In this study, I outline the appearance of the mission of American social work in the second half of the 19th century, and then the construction of the conceptual elements of the profe ssion. The choice of cited, typically American authors is also narrowly tailored, however, in my opinion, they give an authentic picture of the conceptual construction of the profession and adequately depict the development arc that the profession, which started from the religious charity and has now matured into a profession and a science, has gone through in the last 125 years. In addition to all this, I also try to answer such questions as, for example, where are the boundaries between religious and professional assistance, what does professionalism mean in social work within a religious community or church, and what is needed for a better integration of spirituality into the professional practice.