Thomas H. Lake Lecture

If generosity is good for the giver—and research shows it is—then why don’t more people give?

This paradox and why people are or are not generous are among the issues Christian Smith, the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology and Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame, addresses in this lecture.

In his remarks, “The Generosity Equation: Donors, Faith & Avenues to Giving,” Smith analyzes religious factors that increase generosity, examines the personal benefits of giving, explores how charitable support is increased, and discusses donor and beneficiary obstacles to philanthropy.