In the summer of 2019, Accord launched a new journal, Christian Relief, Development, and Advocacy (CRDA) that provides a written forum for the presentation of best practices, research, and discussions of issues central to the work of Accord members.

The journal contributes to Accord’s mission by helping Relief, Development and Advocacy (RDA) practitioners and academics share their knowledge, skills, and reflections with others in both the Accord and broader Christian RDA communities.

CRDA releases two editions each year. It is online and open access, meaning that our neighbors and fellow workers the world over have access to it without fees. The journal is also peer-reviewed, meaning that everything published goes through a review process with knowledgeable and experienced professionals; and is in the process of being indexed by EBSCO and ProQuest. We are delighted that it appears to be serving its purpose; as of 2023, the journal has had more than 17,000 views, with over 13,000 articles and reviews downloaded by people from more than 90 different countries.

The journal addresses many questions that are of special interest to Christians, like what the Christian faith says about poverty, economic inequality, ethnic conflict, gender discrimination, corruption, environmental management, disaster preparedness, children’s well-being, health care, social justice, and good governance. Important questions about political engagement, doing development work in non-Christian settings, and how Christianity is integrated into health, WASH, or microenterprise programs all need to be intentionally addressed through the lens of faith.  Many more such questions await our faithful attention.

In the spirit of iron sharpening iron, we hope that the CRDA will foster a rich discussion among practitioners in the field, as well as build bridges across any divide between practitioners and academics who study theories and practices. By working together and talking things through, we will all be stronger and better able to be obedient to the Second Great Commandment of loving and serving our neighbors.

Roland Hoksbergen and David Bronkema are co-editors of the journal.  The editorial board is comprised of a diverse group of Christian professionals who work in a variety of Christian and secular NGOs, other RDA institutions, universities, multilateral institutions, and think tanks.

Roland and David invite you to check in with them with any questions you might have.  If you have an idea for an article, book reviews, or simply a thought piece from the field, feel free to share it with them for some initial feedback before you take on the full project.  Write to them at CRDA@accordnetwork.org.