Is there a future for faith in Community Development?
In an increasingly secularised society one answer to this question is ‘No’, straight forward
and simple. But life is not straight forward and simple and changes in society have as
much effect on faith communities as on anyone else.
The reach of faith
Every person in every locality can have access to a Christian faith community through the
parish system of both the Church of England and the Catholic Church. The presence of
other Christian denominations is also strong. However Christianity is no longer the sole or
predominant faith across the region. In some areas the increase of Muslim, Sikh and
Hindu communities is beginning to match or exceed the numbers of Christians. We will
have to wait for the new census figures to get a truer picture of the faith profile in the
region. While there is an increase in what are termed ‘minority faith communities’ their
presence is not as clearly recognised as that of the church. The Hindu community in
Oxford for example are finding it very hard to secure permission to build a Temple, and
their story is not unusual. The Buddhist Temple in Gravesend draws a congregation from
across the eastern part of the region and Essex. Members of the smaller faith communities
such as Bahai’s, Jains and Zoroastrians either travel significant distances to worship or
meet in members’ homes. Partly this is to do with their numerical strength and partly due
to a lack of acknowledgement by wider society.
Every community includes people of faith. In many places people of faith gather together
through Inter-Faith or Multi-Faith groups in order to have a collective local voice, as well as
to understand and appreciate each other better. Faith is both personal and public. While a
personal faith may not be recognised, public faith is clear through religious buildings, acts
of worship and acts of social care. The evidence is that the latter are more effective when
delivered through a Community Development approach.
Motivation of faith.
The nine recognised faith communities in Britain have very distinct beliefs and styles of
worship. All faith groups believe in an ultimate other who inspires people to worship and to
live lives according to holy teaching. One thing people of faith hold in common is that faith
is demonstrated through very practical actions. All people of faith are motivated by an
imperative to care and serve the wider community. All faith communities have a
responsibility to faith based social action, although the delivery of that action is different
according to differing needs, changing contexts and the resources available. Two differing
examples of faith based social action determined by the differing emphases within belief
would be the hot meals provided on a daily basis by Sikh communities, where nobody is
turned away from this hospitality prepared as an act of Sikh faith, witness and service by
volunteers; while in the Jain community emphasis would be more on learning and care for
the environment.
Faith and Community Development
- Many local faith communities delivering excellent social action projects would
probably not naturally say they were using a Community Development
methodology. However an initial look at how they do what they do quickly reveals
an emphasis on the five values of Community Development: Social Justice
- Participation
- Equality
- Learning
- Co-operation.
Page 1 of 3
For example, faith based social action will seek to identify and meet local needs in such a
way that people can progress from being service users to volunteers, from gaining new
skills to using them in new employment or volunteer opportunities, from being passive
receivers of services provided to actually shaping the services required in the local
community. Faith based social action is person centred, including a recognition of the
spiritual dimension to life. It seeks to give value and respect to each individual where such
basic needs may well have been abused or neglected. Using this approach shared by
other Community Development projects local communities are transformed.
While faith based social action is person focused, faith groups also offer the use of their
buildings. Often these are the biggest community meeting space in an area. Places of
worship are not only great community assets they are also seen as places of safety and
neutrality and so used for community meetings, from debating the need for zebra
crossings with the local council, to hosting election hustings.
Effective faith based social action uses Community Development approaches almost by
nature. Faith based groups do not seek power or dominance, they seek to serve and
empower others to become fully human, to be the people we were created to be, whatever
our cultural traditions, faith beliefs or spirituality.
Faith and the government
Some faith groups, particularly Christian denominations, are working very closely with
government to secure an active presence within the Big Society. At the time of writing the
Church Urban Fund has announced a programme called ‘Near Neighbours’, which is
funded by Department for Communities and Local Government and will support social
cohesion projects, led by faith communities across five geographic areas, none of which
are in the South East regional area. Other national faith bodies are also seeking dialogue
with government ministers. Under the last administration, the place of faith in public life
had become clear. With the new administration, and the need for establishing new
relationships, this place is less clear, particularly for faith communities other than Christian.
This will change gradually but requires the conscious determination of faith groups to get
their voices heard. One way to do this is to work with the Parliamentary Outreach Team
which supports local community groups wanting to influence parliamentary decisions.
During the Papal visit in 2010 David Cameron said to the Pope:
‘People of faith, including our 30,000 faith based charities, are great architects of that new
culture.’ (Big Society)
http://www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/Replay-the-Visit/Speeches/Speeches-19-
September/Prime-Minister-David-Cameron-s-speech-to-Pope-Benedict-XVI
The Government wants and expects faith communities to be a part of the Big Society.
What is not clear is how that will happen or how it will be resourced. What is clear is that if
faith groups have been delivering effective social action through Community Development
methods (30,000 faith based charities can’t be wrong, not to mention all the small local
groups that fall below the radar) there is no reason for that to change to suit a new style of
administration.
Independence of Faith.
The nine faith communities in England carry independence from government and from
each other. They are not bound to deliver according to any agenda other than their own.
Sometimes this agenda may be threatened or feel in danger of compromise, especially if
the lure of funding requires partnerships the do not sit comfortably with faith values. In
these situations faith groups are likely to reject the funding and deliver services in a
Page 2 of 3
different, if reduced, way. Faith communities are here to stay. By nature, while
independent, they will also seek interdependency in order to make the best use of
resources and deliver the best possible service in a local community. They are an asset
ready to be invited to join the Community Development movement because they are
already active in some form in every locality.
Independence can cause tension and confusion. Sometimes faith groups can themselves
feel a threat to other partners. Work will need to be done to interpret between faith and
other sectors. Religious literacy has long been a recognised need in developing effective
partnerships that include the faith sector. Local and regional faith forums have a wide
experience of doing this and are a resource to be drawn on.
None of this is new. Effective partnership has been practised for centuries. It is all
achievable without the threat of proselytization or evangelism. Of the nine faith traditions
only Christianity and Islam have an evangelical impetus, and within those two faiths social
action is generally determined by local need not by evangelistic gain. An example would
be the street pastor scheme increasingly popular in our towns
Faith and the future
Faith groups have a creative ability to respond to all kinds of local situations in ways that
bring about lasting positive change. Faith groups have an instinct for supporting those who
are marginalised by change or by culture, for offering hospitality, for striving for justice and
for releasing potential. All desirable ends according to the Big Society ideology and all
achieved through Community Development.
So what of the future? Faith has a significant part to play in the emerging agenda. This
may mean:
Re-forming current services so they can continue despite reduction in funding or
resources;
Re-assessing what local communities need and how a faith group can provide
support;
Raising a voice against inequality and injustice which is part of the role faith groups
hold.
It will mean:
Remaining locally focused and committed to communities most affected by
changes:
Re-asserting their values and faith basis as a way of contributing to the social,
environmental, economic and spiritual needs of all people.
Is there a future for faith in Community Development? ‘Yes’, there are many futures. Faith
and community development will both play a part in determining local futures. The
opportunity is to work together to shape a future as yet only imagined where people
genuinely live lives to the full. That is the hope faith communities strive to see realised and
Community Development works to achieve. Sounds a recipe worth tasting to me.
Jane Winter
Director
Zedakah
http://www.zedakah.co.uk/
Page 3 of 3