Amy L. Sherman

Dr. Amy L. Sherman is a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Studies of Religion. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Sagamore Institute for Policy Research, where she directs the Center on Faith in Communities. Dr. Sherman is the author of seven books and over 100 published articles. Her essays have appeared in such diverse publications as The Public Interest, Policy Review, Christianity Today, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The American Enterprise, Common Good, First Things, Books & Culture, Society, The Christian Century, Comment, and Philanthropy. Her book Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good (IVP 2011), which won Christianity Today’s Book of the Year Award in the Christian Living category. Her most recent book is Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society (IVP, 2022). Sherman received her undergraduate degree in Political Science in 1987 from Messiah College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (1994).

Dr. Sherman is in demand as a speaker, trainer, and evaluation consultant for many faith-based nonprofits and congregations nationwide. She has conducted evaluations for several national and international organizations including the Christian Community Development Association, Jobs for Life, Viva, and Redeemer City to City. 

She has served as Principal Investigator for multiple major research projects including the first major study of faith-based intermediary organizations; the largest national survey of evangelical Hispanic church-based community ministries in the U.S.; and the largest national survey of charitable giving by Christian Women (Women Doing Well Survey, 2011-2012). She served for several years as Editorial Director for the Faith and Service Technical Education Network and oversaw for five years a five city demonstration project on financial literacy for urban youth. While a visiting Fellow with the Ormond Center at Duke University in 2021-2022, Sherman co-wrote the field guide, Christian Enterprise Solutions to Poverty. Currently Sherman consults with Made to Flourish, a national pastors network for the common good, and serves as Editor-at-Large for the Eventide Center for Faith and Investing. 

In the early years of the national “faith-based initiative,” Sherman served as an advisor to the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and authored The Charitable Choice Handbook for Ministry Leaders. Sherman has written several other resource guides for faith leaders including Establishing a Church-based, Welfare-to-Work Ministry: A Practical How-To Manual and Sharing God’s Heart for the Poor: Meditations for Worship, Prayer, and Service.

Sherman is the founder and former Executive Director of Charlottesville Abundant Life Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit assisting low-income, inner-city families, that recently celebrated its 28^th year of ministry. She is an active member of Church of the Good Shepherd in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

Selected Publications

Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good

Preferential Option: A Christian and Neoliberal Strategy for Latin America’s Poor 

Establishing A Church-based Welfare-to-Work Mentoring Ministry