Center for Religion & Civic Culture

While many of our research projects are conducted outside of Southern California, the region will always remain an important part of the CRCC’s research and community interests. Southern California, a major gateway for immigrants, is also a laboratory for new religious movements.

In 1994, before the Center was officially established, John Orr, Donald Miller, Wad Clark Roof, and J. Gordon Melton published a report entitled “Politics of the Spirit: Religion and Multiethnicity in Los Angeles.” Their groundbreaking work led to CRCC’s creation in 1996. Since then, CRCC has undertaken numerous projects, such as John Orr’s “Los Angeles Religion: A Civic Profile” (1998), which described the religious pluralism of the City of Angels. Subsequently, we conducted research projects on immigrant religion, community organizing, faith-based child care, and many other topics.

Today, CRCC is involved in research projects on the Los Angeles Dream Center, the development of post-1992 faith-based coalitions, and the capacity of congregations in South Los Angeles to address issues surrounding community violence. In addition, we are working to build the capacity of congregations and faith leaders through several training institutes. Another project focuses on several important aspects of Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity in Los Angeles.