The Church and Social Cohesion:
Connecting Communities and Serving People

ABOUT THE REPORt

The Church and Social Cohesion: Connecting Communities and Serving People is the culmination of a major research project commissioned by the Free Churches Group and prepared by Theos think tank

The research project has consulted with over 360 people in England to assess the churches’ social cohesion contribution on the ground.

In contrast to the crisis-driven approach of the major cohesion policy interventions of the last 20 years, this report concentrates on the range of church-based assets that are fostering positive cohesion outcomes away from the headlines: buildings, social networks, convening power, leadership, volunteer capacity, and (perhaps most importantly) vision for the transformation of their communities.

Moreover, it observes the Christian motivations behind this day-to-day community engagement, and unpacks the different ways these motivations can play out in the churches’ relationships with other organisations, whether public sector representatives, other faith communities, or indeed other churches.

Finally, it offers a number of practical recommendations for how both churches and policymakers can maximize the churches’ potential to foster social cohesion in the community.

Churches are an important element of the nation’s social fabric, and the cohesiveness of our societies will grow stronger if churches and policymakers alike recognise the distinctive assets that they have to offer.