ABSTRACT
Religion, one of the oldest human institutions, engages with development as a modern project in various ways. While Max Weber proposed the correlation between Protestant Reformation and the modern spirit of capitalism, we find the Roman Catholic Church as a main provider of charity, as well as Liberation Theology and prosperity gospel as variations among the Christian family. Buddhism challenges most the prominent economic model, in which human perfection instead of economic growth is the ultimate aim of development. Islam also offers alternative visions of development, with Islamic banks as a representative agency. Through dialogue and partnership, faith-based organizations (FBOs) have been integrated into macro development projects, such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Religions adapt to modernity on one side and shape the conception of development on the other side.
