Covid 19 faith sector impact research to be shared 

A Baptist scholar presents the findings of research into the impact of Covid 19 on the UK faith sector in an onsite and online seminar on Thursday (9 November) 

Professor Paul Weller of Broadway Baptist Church, Derby, is the principal investigator of a research project that seeks to understand the capacities and contributions of faith-based organisations in the pandemic.

The Coventry University project, where Paul is a Visiting Fellow for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, is entitled: Covid-19 and Christian Faith Based Organisations in Britain: Organisational, Financial and Human Contributions and Impacts.

Paul presents his findings about lessons learned on Thursday, 9 November from 4-5.30pm. Those interested can attend onsite at Coventry University, or online. 

The project received funding from the British Academy. It was the only one of 56 funded (out of 842 applications) by the Academy from its special COVID research fund to focus on religion. 

Paul said, 'It has been a privilege to have been supported by the British Academy to work through, and reflect upon, the relevant research and resource literature produced both by Faith Based Organisations themselves and by others who have studied their response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact upon their work. 

'And it is great to have this opportunity to draw together and present a preliminary digest of some key emerging themes and learning points for busy people who might not themselves have the time to read the original research.'

The project overview states, 'Of the c.15,000 Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) that today provide significant scaffolding for contemporary social welfare needs (National Council for Voluntary Organisations UK Civil Society Almanac, 2019) a substantial number are Christian. 

'At the beginning of the pandemic, Britain had one of the highest rates globally of COVID-19 infection and excess mortality. Because of the extra demands made on non-Governmental welfare support services to buttress this distressed landscape, it is critically important better to learn the lessons from this in order better to understand the capacities and contributions, organisational health and durability of FBOs, especially in terms of readiness for any future pandemic or other civil emergency. 

'The study undertakes a review of relevant research focusing particularly on Christian FBOs, but with relevance also to FBOs from within other religion or belief traditions.'

Subject to peer review of a submission of the finalised project findings, the project will conclude with an extended article in the journal Religions in early 2024, which is an open access publisher.

Although now living primarily in Germany, Paul remains a member of the Broadway Baptist Church in Derby, in which he is involved when regularly living also in the UK.

He is also an Emeritus Professor of the University of Derby, and a Non-Stipendiary Research Fellow in Religion and Society and Associate Director of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture based at Regent's Park College, a Baptist foundation Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford.
 

If you are interested in participating in the upcoming session on Covid-19 and Christian Faith Based Organisations in Britain: Organisational, Financial and Human Contributions and Impacts, you are invited to sign up at coventry.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/covid-19-and-the-uk-christian-faith-sector