To counter the forces of isolation and division, Americans have always depended on civic institutions that live in the middle space between one’s home and the large structures of society. But these groups such as churches, schools, clubs, civic groups, and neighborhoods—have come under strain in recent decades.
As a religious studies scholar, I’ve been researching the pressures on churches and how they can respond. Since 2020, I have been following six Christian churches of varied types across the country, participating in their programs and interviewing their members. My research confirms that churches have valuable qualities for both small-scale and large-scale community building. On the interpersonal level, churches are special because they are communities where people can be accepted with all their flaws and loved for who they are. On the civic level, churches do great things to meet the needs of residents of their local communities, especially in areas such as hunger, homelessness, and the needs of youth and the elderly.
But several trends undermine the community impact of churches. One is the rise of nonreligious Americans over the past three decades. Another trend is the erosion of Americans’ trust in all institutions. Other developments relate to how we work and how we use technology. The
most troubling trend is the rise of political polarization, which has infected every sphere of American life.
None of us can buck grand social trends by ourselves, but there are positive things each of us can do. It starts with connecting to others.
Those who claim a faith but have not been active in a house of worship can ask themselves why they aren’t.
There are a lot of stories in the gap between the number of Americans who believe in God and those who attend church with any regularity.
Some people have simply fallen out of the habit or don’t see evidence that it’s worth it. But you may be missing out on connecting with social networks that boost your health and happiness. You may be isolating yourself from the messy but enriching experience of building an authentic community.
Now, I am not saying that everyone needs to go to church. Churches are not the only organizations that provide connection and give meaning to our lives. The former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called attention to an epidemic of loneliness, calling it a public health crisis. He gave a prescription to Americans: to be sure that they participate in groups that nurture relationships, perform service, and provide purpose. Now is a great time for each of us to assess how well we are connected.
My forthcoming book, titled Faith in Community, is directed especially to members of churches and their leaders. What can they do about the crisis of community in America? I believe that congregations are still crucial resources in their communities. They must champion that role and tell effective stories about their value. Churches need to develop robust strategies for engaging in their neighborhoods and partnering with other congregations and civic institutions. Churches should make better use of preaching, education, fellowship, and liturgy to inspire their members with a vision of what the civic community can be, and to help them make that vision a reality.
Because all people need community to live joyful and flourishing lives, churches need to reach out, now more than ever. Individually and together, people of faith need to make a concerted effort to converse with others who might think differently from them, and they need to enter into relationships with people who are not in their community. As well put by the English Archbishop William Temple a century ago, “The Church exists primarily for the sake of those who are still outside it.”
Brian Stiltner is a professor of theology and religious studies at Sacred Heart University and co-director of its Hersher Institute for Applied Ethics.