What is faithful capital

1
What is faithful capital ?

• An idea from the
• Commission on Urban Life and Faith

2
What does faith do?

• Enlarge the imagination
• Teach and encourage the practice of holiness and
  wisdom
• Open us to the new
• Deepen our sympathies
• Faithful Cities p.84

3
Social capital

• relationships matter
• Bonding
• Bridging
• Linking
• Developing connections and trust

4
Social capital ? faithful capital

• What do people of faith add to their communities?
• Worship and prayer
• A commitment to and celebration of life
• Hope
• An experience of community
• A spiritual dimension
• A commitment to individual and collective
  transformation
• Values
• Transferable skills

5
Moral sense

• Distinct altruistic values
• Respect
• Source of transformation
• Acquired and nurtured in community
• Faithful Cities p. 81/2

6
faithfulness matters

• Not only are faith communities in cities
  physically present, they are actively, dutifully
  and often passionately engaged in caring for
  those who need care most. (4)
• close to the ground commitment is a major
  dividend of faithful capital providing
  perspectives and opportunities that are not
  easily available to agencies that look in from
  the outside. (80)

7
Some theology

• The Churchs fundamental beliefs are about
  ..commitment Gods commitment to a people,
  Christs commitment to a weak and failing body of
  human followers, the commitment embodied
  (literally) in the incarnation and resurrection.
  The question the Church always has to ask of any
  society, and any project within society, is about
  how it reflects the kind of enduring commitment
  to individuals and groups that builds them up and
  changes them and makes them what they can be.
• From the Archbishop of Canterburys Introduction
  to the report.

8
A missional challenge

• the deeper issues around regeneration and
  development that are raised in this report are to
  do with how our corporate life shows something of
  what God is like and thus something of what
  humanity, made in the Gods image, might be.
• From the Archbishop of Canterburys Introduction
  to the report.

9
How is faithful capital found?

• Presence and practice of communities of faith
• A commitment to place
• Analysis of resources and needs
• Use of buildings
• Contribution to civic life
• Wider vision and global connections
• Prophetic action

10
Faithful capital in the good city

• What is the difference made by faith communities
  to your town or city?
• In what ways are people in your faith group
  already involved, as professionals or volunteers,
  in enhancing the life of your community?
• How can you join with others to audit and
  celebrate the contribution of faith?

11
More?

• Visit the Faithful Cities website
• www.culf.org.uk