USC Dornsife College Of Letters Arts and Sciences

University of Southern California

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Archive

Richard Flory stands at podium in front of audience with Compelling Preaching banner behind him

Preaching Into our Post-Election Divides

The following were Richard Flory’s opening remarks at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture’s Compelling Preaching Across Divides conference, held on November 20, 2024. Just two weeks ago, we had …

New Book Series: Bloomsbury Studies in Religion and Civic Culture

The USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture has signed a contract with Bloomsbury to produce the new series, Bloomsbury Studies in Religion and Civic Culture, with an ambitious 13 titles to …

Compelling Preaching Across Divides

The 2024 Election may be over, but our country and churches remain strongly divided. CRCC’s Compelling Preaching Initiative came together in Wednesday, November 20, 2024, to process the election, gain insights into …

Bringing Religion Reporting—and Understanding—to Nigeria

Inspired by a fellowship with CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality (2019-2023), journalist Innocent Eteng has found ways to improve reporting on religion in Nigeria. Nigeria is a country with over 250 …

How Will Evangelicals Vote in 2024?

CRCC created “The Varieties of American Evangelicalism” in advance of the 2018 midterm election. This short report intended to help journalists and other observers of American cultural and political life better understand …

Passing the Mantle 2.0: The Murray Legacy

After decades of ministry, the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray spent his “retirement” sharing his model of leadership and vision of Christian social ethics to a new generation of faith leaders. …

AI Tips for Preachers

CRCC Affiliate Ken Chitwood hosted a zoom session on best practices for using generative AI tools as a preacher — how to think about artificial intelligence, write prompts, verify information and other …

Thriving Congregations: A Series on Leadership

The USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture supports faith leaders as they seek to reimagine their ministries and help their congregations thrive in a time of significant religious and social change. This series …

How Then Shall We Live? A Conversation Series

“How Then Shall We Live?” is a series of conversations that examines critical issues shaping how humanity lives together today: the environment, polarization and artificial intelligence. Experts will share their perspectives on …

Memories of the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray – 1929-2024

The Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, who died April 5, 2024 at age 94, trained 1,000 faith leaders in community development and civic engagement at USC, building on an illustrious career …

Reflections from the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray

“If I could help somebody as I travel along…then my living has not been in vain.” Hear the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray quote the song that inspired his life and …

Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray Sings “Lift Every Voice and Sing”

Hear the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, who died April 5, 2024 at age 94, sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” shortly before his retirement from the University of Southern California …

2024 Shurden Lectures: Whose Country Is It Anyway?

Watch 2024 Shurden Lectures: “Whose Country Is It Anyway?” The Rev. Dr. Joseph Evans and the Rev. Dr. Christopher The brought their unique experiences and expertise to a conversation on religious and …

Los Angeles’ Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. Murray, Dies at Age 94

Until the pandemic, the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray was the first person in the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture’s office every morning. Then 90 years old, he would …

Compelling Preaching Cohort Program

This page is for cohort members of the Compelling Preaching Project. Download a PDF of cohort members with bios Welcome to the Compelling Preaching Cohort! The Compelling Preaching program will have 10 …

God’s Resistance: Mobilizing Faith to Defend Immigrants

Watch a discussion about the power of faith to drive resistance to anti-immigration policies in the United States. This event was hosted by the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture on …

Father Greg Boyle: A Modern-Day Mystic — The Priest Behind Homeboy Industries

This article was originally published on Religion Unplugged, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality.  The founder of the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation and prison reentry program in the world is a …

Compelling Preaching Cohort Application

The Compelling Preaching Initiative at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture seeks to create space for faith leaders to think about their preaching in an ever-changing social and cultural landscape.  …

A Year of Crisis and Opportunity: 2024 Trends in Religion and Society

In CRCC’s annual trends post last year, we wrote about surviving, if not thriving. We write this year’s trends with a special place in our hearts for CRCC’s senior editor Nick Street, …

Black woman in glasses and long dreads stands in front of a green trees and a pond.

Konda Mason: Growing rice in Louisiana is a path to justice for Black farmers

This article was originally published on The Christian Science Monitor, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality.  It’s past daybreak on a muggy July morning when Konda Mason reaches the farm, a …