Latvus, Kari. “Origin of the caritative diaconia concept”
The aim of the article is to analyze the historical development of the concept caritative diaconia. In the New Testament the word διακονία refers to various tasks and ministries. The word does not have a specific caritative meaning and only in some cases it is connected with caritative questions without becoming a fixed concept (cf. Matt. 25:44; Acts 6:1; 1 Cor. 9:1). In the Early Church diaconia words reflect the ministry of the deacons and the buildings where they worked. The most important theologians, like John Chrysostom, do not use the caritative meaning of diaconia concept and utilize a different vocabulary for the poor. During the reformation the concept of diaconia is mentioned only occasionally by Calvin (Inst. 4.3.9). Even during the early decades of 19th century Germany the concept was not used, and it was probably developed from the work of deacons and deaconesses. Finally, the Monbijou conference in 1856 made the concept of (caritative) diaconia widely known.
Diakonian tutkimus – Journal for Study of Diaconia, 2011 (2), 164-188.
http://dts.fi/files/2009/10/DT2_2011.pdf
