Abstract

On the positive side of global civil societies (NGOs) we could mention for instance the numerous civil initiatives which advance public education and public debate on global affairs. Many NGOs secured greater public support than governments and their officials. Most NGOs also undertook projects to fight for more equitable distribution of planetary resources. But at the same time the models of NGOs activities, growing and shaped by western patterns of economy and culture, were not properly understood and realized in the differentiated cultures of developing countries. This was the case especially at the end of cold war, when growing disappointment with globalization expanded the space for religious renewal. Alongside the erosion of traditional identities and sources of authority, religion was able to furnish the empty space of people's sense of security. In comparison with NGOs, religious social organizations (FBOs) have something qualitatively different to offer, particularly in terms of empowering people, e.g. giving them personal dignity and self-worth.