Theological and canonical substantiation of Church social activity
The article attempts to describe the history of formation of charity and social ministry in the Christian Church. An emphasis is done on illustrating and analyzing of practical examples as fulfillment of the commandment of love to one’s neighbor. A particular interest is the study of the history of all forms and methods of providing social assistance to those in need, as well as sources of their funding. The chronological framework of the study covers the Apostolic period and the time of Ecumenical Councils.