Nancy T. Kinney’s research while affiliated with University of Missouri–St. Louis and other places

Economic and social forces have altered the landscape for religious institutions in many postindustrial cities, with potentially serious implications for communities that ostensibly stand to benefit from their presence. In recent decades, changes in neighborhood racial composition and out-migration to distant suburbs have divested many urban communities of once-vibrant social institutions, among them places of worship. This article undertakes an empirical approach to examine the socioeconomic correlates of church closures in neighborhoods in a Midwestern U.S. metropolitan area. Utilizing an index of nine measures of social and economic viability, the study found that the type of congregational closure is significantly related to viability outcomes. In particular, the closure of geographically based congregations and those characterized by bridging social capital were significantly related to declines in neighborhood viability. Theoretical concepts from religious ecology, place attachment, and social capital/civic engagement structure the analysis.

Many US-based religious groups engage in networked relationships with religionists in countries elsewhere around the world, investing millions of dollars and personnel hours annually. Evangelical or fundamentalist groups alone do not account for all this network activity; even more liberal-leaning Christian denominations engage extensively in transnational relationships. This inductive study begins with a description of the scope of global network involvement by so-called mainline Christian bodies in the US, then examines in greater detail the structure and context of the transnational ties of one denomination, the Episcopal Church, using data drawn from surveys and four indices relevant to the study of civil society. The potential implications of these transnational religious networks, especially for civil society in developing regions, are tentatively explored by considering ideological differences between religionists linked by network ties.

A growing number of international networks, like those linking religious institutions, engage in development-related activities across the world. Improvements in technology and increased travel opportunities for international volunteers have given these networks new influence, with unknown implications for the trajectory of development, especially where states are weak. This paper examines the role of a transnational religious network in a newly formed nation: the Republic of South Sudan, where the dominant Episcopal Church has links with dioceses elsewhere in the Anglican Communion. Through field observations, interviews and a survey of US Episcopal Church links in other countries, preliminary evidence is presented about the real and potential impact of this emergent form of globalised solidarity.

Once considered “social buffers” against the economic hardship created by segregation and neglect, churches that serve urban African-American communities today continue to engage in a wide array of programs. However, as both residents and church members relocate beyond the urban core, these congregations must respond to the changing demands of urban residents while preserving the loyalty and support of increasing numbers of commuting members. What does the service portfolio of such churches look like, especially in the throes of such residential change? And how does the mix of services offered by African-American congregations compare with all other urban congregations? This paper focuses on data from 117 congregations that serve African Americans in a Midwestern metropolitan region that has undergone serious disinvestment and population loss.

The political activity of ordained clergy has been examined in many ways, but few studies have investigated the prevalence of, and rationale for, clergy involvement in political office. Although the phenomenon might be rare, there is little known about the factors that are associated with the incidence of clergy who hold public office, particularly factors of the social, political, or economic context. This study utilizes data from a national survey of U.S. municipalities to identify the main contextual factors that serve as predictors of clergy serving in local public office. Results from bivariate and regression analyses indicate that the contextual factors of race, region, and form of representation are most prominent in the incidence of clergy as municipal officeholders.

A growing body of research has begun to describe the variety and pervasiveness of community services offered by religious congregations across the United States. This study investigated the process whereby a congregation forms a new community service entity by tracing patterns in its development from formation through emancipation. Based on a sample of twenty-three spin-off organizations engaged in housing services in three cities (Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis), this exploratory study found that religious congregations provided very limited forms of incubation for new entities. Although the congregations exhibited considerable involvement in governance, their inability to undertake management of daily spin-off operations notably contributed to the eventual separation between parent and organizational offspring.

 Despite ongoing interest in religious group involvement in community development, only limited research has considered whether the mere existence of a place of worship can be linked to neighborhood well-being. This exploratory study uses a cross-sectional design to examine the relationships between the presence of churches in high-poverty neighborhoods and specific measures of neighborhood stability. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and geographic information system (GIS) software were employed to compare measures of structural permanence, residential tenure, and property valuation from a sample of two types of church (freestanding and storefront) and non-church areas or “clusters.” The findings provide limited support for the conclusion that storefront churches, while modest and often regarded as less architecturally significant, may be overlooked contributors to the sort of stable urban space where residential population is preserved and investment maintained.

Throughout U.S. history, volunteers have had a persistent role in supporting the religious rights of prison inmates. In some states today, the only religious services available to inmates are provided by volunteers. The presence of volunteers inside prisons may potentially provide personal support to individuals in arguable need of ethical rehabilitation. However, because the provision of services is heavily reliant on the motivation of volunteers, the religious needs of inmates may not be met. The situation is compounded by America’s increasing cultural diversity. To understand the magnitude of the trend toward voluntarism and its implications for the religious rights of inmates, this article presents a framework for understanding the constitutional issues involved in using religious services volunteers and a description of the process whereby states have adapted to volunteer-driven programs. It concludes by offering secondary analysis of national data about some implications of volunteer use in religious services to inmates.

Through interviews with coordinators of faith-based mentoring programs, a statewide study examined publicly funded efforts to widen the involvement of religious groups in welfare service provision. Analysis focused on front-line implementers' ability to function as boundary spanners in a complex, unsettled environment. The study identified three salient factors affecting implementation in this new faith-friendly arena: the employment background of the programcoordinators, the rural or urban setting of the program, and the limitations of a constrained state welfare apparatus. The experiences of these so-called early adopters of charitable choice indicate the scope, strength, and surmountability of institutional barriers confronting implementers.