Archive
Evangelicalism: Same as it Ever Was–Or Is It?
Nobody ever said religious innovation was easy—either as an undertaking in the context of a religious community or as the subject of a scholarly investigation. For one thing, creative and innovative activity …
Churched Out
I’m churched out. I’ve gone to more church services in the last two months than I have over the past 30 years. Now, I’m not exactly complaining about this development since these …
The Tidal Wave of Indifference: I Don’t Church, I Brunch
A lot has been written recently about the spiritual-but-not-religious crowd, or the “religious nones”–people who have no particular religious affiliation–and how their numbers are rapidly growing in the U.S. Recent reports place …
The Burbs Are All Right: Religion, Sprawl and L.A.’s Urban Logic
As a part of our Religious Competition and Creative Innovation project, our research team meets once each month for “idea lunches” during which we have freewheeling discussions about what we’re seeing in …
Laundry Love
Several years ago—2002 to be exact—I met an incredibly interesting young pastor named Greg Russinger. At the time, Greg was leading the Bridge Communities, an innovative church in Ventura, California. What was …
Competition, Innovation and the Future of Religion
The primary question that underlies the Religious Competition and Creative Innovation (RCCI) project is whether “religious competition” leads to creative innovation in congregations and other religious organizations. This question is rooted at …
Is American Evangelicalism Really Disappearing?
Predicting the demise of American evangelicalism has become a cottage industry. Scholars, journalists, evangelical researchers and the evangelical blogosphere all agree: Whether because of declining numbers of young people or demographic shifts …
Spirit and Power: The Growth and Global Impact of Pentecostalism
Spirit and Power: The Growth and Global Impact of Pentecostalism Donald E. Miller, Kimon Sargeant, and Richard Flory, editors (Oxford University Press: 2013) From the publisher’s description: Pentecostalism is …
Religion and Public Diplomacy
Religion and Public Diplomacy Philip Seib, editor (Palgrave Macmillan: 2013) Religion and Public Diplomacy discusses the volatile consequences that can be a result of mixing religion, new communications technologies …
Religion and the Los Angeles Mayoral Race
CRCC Research Director Richard Flory and Reverend Mark Whitlock have appeared in a Neon Tommy article where they discuss the religious implications of the current Mayoral Race in Los Angeles. An excerpt …
Celebrating Lent: Why non-religious millennials are choosing to sacrifice
CRCC Research Director Richard Flory has been quoted in an article appearing on the KPCC website. Flory discusses the ways that non-religious young adults still take part in some traditional religious practices …
Making Sense of Religion in Southern California
California is a paradox. While it is known as one of the most progressive states in the country, home to the entertainment industry and innovative technology companies, it has also produced conservative— …
Faithful Action: Working with Religious Groups in Disaster Planning, Response and Recovery
Executive Summary Faith-based organizations provide services before, during, and after disasters. Studies of catastrophes—from 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina to local wildfires—describe the important role of the faith community as a source of …
Appendix: Geographic Profile of Imperial County
Imperial County is located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of the U.S. state of California, bordering both Arizona and Mexico. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area, …
Appendix: Geographic Profile of Oakland
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724. …
Appendix: Geographic Profile of Irvine
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California. It is a master planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Irvine was formally incorporated on December 28, …
Appendix: Geographic Profile of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in the state of California, and the second most populous in the United States, …
Additional Appendices
The following appendices are available in the PDF of Faithful Action. Glossary of Acronyms Select Organizations Works Referenced California Congregations Assest Mapping and Risk Communication Survey for Public Health Emergencies and Disaster …
Footnotes
1 Lawson, Erma J. (2007) “Wading in the Waters: Spirituality and Older Black Katrina Survivors,” Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved,18.2: 341-354. Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation …
Introduction
Faith-based organizations (FBOs) and faith leaders serve as focal points for people seeking physical, social, emotional, and spiritual care when disasters strike, as evidenced by responses to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane …