Pathways to Belonging - Print

Pathways to Belonging

Dustin D. Benac, Erin Weber-Johnson, Glen Bell (Editors)

A thought-provoking collection that explores how faith communities can foster deep belonging and respond creatively to today’s challenges of disconnection and division.

By engaging with this book, readers will:

• Gain theological and practical insights into the meaning of belonging
• Learn strategies to cultivate inclusive, welcoming church communities
• Understand the social and cultural barriers to belonging today
• Reflect on real-world examples from diverse congregations and contexts
• Explore spiritual practices that nurture connection and empathy
• Be inspired to reimagine community life for a fragmented world
• Access fresh perspectives from a range of respected scholars and practitioners
  

Features

• Edited volume featuring multiple contributors from varied backgrounds
• Combines theological reflection with practical ministry guidance
• Addresses contemporary issues including diversity, isolation, and social change
• Suitable for church leaders, small groups, and seminary courses
• Written in an accessible style for both clergy and lay readers
  

Paperback, 204pp
1.19 cms H x 22.86 cms L x 15.24 cms W (0.28 kgs
ISBN 9798385203321
Cascade Books (2025)

[Allow 4 weeks]

Description

In a world marked by increasing isolation, division, and a hunger for authentic community, Pathways to Belonging offers a timely and hopeful response.

Bringing together a diverse group of theologians, pastors, and ministry practitioners, this volume explores how faith communities can become places where all people experience true belonging.

The book examines both the theological foundations and practical expressions of belonging, providing readers with rich reflections and actionable ideas. Contributors share insights from a variety of cultural and congregational contexts, addressing pressing challenges such as social fragmentation, diversity, and changing patterns of religious participation.

Whether you are a church leader seeking to strengthen congregational life, a layperson passionate about community, or a theological student preparing for ministry, this book will equip and inspire you.

Through theological wisdom, practical strategies, and real-life stories, readers will discover how to create spaces of connection, compassion, and purpose in today’s complex world.

About the Editors

Dustin D. Benac is a practical theologian and leadership scholar whose research focuses on theological education and organisational leadership.

Erin Weber-Johnson is a stewardship consultant, author, and speaker known for her work on generosity and community-building in church settings.

Glen Bell is a pastor and educator with extensive experience in congregational leadership and ministry formation.

Contents
Foreword
The Election of Belonging 
Acknowledgments
Introduction
An Invitation

Part 1: Ancestors
My Grandmother’s Face
Keepers of Generational Fire
Belonging in the Middle of Nowhere 

Part 2: Identity
Too Many Cooks
Fostering Belonging Through Afrofuturist Speculative Design
Yearning for Home
Lydia Amid the Jewish Diaspora

Part 3: Risk
In the Beginning Were Autistic People and They Belonged
When “Yes” Means “No”
AI and Belonging 

Part 4: Practice
It’s Good to Be Seen
Longing to Belong by Name
Becoming the Body 

Part 5: Barriers and Rupture
Beyond Assimilation, Toward a Story of “You Belong Here”
Transformative Belonging in Higher Education
How the Church Becomes the Heart of the Community 

Part 6: Creation
On Seeing and Being Seen
Voice and Verse
Cultural Humility as a Pathway to Belonging
A Music-Making Counter-Community

Conclusion
Belonging in the Valley for Dry Bone