In a richly illustrated, revelatory study of Philadelphia's Germantown Avenue, home to a diverse array of more than 90 Christian and Muslim congregations, Katie Day explores the formative and multifaceted role of religious congregations within an urban environment.

Germantown Avenue cuts through Philadelphia for eight and a half miles, from the affluent neighborhood of Chestnut Hill through the high crime section known as "the Badlands." The congregations along this route range from the wealthiest to the poorest populations in Philadelphia. Some congregants are immigrants who find safety...

In Prelude to Struggle, Katie Day analyzes the findings of a three-year study of the African American churches in North Philadelphia, the most impoverished section of the city. All of these congregations were engaged in significant community economic development projects, yet pursued their common goals through two distinct strategic approaches.

Despite shifts in the religious landscape in North America--reflected in the significant increase in those with no religious affiliation and emptier pews across the religious spectrum--there has also been a rise in participation in faith-based grassroots organizations. People of faith are increasingly joining broad-based organizing efforts to seek social change in their communities, regions and country. This unique volume brings together the most current thinking on faith-based organizing from the perspective of theologians, social researchers and practitioners. The current state of faith...

In a revelatory study of Philadelphia's Germantown Avenue, home to a diverse array of more than 90 congregations, Katie Day explores the formative and multifaceted role of religious congregations within an urban environment.