Faith-Inspired Praxis of Love in the Face of Joblessness

Joblessness is commonly addressed through economic and labor market interventions, while its relational and spiritual dimensions remain less examined in research and practice. This article draws on the faith-inspired praxis of love framework to examine how the relational and spiritual care of those affected by joblessness is enacted at The Working Centre, a community-based organization in Ontario, Canada. The analysis presented is the within-site component of a broader multiple-site case study of three faith-inspired organizations. The study draws on participant observation, organizational documents, and semi-structured interviews with staff and volunteers. Four operational elements of the framework were identified as most directly enacted in the organization’s response to joblessness: reciprocal relationships, hospitality, shared affection, and nonviolence. These elements are sustained by a faith-rooted organizational ethos that holds reflection and action together over time. The case illustrates how spiritual and relational care can be enacted alongside the meeting of material needs as the substantive form of an organization’s response to joblessness.