The Polis Center's Project on Religion and Urban Culture, supported by grants from Lilly Endowment Inc., examines and encourages discussion about the role of religion in Indianapolis and, by implication, in other mid-sized American cities. Through community-based partnerships, we explore the ways people of faith have helped define, sustain, and transform urban community in the 20th century. We are also examining the reverse: how the urban environment shapes congregations and religious practice.

The project also seeks to create a civic arena for examining issues of religion and community. We are sharing what we learn through a variety of means: video productions, books, newsletters, exhibits, workshops and conferences, and our site on the World Wide Web.

Now in its third phase, the Project on Religion and Urban Culture draws on the partnerships forged during its previous phases among the university, religious and civic institutions, and neighborhood communities. We also continue to expand our rich data collection on the connections between religion and community in Greater Indianapolis. The three focus areas of the project are public inquiry, public teaching, and public expression.