twentieth Century Fund of 1898-1908, and the Centenary Fund of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society in 1911-13 (Jeremy, 2020). They also publicly listed donor names and the amount they gave in the weekly Methodist publication The Watchman, showing transparency, as well as tracking and celebrating giving, during the campaign, and then, once the Fund for each of those campaigns had closed, in bound volumes (Jeremy, 2020). These campaigns evolved from local and informal charity to organised and denominational schemes with national impact, marking a distinctive shift in philanthropy from dissenting traditions, as well as an approach including early forms of crowdfunding, statistical reporting, and high levels of transparency, anticipating later models of philanthropy in both their scale and method (Jeremy, 2020). Another example of Nonconformist philanthropy is that of Enriqueta Rylands and the establishment of the John Rylands Library in Manchester, which opened to the public in 1900 (Gow, 2020).

Quaker Philanthropy

Quakers have had a particularly significant influence on religion and philanthropy in the United Kingdom, despite being relatively few in number, inspired as they were by beliefs surrounding stewardship and spiritual duty, and this influenced their approach to ethical business. Among the most famous families were the Rowntrees, the Cadburys, and the Frys, all of whom were in the business of chocolate making (Charities Aid Commission, 2016; Quakers in the World, n.d.-a; n.d.-b). Each of these families made significant contributions; Elizabeth Fry, for instance, used her position in society to campaign for prison reform (Quakers in the World, n.d.). The impact of the Rowntrees, however, has perhaps been particularly noteworthy.

Joseph Rowntree established several major trusts during his lifetime, funding housing, social research, education, and other progressive causes (Freeman, 2020). He established three major trusts in 1904: the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT), the Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust (JRSST), and the Joseph Rowntree Village Trust (JRVT) (Freeman, 2020). He outlined his ideas in Founder’s Memorandum, dividing them under the headings 'Religious', 'Political', and 'Social'; this document is still utilised to this day by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, n.d.). These trusts moved beyond traditional charity, signifying a shift in Quaker philanthropy towards addressing the actual root causes of social issues in areas including education, social research, housing, and peace initiatives and, as such, showing a commitment to systematic change (Flower, 2004a; 2004b; Freeman, 2020). These ideas were subsequently espoused by his son, Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree, in his work Poverty, a Study of Town Life (Rowntree, 1901). In 1904, Joseph Rowntree outlined the philosophy behind this new focus on tackling the causes, rather than just the consequences, of social issues, as he expressed:

“I feel that much of the current philanthropic effort is directed to remedying the more superficial manifestations of weakness or evil, while little thought or effort is directed to search out their underlying causes… In my view, therefore, it is highly undesirable that money should be given by the Trusts to Hospitals, Almshouses, or similar Institutions.”

(Joseph Rowntree Foundation, n.d., para 6)

These reflections indicate a perhaps surprisingly modern approach to philanthropy, which is still debated today: should the focus be on short-term aid, to deal with the consequences of a crisis, or long-term work, designed to address the cause of the problem. In this sense, the Rowntrees linked their Quaker faith with entrepreneurial success and social reform (Freeman, 2020). As Joseph Rowntree commented:

“The need of seeking to search out the under-lying causes of weakness of evil in the community, rather than of remedying their more superficial manifestations, is a need which I expect will remain throughout the continuance of the Trusts, and some of the principles indicated in the Memorandum, as to the most effective methods with regard to the appropriation of funds, are I think likely to have continued force.”

(Joseph Rowntree Foundation, n.d., para 30)

Joseph Rowntree carefully analysed statistical evidence to inform his social and political arguments, and this approach was also adopted by a man widely regarded as one of the founders of empirical sociology: his son, Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree, who was also interested in the underlying causes of poverty (Shearn, 2017). He studied the urban population of York, gathering evidence house-to-house in 388 streets, speaking to 11,560 families. From this extensive research, he reached the conclusion that some 27.84% of the population of the city lived below the poverty line, equating to around 43.4% of the working population of the city, and that 9.91% of the city’s population did not have sufficient income to reach even the basic level of subsistence (Shearn, 2017).

