In an interview with Time magazine a teenager from Camden once remarked, “All the kids I grew up with are either dead, in jail, blown away by drugs, or freaked out on Jesus”. These are real alternatives, in real cities – yet the relationship between the Church and city governments has remained a reluctant and hesitant one. The government of Ontario recently pledged $3 million to urban churches to end gun violence. Governments and administra-tions can no longer afford to ignore the depression in our cities, nor the incredible untold stories of a partnership with the communities of faith and hope in their midst.

We are joining those already telling those stories. On June 21st Cardus launched its continuing research program on institutional religion and urban revitalization – Stained Glass Urbanism – at the United Nations World Urban Forum.