Hispanic/Latino Churches and Community Work

Milagros Peña, Principal Investigator

This research is a subproject on a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts entitled “The Hispanic Church Research Initiative (Edwin Hernández, University of Notre Dame, PI).

Abstract: One of the most important characteristics of the Latino community, and arguably its greatest strength, is its deeply rooted religious commitment. Although other racial and ethnic groups also manifest strong religious faith, in the Hispanic community, perhaps because of the relatively weak state of other formal institutions, Hispanic churches plays an especially critical social role. Churches are among the most visible and dynamic institutions in the Hispanic community, nurturing cultural and civic values and behavior, and in inspiring and organizing community involvement, often in distressed urban neighborhoods by delivering social services. This project researches the dynamics of Latino and Latina civic engagement via church work and the particular contribution of Latina women in that work. Drs. Peña and Hernández focus on two key questions. What do we know about Latino congregations and their impact in Hispanic communities throughout the U.S.? What do we know about the role of Latino religious leadership in mobilizing churches for more effective community work? These are central questions for understanding how religious institutions play key roles in developing social capital in any community.