Figure I: Unknown author. (pre-1925). Joseph Rowntree (philanthropist). https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Joseph_rowntree_old.jpg

The work was highly influential. It inspired further investigations into poverty, conducted by others in different towns and cities. Nationally, he became a friend of the Liberal politician David Lloyd George, including advising him on public policy, such as the Old Age Pensions Act of 1908 and the National Insurance Act of 1911. Future work, such as his 1918 publication, Human Needs of Labour, advocated for a national minimum wage, a family allowance, and regulation of working hours and conditions (Shearn, 2017). He went on to write further documents and worked for the Ministry of Reconstruction following the First World War, including advising ministers on post-war housing requirements, and was part of Lloyd George’s Liberal Industrial Enquiry (1926-1928). During the Second World War, he corresponded with William Beveridge, contributing to the Beveridge Report which would lead to the post-war Welfare State (Shearn, 2017). Indeed, the welfare innovations which factories introduced, such as pensions, healthcare, profit-sharing, libraries, and social welfare officers arguably anticipated modern corporate social responsibility (Shearn, 2017).

A further interesting development within the context of Quaker philanthropy is that of the model village, and this can be seen in the aforementioned example of Joseph Rowntree, who built New Earswick in York for those on low incomes, concerned as he was regarding the poor quality of housing (Flower, 2004; Joseph Rowntree Foundation, n.d.; The Rowntree Society, n.d.-b). Furthermore, John Cadbury, together with his brother Benjamin, conceived of the idea of a model village in Birmingham which, whilst not built in his lifetime, was completed by his sons George and Richard (Quakers in the World, n.d.). What is interesting here, then, is a theme: both figures, who had the idea of a building a model village with good-quality houses for those on low incomes to avoid slum poverty, were chocolatiers, whose names are, to this day, associated with the chocolate industry, in addition to both being advocates of the temperance movement. Whilst competitors in one sense, the Rowntrees and the Cadburys were connected and aware of each other, with George Cadbury working under Joseph Rowntree (Senior) in the 1850s (The Rowntree Society, n.d.-a):

“In Joseph’s terms, Quakerism meant that wealth and property beyond the needs of the individual should be used for the common good –­ hence the setting up of the Trusts. But the underlying interest was in the nature of freedom, in our individual and corporate responsibility to maintain it, and in the interconnectedness and interdependence of any action that might create or destroy it ­ especially, in this context, political and social action. In short, we make the beds in which we lie; we construct our own reality and can therefore change it. But this makes it doubly important first to find out what is going on in the real world.”

(Flower, 2004, p6)

As can be seen, Nonconformist Christians, and Quakers in particular, have therefore had a significant impact on British philanthropic history. This reach continues to this day, with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation tracking poverty and the policy responses and challenges from the beginnings of the Foundation, continuing through the 20^th Century (Glennerster, Hills, & Piachaud, 2004; Glennerster et al, 2004).

Figure II: Unknown author. (before 1889). John Cadbury, founder of the Cadbury chocolate-making company. Photo taken prior to 1889. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/John_Cadbury.jpg

In the contemporary context, this background still maintains relevance (Drake, 2016). When considering the Christian community, committed Christians give away almost five times the monthly giving average in the UK, and report experiencing the most joy from their giving (Jackson, 2025). Further, more than 60% of committed Christians regularly give to Christian causes, more than 90% of regular church-goers regularly gives to their church, and the youngest age bracket of 18-24 gives the highest proportion of their income, at 11% (Jackson, 2025).

Jewish Philanthropy

Another significant focus of religious philanthropy in the United Kingdom is Jewish philanthropy (Dorff, 2002; Dorff and Newman, 2008). Indeed, in the contemporary context, reports have suggested that Jewish trusts sometimes top the UK charities list as top-spending family trusts (Rocker, 2009). Jewish philanthropy has an especially prominent place when considering the landscape of British foundations (Pharoah 2009). A significant number of major private foundations have Jewish roots (Pharoah 2009; Pharoah, Goddard, and Jenkins, 2015; Pharoah, Jenkins, and Goddard, 2015). Indeed, in a 2009 report on family foundations, Pharoah (2009, p23) notes, “Grantmaking foundations established by and for the Jewish community have particularly helped to shape the UK family foundation world. Many of these have a local focus on areas where Jewish people have settled, such as East London.”

