The Other Philadelphia Story How Local Congregations Support
Quality of Life in Urban America Ram A. Cnaan. With Stephanie C.
Boddie, Charlene C. McGrew, and Jennifer Kang "Cnaan uses a unique,
thorough field study of nearly 2000 congregations in Philadelphia
to probe the issue of social service delivery through religious
institutions. . . . The book will be useful for graduate courses in
social welfare and religion, and to scholars in both fields. Highly
recommended."--"Choice" For people living in U.S. cities, social
services come not only from the government but increasingly also
from local religious communities. Ever since the Clinton
administration's welfare reform, faith-based institutions, and
especially congregations, have been allowed to bid for federal
funds for their programs. In "The Other Philadelphia Story,"
drawing on the first-ever census of congregations in any American
city, Ram Cnaan and his colleagues provide an authoritative account
of the functioning of congregations, their involvement in social
services, and their support of other charitable organizations. An
in-depth study of 1,392 congregations in Philadelphia, the book
illuminates how these groups function as community hubs where
members and neighbors alike gather throughout the week. Cnaan's
findings show that almost every assembly of parishioners emphasizes
caring for others, even if the help is modest. Thus American
congregations uphold an implicit but strong norm of social
responsibility and work to improve the quality of life for members
and nonmembers alike. Many of the problems associated with urban
life persist in the face of governmental inaction, and the burden
of responsibility cannot be shouldered entirely by congregations.
However, in a city such as Philadelphia, where half the residents
are regular attenders of religious congregations, hopes for urban
improvement are largely to be found in these local groups. Special
focus is given in the book to kinds of care that often go
unnoticed: volunteerism, provision of refuge, and informal
assistance to community members in need. All told, Cnaan asserts,
congregations are an essential component of Philadelphia's civil
society. Without them, the quality of life would deteriorate
immeasurably. Ram A. Cnaan is Professor, Associate Dean for
Research, and Chair of the Doctoral Program in Social Welfare, as
well as Director of the Program for Religion and Social Policy
Research, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy
and Practice. He is the author of "The Newer Deal: Social Work and
Religion in Partnership" and "The Invisible Caring Hand: American
Congregations and the Provision of Welfare." The City in the
Twenty-First Century 2006 352 pages 6 x 9 5 illus. ISBN
978-0-8122-3949-2 Cloth $69.95s 45.50 World Rights Sociology,
Public Policy Short copy: For many living in U.S. cities, social
services come not from the government but from local churches.
Based on the first census of congregations ever conducted in any
American city, this book provides an authoritative account of the
functioning of congregations, their involvement in social services,
and their support of other organizations.
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