Faith-based Social Change Collaboration is a Powerful Tool for Achieving Social Justice

The enactment of the federal Charitable Choice legislation in the mid-1990s brought a strong surge of financial resources into faith-based social change movements all across the U.S. This was especially encouraging for oppressed people to move beyond being victims.

The new legislation that helped faith-based social change was aimed at helping to create a much more broadly-based network of social services delivery. This effort was especially focused on empowering minority groups and poor people who were not well served by existing traditional social service agencies. Many faith-based social change organizations were situated in the midst of communities of great need and engaged people of need in positive action to bring about faith-based social change.

The book Journeys into Justice documents in ten case histories the successful work of nonprofit faith-based social change organizations that brought about social justice by creating affordable rental housing with supportive services, job-skill training, increased minimum wage legislation, improved juvenile justice, family empowerment, and bi-national immigration justice.

The key to the success of the ten faith-based social change organizations is found in their commitment to collaborative organization based on deep religious values, building mutual trust, sharing resources, cooperative planning, engagement of people of need, and long-term commitment. Collaborative faith-based social change has become a powerful tool for achieving social justice that serves the common good at local, regional, and national levels.

 

Want to read more about the success of faith-based social change? Get your copy of Journeys into Justice today!