Life on the Breadline project resources
These are resources from the Life on the Breadline project. From 2018-2021 we will be producing more resources including animated videos on faith and poverty, reports, policy documents, and resources for churches and groups responding to poverty.
Cost of Living Crisis: Taking Anti-Poverty Action in the UK
We are hearing more about the Cost of Living Crisis every day, but what can churches do now and to prepare for the difficult winter ahead? How do we read the Bible in the context of poverty and how can the church act prophetically?
Chris Shannahan, Principle Investigator from the Life on the Breadline Project shares his unique and important research into poverty in the UK, and how the church is responding (hear Chris from 34:49)
Life on the Breadline Animation – Anti Poverty Charter
This third animation from Life on the Breadline introduces the Anti-Poverty Charter.
Watch, share, act.
Life on the Breadline Lent Course –
In January 2022, Dr Chris Shannahan spoke with Preach Magazine about the Life on the Breadline Lent course. Watch his video with Louisa Lockwood.
Challenge Poverty Week –
In this session for Challenge Poverty Week (October 2021), Dr Chris Shannahan, an Associate Professor at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, explored how Christians in the UK have responded to poverty during austerity.
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty –
On 17 October 2021, Dr Chris Shannahan spoke about the importance of #BreadlineResearch as it relates to the UN day for the eradication of poverty.
Life on the Breadline podcast – Chris Shannahan and Stephanie Denning feature in the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations’ new podcast series to discuss the last three years of Life on the Breadline research.
Race Matters: Austerities and Theologies – In January 2021 the Life on the Breadline team co-organised the National Poverty Consultation with Church Action on Poverty. Robert Beckford led a session on race, austerities and theologies.
Robert Beckford and Ben Lindsay in conversation – Life on the Breadline’s Robert Beckford led a conversation on race, austerities and theology with Ben Lindsay from Power the Fight at the National Poverty Consultation in January 2021.
Life on the Breadline: Christian discipleship and the violence of poverty – Life on the Breadline project lead, Chris Shannahan, gave a guest lecture at the Council for World Mission. He explored whether poverty is a form of violence, the impact of austerity, Christian action on poverty, and challenges for Disciples.
This is the first of three animations from the Life on the Breadline research – the impact of austerity policies on UK poverty, and the response of churches and Christian NGOs.
Watch, share, act.
We need to talk about race – Life on the Breadline’s Chris Shannahan and Robert Beckford took part in a panel at Power the Fight with Ben Lindsay to question how should White majority/White led churches respond to the disproportionate impact Covid-19 has had on ethnic minorities?
Pentecostalism: Civic Engagement and Creation Care – Life on the Breadline’s Robert Beckford took part in a panel at Faith Forum on Pentecostalism and civil enagement
Life on the Breadline researchers Stephanie Denning and Chris Shannahan submitted evidence to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee’s Inquiry into the Economics of Universal Credit. This is available to read online or using the documents above.
Better Must Come! Black Pentecostals, the Pandemic and the future of Christianity – Life on the Breadline Co-Investigator Robert Beckford has produced a film examining Black Pentecostal responses to the Covid-19 pandemic in Britain in 2020.
Swords into Ploughshares – drawing on our research, Life on the Breadline Co-Investigator Robert Beckford has produced a film on the church, youth violence and austerity.
Transforming structural injustice
On 13th September 2019, the Life on the Breadline team hosted a workshop in Coventry on transforming structural injustice. Resources from the day are available here.
Life on the Breadline’s Austerity timeline – an interactive snapshot of UK austerity policies and how these have affected people’s lives in the last decade
The Violence of Poverty: Theology and Activism in an “Age of Austerity” – Chris Shannahan
Project Principal Investigator, Chris Shannahan, has published a paper in the journal Political Theology. Click here to access the journal, or contact Chris for a copy of the paper.
Life on the Breadline project featured in the Church Times
On 23rd November 2018, the Life on the Breadline project was featured in the Church Times with the headline ‘Academics to analyse link between Christian theology and poverty activism in UK’. Click here to read the news item.
Life on the Breadline blog for Church Action on Poverty
Stephanie Denning, has written a blog post for the Life on the Breadline project partner, Church Action on Poverty. She highlights recent project news in the post, including the newly updated austerity timeline.
Life on the Breadline project on Sunday Programme for Radio 4
On 18th November 2018, Chris Shannahan was interviewed about the Life on the Breadline project BBC Radio 4’s ‘Sunday Programme’. You can listen to the item from 16 minutes, 30 seconds into the Programme on the above audio.
National Poverty Consultation with Church Action on Poverty – 8-9th November 2018
The Life on the Breadline project team launched the project nationally at the National Poverty Consultation in Manchester in November 2018. Click audio on the images below to see the team’s slides and recordings from the event. During the event the team led an activity to collaboratively develop the project’s ‘austerity timeline’ which is found below on this page.
Faith and Peaceful Relations Forum – Project Launch, 24th October 2018
Chris Shannahan and Stephanie Denning launched the Life on the Breadline project at the Faith and Peaceful Relations Forum in October 2018. Click on the images and audio below to see the slides and recordings from the event – Chris sharing more about the project and Christian responses to poverty, and Stephanie discussing austerity and poverty.
UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and humans rights
The project team have submitted a report on poverty and austerity to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights for the UK visit and report. The submission can be accessed through the UN website and is listed as Dr Christopher Shannahan, under the academics section.
At the start of Life on the Breadline our Principal Investigator, Chris Shannahan, published an article in Open Democracy ‘Love and hunger in breadline Britain’.
These images have been produced by illustrator Beth Waters for Life on the Breadline. These can be downloaded for non-commercial use as a resource, please credit Beth Waters and the Life on the Breadline project when doing so.
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