Archive
Surprised American Evangelicals Voted for Trump? They Have a History of Racism
This post originally appeared on International Business Times. As a scholar of religion, one story that has intrigued me since the beginning of the 2016 presidential campaign is how Trump’s candidacy—now his …
Might, Right and White Privilege: It’s Morning in America, the Sequel
This post originally appeared on Religion Dispatches. Early this morning, when Donald Trump accepted the presidency of the United States, Ronald Reagan and Jerry Falwell were somewhere enjoying the last laugh. Their …
A Post-Election Prayer for Love, Families and Unity
The Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard, program manager for the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, was part of a prayer service for hope and unity at the Cathedral of Our Lady of …
A Faith Leader Serves His Local Community at Church and on the City Council
Jawane Hilton is not only a pastor; he also serves on his city council. After participating in the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement’s programs for faith leaders, Hilton deepened his …
Catholic Sisters in Africa: Strong, Vital and Taking on Global Challenges
This post was adapted from our report on the Conrad N. Hilton’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. Catholic sisters have been present in Africa since the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny landed on …
A Young Faith Leader Responding to the Needs of His Community
When Charles Dorsey came to the USC Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, he was young and had a lot of ideas but was unsure how to implement them. In this video, …
Charting the Future of Religion in Los Angeles and Beyond – The Story of USC CRCC
The USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture is a research and training center that explores how religions change and make change in Southern California and the world. This video tells the …
Civic Engagement: A Call for More Than Just Every Four Years
This article originally appeared in The Ismaili USA. Every four years the citizenry of the United States engages the political process through national elections. The election cycle seems to lengthen with each …
CRCC Honored at White House for Helping L.A. Become Stronger and Better Prepared for Disasters
By Rebecca Cheng Brie Loskota, executive director of the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, was honored at the White House last week for her work bridging faith organizations and government …
What We Know – And What We Don’t Know – After 20 Years of Charitable Choice
This post is adapted from a longer white paper on 20 years of Charitable Choice. Twenty years ago, President Bill Clinton enacted the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 …
Charitable Choice: A Bibliography
With the passage of welfare reform in 1996, the United States government instituted the “Charitable Choice” provision, leading to, for the first time, direct funding of religious organizations to provide social services. …
KPCC Take Two: What ‘Religious Liberty’ Means in Politics Today
CRCC Executive Director Brie Loskota unpacked the meaning of “religious liberty” in the light of laws opposing LGBT rights on KPCC’s Take Two. #Religion being persecuted by state is foundational idea, from …
President Obama Lifts up Young Muslim Activists, Including AMCLI Alumni
Just before President Obama made his public remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore this week–his first visit to a mosque as President–he met with a dozen Muslim leaders from across the …
Lessons from Hurricane Katrina: How Faith Communities Can Save Lives
One year before Hurricane Katrina, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Louisiana’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness conducted a tabletop exercise that simulated a Category 3 hurricane hitting and …
The City of Los Angeles Celebrates Religious Pluralism Day
The city of Los Angeles celebrated its first ever Religious Pluralism Day on April 21, 2015. City Council member Mitch O’Farrell introduced the formal resolution for the day, and Mitchell Englander seconded …
Do Government Regulations Get in the Way of Doing Good After a Disaster?
This post was originally published by Zócalo Public Square. Any time now, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is going to announce whom he has hired to be the city’s chief resilience officer, the …
How a Pentecostal Law Professor Has Helped Reshape Nigerian Politics
This post also appeared on The Washington Post Acts of Faith blog. I met Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s vice president-elect, two years ago, during the annual convening of the mammoth Holy Ghost Congress …
How Muslim Civic Activism Helped Pass California’s Prop 47
This post originally appeared on Religion Dispatches. California mostly defied the rightward national trend in this week’s midterm elections. The victory of Proposition 47, for example, makes California the first state in the …
Richard Flory Addresses the Los Angeles City Council
This post was a speech delivered to the Los Angeles City Council and a gathering of religious leaders whose communities are working with the City on disaster preparedness. Good morning, it is …
LA Voice: Congregations and Communities Building Electoral Power
For many years in the United States, churches have been at the center of progressive political and social movements. From abolitionism to child welfare and of course the Civil Rights Movement, religious …