How can a parish church work with partners for the common good?

: An exploration with reference to the issue of homeless people and rough sleepers in Bournemouth.

Abstract

This study explores the research question, ‘How can a parish church work with partners for the common good?’. It tests an initial hypothesis that a parish church can work with partners for the common good. It does so by taking a sample of partnership working in Bournemouth, the town in which I work. The focus of that partnership working has as its objective the eradication of homelessness in our town.

To achieve that focused objective, I needed a methodology that respected my faith context whilst facilitating an open-ended exploration which listened to the full range of partnership voices. The initial hypothesis contains the supposition that the common good is an end towards which partners will commit themselves. I clarify that supposition by summarising the history of common good thinking and building. I approach the common good, as a practical theologian, from the perspective of my own experience as a Church of England parish priest working in Bournemouth. The focus of this study is, therefore, on partnerships for common good building from an explicitly Christian position. This explicitly Christian position incorporates, in a critical correlation, common good building into grounded theory methodology.

Using that methodology, I have tested the initial hypothesis using a sample of partnership working in focus groups and a day conference in Bournemouth. Data has been recorded, transcribed, coded, and interpreted. The research data shows the importance of listening to the voices of rough sleepers and seeking their collaborative participation in common good building. It points towards a way forward for local associations, to operate with lateral subsidiarity, in partnership with Anglican parish churches that look to be common good shaped. The research concludes that parish churches can be agents for the transformation of society, working for the common good, when they look with partners towards resolving long-term causes of homelessness and find solutions grounded in empowerment, lateral subsidiarity and the up building of human dignity.

Date of Award	4 Feb 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Winchester
Supervisor	Andrew Bradstock (Supervisor) & Neil Messer (Supervisor)