Faith And The City
Leadership Institute
Wanted: Public Religious Leaders –
For a Diverse and Growing Community
Developing Diverse Public Religious Leadership
The Faith and the City Leadership Institute prepares people of faith – people who are leaders in congregations and communities – for expanded roles in public religious leadership.
Faith Leadership Institute participants are selected from a cross-section of area congregations. They learn through theory and practice how to nurture a sense of community and provide leadership in the larger society.
The Faith Leadership Institute hosts one class per year. Members participate in interactive workshops, site visits, and presentations by seasoned public leaders. By the last session, participants have formed teams and developed projects for ongoing engagement far beyond Institute enrollment.
In the course of working and learning together, Faith Leadership Institute participants build enduring relationships with one another – and lasting bridges between their respective faith communities.
The Community We Share
For generations, the Atlanta region has enjoyed worldwide recognition as a pacesetter for inter-racial and inter-religious cooperation. That well-earned reputation is built largely on the region’s tradition of able and dedicated leadership from various backgrounds.
The same tradition of leadership must continue today as our metro area embraces 20 interdependent counties and more than 4 million people – a diverse region that must become one community with a shared destiny.
Fortunately, our public leaders, like the population they serve, are growing more diverse – racially, ethnically, culturally, and religiously. Such leadership is essential to formulating effective public policy that enhances the quality of our lives and those of our neighbors.
Unfortunately, faith leaders are too often not involved when public policy is discussed. Where are the imams, rabbis, priests, pastors, ministers, and everyday folks of various faith traditions – people who will represent the moral perspectives of their faith in civic dialogue? These are the people the Faith Leadership Institute seeks to engage more fully in shaping our society. They are the public religious leaders our diverse and growing community needs.
The Challenge We Share
Throughout the history of our nation, religious conviction has played a crucial role in social progress – building schools, hospitals, and orphanages, abolishing slavery, advancing rights for women, and ensuring civil rights for all. Faith has informed voters, inspired elected officials, and guided policymaking in every generation – without violating the separation of church and state.
Yet, the sad truth is that faith leadership is less visible and less engaged in the public square today than at any time in our national history – despite the fact that 95 percent of all Americans profess a belief in God or a “Higher Power.”
When faith leaders are not engaged in civic dialogue, our metro region and our nation are deprived of the distinct moral voice that religious faith can bring to public discussions of housing, homelessness, healthcare, ethics, education, economic disparity, and other urgent issues.
Today, more than ever, our regional community, our nation, and our democratic system need people from a range of faith traditions to participate in public leadership – people who will help bring a moral dimension to civic dialogue.
Faith And The City Leadership Institute:
Curriculum Topics
Understanding Context:
Atlanta Metropolitan Region
Local Politics and Power
Local Neighborhoods
Safe, Secure, Healthy Environments
Culture of Your Congregation
Understanding Leadership:
Religious Leadership in the Public Square
Strategies for Influencing Power and Policy
Profiles in Courage: Religious Leadership
Identifying Issues for Ongoing Engagement
Closing Session, Class Banquet
* Note: Curriculum and schedule may be modified to better address needs and interests of participants in a given class.
What is Faith And The City?
Former U.S. Ambassadors James T. Laney and Andrew Young founded Faith And The City in 1999 and continue to serve as its co-chairs. The nonprofit organization’s mission is to nurture a spirit of mutual community, shared responsibility, and common destiny among the citizens of the Atlanta metropolitan region. Faith And The City initiatives include:
• Seminary Partnerships
• Faith Leadership Institute
• Mentor A Family Program
• TV Program: Interfaith Dialogue on Public Issues
• Forums on Public Issues
• Website, Newsletter, E-Letter For more information on how you can support or participate in the Faith And The City Leadership Institute, contact:
Rev. Elizabeth M. Clement
Director
Faith And The City Leadership Institute
100 Edgewood, Suite 812
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404.523.5554, ext. 231
Fax: 404. 523.7330
Email: emclement@faithandthecity.org
Website: www.faithandthecity.org |
