Archive
Medicine, Masculinity and Marketing: Trends to Watch in Religion in 2019
In the past year, we have seen our 2018 trends to watch come to fruition with stories of the supernatural, trust in institutions, activist healers, faith-based political organizing and women stepping up …
How California’s Megachurches Changed Christian Culture
This article was originally published on The Conversation. The popular view of California is of a liberal, godless region, a land of possibilities that is open to experimentation in all things. As …
New York Times: Richard Flory on Hillsong’s Celebrity Culture
“Own the Moment” by Hillsong NYC Pastor Carl Lentz presents the church’s brand of hip, approachable Christianity, according to the New York Times Books section. The story turned to CRCC’s Richard Flory …
The New York Times: The Creation of a Modern Megachurch
In a few years, Zerephath Christian Church in New Jersey has transformed from the dwindling base of a little-known denomination to a large megachurch. The New York Times reported on this transition, turning to CRCC’s …
Right Wing Watch: Trump’s Dominionist Prayer Warriors and the ‘Prophetic Order of the United States’
POTUS Shield is a group of Pentecostal leaders devoted to helping President Donald Trump bring about the reign of God across the country and world. Many of the “prophets” and “apostles” taking …
Christianity Today: The ‘Prophets’ and ‘Apostles’ Leading the Quiet Revolution in American Religion
A Christian movement has become one of the fastest-growing faith groups in the country recently, attracting millions of followers with promises of direct access to God. Christianity Today interviewed CRCC Senior Director …
The Diplomat: South Korea’s Megachurches
South Korean megachurches are growing and innovating, despite a competitive Korean religious market, reported The Diplomat, in a story about CRCC-sponsored research. Despite many church-related controversies like sex scandals and embezzlement, church …
Buzzfeed: Silicon Valley’s Hippest Church Is Going Public
CRCC’s senior research director Richard Flory was quoted by Buzzfeed about religious revival in Silicon Valley. An excerpt from the article: C3SV’s [an independent offshoot of a Pentecostal megachurch] parent, C3 Global, …
U2, Justin Bieber and the Future of Christianity
What exactly is the shelf life of a headlining rock band and an equally headline-grabbing pastor? When I heard that U2 had summoned megachurch pastor Rick Warren to minister to them in …
Reflections on “Preachers of LA” and the Prosperity Gospel
“Preachers of LA,” is a new reality show on Oxygen, chronicling the outsized lives of celebrity pastors living a life of prosperity. Over 1.2 million viewers watched the show’s premiere, but what …
What Does the Demise of the Crystal Cathedral Mean For Our Megachurches?
This post originally appeared in Zócalo Public Square. If this year were like years past, the Crystal Cathedral, the Philip Johnson-designed Protestant megachurch in Garden Grove, would be abuzz with the “The …
Nothing Sparks a Movement Like an Adversary (and Some Bad PR)
This post originally appeared on Trans/Missions, the USC Knight Chair in Media and Religion site. When TLC first aired “All-American Muslim,” the show met with some harsh criticism from within the Muslim …
Homeboy, Bieber and the Brand-value of God
This post originally appeared on Trans/Missions, the USC Knight Chair in Media and Religion site. A few weeks ago I walked into my hometown Ralph’s grocery store in a suburb of Los …
My iPhone is My Co-Pilot
This post originally appeared on Trans/Missions, the USC Knight Chair in Media and Religion site. The only thing Americans seem to like more than the culture war is trying to make money …
Is “Buy Christian” the New “Buy American”?
Brie Loskota on investing according to “Christian beliefs”