Jewish philanthropy expanded in particular in the 19^th and 20^th centuries (Tananbaum, 2015, and these philanthropic initiatives were community-focused, emphasising tzedakah – a religious obligation of justice through giving. These efforts were focused on issues surrounding poverty, education, health, and immigration. In 1859, the Jewish Board of Guardians was established (History Zone, 2008). It provides a comprehensive welfare system for the Jewish poor, in particular amongst new immigrants, and became a model of communal clarity. Key figures included the Victorian philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore, celebrated for dedicating his life to tzedakah, whilst Helen Locus worked with the Jewish Board of Guardians and pioneered visiting relief and vocational training, and Lady Louisa Goldsmid championed women’s education and Jewish emancipation (Alderman, 2004; Tananbaum, 2004; Monaco, 2013; Cooper, 2024; Steiner, 2017; Levene, 2020a; 2020). The Board could not rely on the workhouse for relief, so sought other means of support, such as wealthy donors, and assisted with matters such as loans, education, apprenticeships, and employment, as well as issues pertaining to immigration, health, sanitation, and social care (Magnus, 1909; Black, 1988; Levene, 2020a; 2020b). More than simply benevolence, it is a social system (Levene, 2020a; 2020b). Unlike the London Board, provincial cities had smaller and more locally controlled charities (Levene, 2020a; 2020b). In Manchester, for example, the reliance was on communal rather than public mechanisms for poor relief, and was structured somewhat differently to London, with a more middle-class orientation of donors, but the emphasis remained on areas such as education, apprenticeships, health, housing, and social care, and with a preference for loans over cash grants (Steiner, 2017).

Over the course of the 20^th century, a significant number of Jewish foundations emerged, founded by key figures such as Lionel De Rothschild and Dame Vivien Duffield, with these helping to institutionalise giving from the Jewish Community, supporting initiatives relating to issues such as health, education, the arts, and Jewish identity. These include the Pears Foundation, the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation, the Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust, the Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation, and Jewish Care. The oldest Jewish foundation in the UK is Norwood; founded in 1795, it received royal patronage in 1815, and now focuses on neurodiversity (Norwood, n.d.).

Within the Jewish community, there remains a strong emphasis on philanthropy (King, 2017). This is focused in particular on the aforementioned tzedakah, a Hebrew term which can mean charity, justice, righteousness, or a moral obligation to give. The concept of tzedakah argues that "charity should not be seen simply as a favour to those in need, but rather, as something that the needy have a right to receive and that everyone is obliged to give” (Graham and Boyd, 2016a, p5). The influential 12^th century rabbi Moses ben Maimon, or Maimonides, defines eight levels in giving charity, or tzedakah, each one higher than the preceding one (Jewish Virtual Library: A Project of AICE, n.d.).

This ethos has continued to this day. Whilst approximately 57% of the general public give to charity, an estimated 97% of the British Jewish community give to charity, according to a study from 2016 by the Jewish Institute for Policy Research (Cooper, 2021; Graham and Boyd, 2016a; 2016b). There were also further indications that individuals from the Jewish community with a high net worth are more charitable, with 12% of the Giving List in 2014 shown as being from the Jewish Community (Cooper, 2021). Jewish philanthropy has made significant contributions within the arts (Morrison, 2024) and to the building of the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Gallery at Westminster Abbey, with five Jewish families amongst the thirty donors, helping fund the £26 million project (Cooper, 2021). Today, there are over 2,300 Jewish charitable organisations and foundations operating in the UK (Graham and Boyd, 2016a).

What both the history and the data therefore indicate is the significance of the Jewish community in shaping the landscape of British philanthropy, and their key role in supporting a wide variety of philanthropic initiatives.

Concluding thoughts

By using examples from three religious communities which have had a particularly prominent influence on philanthropy in the British context, this article has demonstrated the importance of the intersection between religion and philanthropy, ultimately illustrating how religion can influence and motivate philanthropic giving. This shows the importance of understanding faith in the context of philanthropy, of understanding some of the historical examples, and of how it continues to influence the philanthropic landscape in the contemporary era.

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Visual References

Cover Image: Thomas Rowlandson (1756–1827) and Augustus Charles Pugin (1762–1832) (after) John Bluck (fl. 1791–1819), Joseph Constantine Stadler (fl. 1780–1812), Thomas Sutherland (1785–1838), J. Hill, and Harraden (aquatint engravers). (1809). Microcosm of London Plate 064 - Quakers' Meeting. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Microcosm_of_London_Plate_064_-_Quakers%27_Meeting.jpg

Figure I: Unknown author. (pre-1925). Joseph Rowntree (philanthropist). https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Joseph_rowntree_old.jpg

Figure II: Unknown author. (before 1889). John Cadbury, founder of the Cadbury chocolate-making company. Photo taken prior to 1889. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/John_Cadbury.jpg