The poor, the rich and the charity in Portuguese religious literature of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries

As conceções religiosas portuguesas modernas sobre pobreza e caridade têm suscitado pouca atenção, embora existam em Portugal bons especialistas de literatura de espiritualidade. Mostrar-se-á como a literatura religiosa lusa definiu o pobre e o rico, atacou os vícios inerentes a cada um e as suas possibilidades de salvação, regulamentou o seu relacionamento e explicou a realidade social desigual. Palavras-chave: Literatura religiosa portuguesa. Pobreza. Riqueza. Caridade. Salvação.Early Modern Portuguese religious conceptions of poverty and charity have attracted little attention, although there are good spirituality literature experts in Portugal. What will be shown is how the Portuguese religious literature defined the poor and the rich, attacked each other’s inherent vices and their chances of salvation, regulated their relationship and explained the unequal social reality. Key Words: Portuguese religious literature. Poverty. Wealth. Charity. Salvation