Abstract
In a year that has featured a global health pandemic, a racial justice political-social movement, and a divisive political election that stretches democratic principles, the topic of faith and community engagement may seem more prescient than ever. The exploration of the intersection of faith and community engagement at anchor institutions, though, began prior to all of these events. Yet, the topics that emerge in this special issue of Metropolitan Universities journal are even more relevant in our current context, as scholars, practitioners, and community partner co-authors explore the relationship between faith traditions and engagement in the community.
 As we framed this special issue as an editorial team, faith initiatives were initially broadly interpreted and all faith traditions were encouraged and considered (including, but not limited to, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu). Faith was loosely defined as a religious historical tradition and set of beliefs centered on a higher power. Faith-based organizations were generally communicated as religiously-affiliated colleges and universities, while faith-based initiatives included programs that were religiously affiliated. This special issue focuses on the intersection of faith and community engagement, specifically how they inform each other and the relationship between them at anchor institutions.
Highlights
In a year that has featured a global health pandemic, a racial justice political-social movement, and a divisive political election that stretches democratic principles, the topic of faith and community engagement may seem more prescient than ever
The topics that emerge in this special issue of Metropolitan Universities journal are even more relevant in our current context, as scholars, practitioners, and community partner coauthors explore the relationship between faith traditions and engagement in the community
In an effort to elevate community partner voices, our editorial team identified the tensions that exist when academics explore community engagement–yet what does the community say? How do community representatives frame faith and community engagement work? What role does community play and how? As the editorial team repeatedly identified within the narrative reflection process, we noticeably explored this inquiry without the partner voices, so we engaged with partners to explore their insights on this topic
Summary
In a year that has featured a global health pandemic, a racial justice political-social movement, and a divisive political election that stretches democratic principles, the topic of faith and community engagement may seem more prescient than ever. The topics that emerge in this special issue of Metropolitan Universities journal are even more relevant in our current context, as scholars, practitioners, and community partner coauthors explore the relationship between faith traditions and engagement in the community. For if we don’t learn in this moment in time we as a species will have severed our connection to one another but we will have severed our relationship with this one and only earth we call home In this prayer by Singh, there is a clear call to action to foster communal connections and for faith to drive this “courageous revival,” a revival that invites individuals, families, communities, and institutions alike to adhere to a deeper purpose, rather than risk losing hope. To delve into this line of inquiry and prepare for the submission review process, we worked to identify our own positionality as scholar-practitioners, to explore our own intersections of faith and professionals, and to articulate a scholarly approach for this exploratory study leading to the emergent design of this special issue
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