Megachurches and Social Engagement in London

Project goals

london
The Megachurches and Social Engagement in London project had 5 key objectives.

  1. To examine the phenomenon of megachurches in London in order to better understand and interpret the significance of their social engagement.
  2. To appreciate and analyse the theological motivations, organizational cultures and external factors that influence megachurch social engagement, exploring key themes in this connection such as the impact of transnationalism, globalization and urbanization on megachurch identity.
  3. To analyse the extent to which contextual and cultural factors influence and shape the megachurches' theological motivations for social engagement.
  4. To bring empirical data on megachurch social engagement into critical dialogue with current discussions within the discourse of public theology about the relationship of religious faith to the public sphere in the twenty-first century.
  5. To assess the nature and extent of faith-based social capital associated with megachurches in London and to facilitate a dialogue between the megachurches and both makers and influencers of social policy at city and national level (including engagement with 'Big Society' discourse) and also other substantial urban churches of under 2,000 members in the areas of community enhancement and development (particularly in relation to minority ethnic communities).