Program

Congregations and Polarization Project: Case Studies

Telling the Stories of Congregations Engaging Polarizing Topics

Through this research project, our team uncovers stories of congregations navigating change and division within their churches and communities. These issues can be complex and require difficult decisions to be made in real time. We capture case studies to highlight the experience of congregations and their leaders as they traverse challenging political, theological, and ideological differences within their members and broader context.

Religion and Urban Culture 2.0

Religion and Urban Culture (RUC 2.0) was the previous iteration of the Congregations and Polarization (CAP) project. RUC 2.0 examined the role religious congregations play in the life of Indianapolis. In summer of 2019, we proposed to study how congregations adapt to the many social changes they face. When our research began in summer of 2020, those changes were thrown into sharp relief by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

RUC 2.0 produces detailed observations and analysis of more than 40 Indianapolis congregations as they navigate this new terrain. RUC 2.0 also provides in-depth analysis of the relationship between congregations and their neighborhoods.

A JOURNAL OF INTERPRETATION: This semiannual publication explores the interplay between religion and other spheres of American culture.

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