All European countries are confronted to varying degrees with the problem of poverty and social exclusion. What can and should be the commitment of churches regarding these problems in the context of an economy which is under pressure from globalization and competition? What do biblical words such as mercy and justice mean in this context? How do churches and diaconal establishments determine their relationship to society, politics and the welfare state? These questions are dealt with in two ways in this book, the first publication of its kind in Europe. As a whole, the contributions provide information about basic statistical interrelations and the scientific, political and church literature on the subject - for practicians and researchers, for those responsible in the churches and politics and for the people affected. This publication creates a basis for exchange and, last but not least, for united action on an international and European level.