Cultivating Thriving Communities

Catalog description

What are the conditions that enable a community to thrive? What roles can and should congregations play as catalysts, conveners, and curators in cultivating thriving communities? How can you better understand your own community context, discern roles you might be able to play, and mobilize for more effective action and engagement? In this course we will explore ideas and issues from several disciplinary perspectives, using a theological lens throughout. We will draw on literature from the social sciences that point to the significant role that 'local' and 'regional' contexts can play in addressing challenges and offering constructive solutions. We will pay specific attention to (historical as well as contemporary) stories of thriving