New Urbanism has been, up to this point, a decidedly secular movement and perhaps it should remain that way. However, if the New Urbanist movement hopes to have a deep and lasting impact in North America it will have to figure out a way to bring those distinctively Christian voices back into the conversation that has been initiated. And the New Urban vision for new developments (such as Seaside) will have to figure out a way to incorporate churches in a more central way than they do so so now.”
 –Receiving Community: The Church and the Future of the New Urbanist Movement
(Markets and Morality, Spring 2003).

Faith institutions are vital to the restoration and sustainability of our communities. Eric Jacobsen explores what the church can and should offer to the New Urbanist movement, by asking how and why religious institutions play an essential part in renewing our communities.

Rev. Eric Jacobson is senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church (Tacoma, Washington) and a PhD candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary. Eric Jacobsen previously served as the Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Missoula, MT from 1995-2004 and has taught as an Adjunct Professor at both Regent College in British Columbia and Fuller Theological Seminary.

Eric is author of the nationally-recognized book Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith (Brazos, 2003), which explores how Christians can have a positive impact in America’s cities. He is also the co-editor of Traditions in Leadership: How Faith Traditions Shape the Way We Lead (DePree, 2006), as well as numerous articles exploring connections between the Christian community, the church, and traditional neighborhoods. He has been interviewed by The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and other national media, and he has presented lectures for various secular and religious institutions including Calvin College, the University of Virginia, the Christian Community Development Association, the American Planning Institute, the American Academy of Architects, and the Congress for the New Urbanism. He has past involvement in Young Life.

Eric received his M.Div from Princeton Theological Seminary, his B.A. From the University of California at Berkeley, and additional training from the Billy Graham School of Evangelism. While at Princeton, he was awarded a Samuel Robinson Prize for mastery of the Westminster Catechism, and the E. L. Wailes Memorial Prize in New Testament for his analysis of 1 Corinthians 12:1-3.