Short description:

How do people in poverty and homelessness change their lives and get back on their feet? Homeless shelters across the world play a huge role in this process. In this timely book, the authors look at three homeless shelters that take more or less intensive approaches to faith, community, and programming.

Long description:

How do people in poverty and homelessness change their lives and get back on their feet? Homeless shelters across the world play a huge role in this process. Many of them are religious, but there is a lot of diversity in faith-based non-profits that assist people affected by poverty and homelessness. In this timely book, the authors look at three homeless shelters that take more or less intensive approaches to faith, community, and programming.

In one shelter, for instance, residents are required to do a program of classes that includes group Bible study, worship, and self-evaluation. The other two examined are significantly less faith-based, but in different ways and with different structures. The authors show how the three shelters tackle homelessness differently, drawing on narrative biographical interviews and case studies with residents, interviews with staff, and case study research of the three shelters.

Entering into significant debates in social theory over religion, agency, cognitive action, and culture, this book is important reading for scholars and students in religious studies, sociology and social work.

'This book is required reading for scholars engaging with homelessness, poverty and religion. Contrasts in Religion, Community, and Structure at Three Homeless Shelters fills a badly felt gap in the field of lived religion and homelessness. It takes up important issues and moves the discussion forward in each instance. A "must read"!'

Srdjan Sremac, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, author of Addiction and Spiritual Transformation

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1. Introduction: Homelessness and faith-based organizations  Chapter 2. Theoretical concepts and methods  Chapter 3. Religion and spirituality, community, and program structure at Grace Ministries, a faith-permeated organization  Chapter 4. Self-sufficiency and program structure at house of hope, a faith-affiliated organization  Chapter 5. Respite center: optional participation and divergent responses in a largely secular nonprofit  Chapter 6. What we found and why it matters  Methodological appendix