Faith-Based Organizations: A Vehicle for Cross-Cultural Relationship Building

Abstract

Faith-based organizations are making great strides addressing racial, ethnic, and religious divides in the United States through generating bridging social capital, or relationships between people who differ on a social dimension. Although we know these organizations are successful at making these connections, we know little about the context and process in which these cross-cultural relationships develop. In a case study of a faith-based, social action organization in Detroit, I find four practices that facilitate cross-cultural relationships. I suggest that these practices can be used as a “toolkit” for social workers to use in multicultural organizations to facilitate positive relationship building.

KEYWORDS:

• community
• community organizing
• ethnic/racial groups
• organizational
• religion