Today, we’re excited to share our conversation with Dr. Rebecca Glazier, a Professor at the School of Public Affairs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and author of the new book, Faith and Community: How Engagement Strengthens Members, Places of Worship, and Society. For over a decade, Rebecca has been researching how religious communities engage in their broader communities, and the findings are incredibly compelling.

Rebecca’s work offers a powerful perspective on how congregations can heal divisions—not just within their walls but across society. Her research shows that when faith communities serve together and engage in meaningful outreach, they create what she calls “congregational warmth,” fostering deeper connections, stronger faith, and even healthier, more united communities generally.

In this conversation, we discuss why service with our congregations, outside of the four walls of our church can be transformative, why young people today are more eager than ever to engage in meaningful service, and how worship spaces can be vital places for bridging political divides. Rebecca also shared insights on how interfaith partnerships and sustained community engagement can do the deep work of depolarization and create lasting impact.

Her insights feel particularly relevant and important right now, and they’re also deeply hopeful. They show that small, consistent acts of service—especially when done together—can strengthen both our faith and our communities in profound ways.

We absolutely loved this conversation and hope you come away from it as energized and inspired as we did. And with that, here’s our conversation with Rebecca Glazier.

https://tupress.temple.edu/study-guides/faith-and-community.

Joanna Gallegos

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