People of faith give not only money but also time, talent, and testimony to create positive change in their communities—a form of faithful giving that we might call ‘religious civic engagement.’ But how much do we know about religious civic engagement in America today? What roles are religious leaders and institutions actively playing in the civic life of their own communities?

In 2022, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving sought to contribute to this topic by conducting an exploratory study of religious civic engagement in the life of one American city: Richmond, Virginia. The study was designed as a follow-up to a 1999 report by the Auburn Center for the Study of Theological Education, Missing Connections.

Lake Institute researchers interviewed 28 of Richmond’s leaders across faith traditions and the nonprofit, business, civic, and political sectors, finding that

• Visibility of religious institutions and their leaders and members is low, especially when compared with the roles that religion played in Richmond’s past.
• Beyond the bright lights of the public square, however, religious organizations and people of faith are contributing to their local communities in seven key ways—some traditional and others more emerging and experimental.

This report outlines these contemporary forms of engagement, to widen and deepen documentation of the substantial contributions of religion to the common good.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT (PDF)

Related resources:

• This Insights article provides an introduction to and overview of this research report, as well as reflection questions for religious communities.
• Rev. Anthony Riley and Rev. Brian Fox reflect on the Insights article in light of their own ministry contexts in their Expanded Perspectives.
• Coming soon: Reflection tool: The Seven Forms of Engagement & Your Congregation