Social Work of Jane Adams

The discussion this week is if Jane Adam's social work was religiously motivated or not.  It class on Wednesday, we discussed the factors that motivated her for her work.  She was greatly influenced by her father, as well as the Abraham Lincoln letters, Quaker values, seeing poverty in person, and the idea of democracy and equality.

I remember the part of the text when Jane asks her father what he is.  Her father responds "I am a Quaker."  The most influential person in her life responds to the all-important question of "who he is" by saying that he is a Quaker, or a Friend.  The Quakers are some-what a sect of Christianity but not exactly.  They believe in God but only within people, the "inner light." They also do not believe that the bible is the written word of God, but rather Christ is.  They have no creed and do not practice any sacraments because they believe that holiness can exist in all the activities of ones life.  Thus two forms of her motivating factors, her father and Quaker beliefs, are tied to a religious form, but a loose form nonetheless.  

Her other factors, seeing poverty in person and equality, do not seem to have any religious aspect to them at all.  Seeing the poor only stimulated Adams' mind that she should help them and equality is just a belief that stems from the friendship ideals associated with the Quaker people.  Thus, looking at Jane Adams' motivations for the Hull-house has led me to conclude that there is not a great amount of religious connections to her work but there are a few.  I think that Adam's mostly just wanted to help the less fortunate.