Religions may have their eternal truths, but forms of religious expression are shaped by the geography, culture, economics and other factors that define a particular place. Religious organizations in the United States and China, for example, work with government agencies in very different ways. Los Angeles and Seoul have similar proportions of people who don’t identify with a religion, yet religious affiliation trends are going in opposite directions in each city. Pentecostals in Brazil and Nigeria are concurrently seeking their place in two dramatically different societies.
CRCC has studied religion in Southern California for 20 years, and our research into global Pentecostalism and religious competition and creative innovation has given our researchers expertise in Asia and other regions in the developing world. Comparing the religious landscape in various parts of the world yields useful insight into the growth and evolution of religious movements, as well as religion’s relationships with other aspects of society.
- VideoMemories of the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray – 1929-2024
- VideoReflections from the Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray
- Video2024 Shurden Lectures: Whose Country Is It Anyway?
ArticleFather Greg Boyle: A Modern-Day Mystic — The Priest Behind Homeboy IndustriesThis 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 …Topics: Catholicism, Donald E. Miller, Engaged Spirituality, Religious Leadership, Southern California, Spiritual Exemplars- VideoWomen of Integrity: Celebrating 175 Years of the Immaculate Heart Community
CRCC in the NewsSpotlight shines on spiritually engaged humanitarians in ‘Stories of Social Change’ exhibitThis story was originally published by USC News. After being immersed in the material for five years, Megan Sweas didn’t need a script as she led small groups on tours of the …Topics: Engaged Spirituality, Indigenous Spiritualities, Southern California, Spiritual Exemplars
CRCC in the NewsWashington Post: Richard Flory on Saddleback’s Rick Warren Ordaining WomenRick Warren, founder and pastor of Saddleback Church, is challenging the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) belief that women should not be pastors in their church. Saddleback was disfellowshipped by SBC officials after …Topics: Christianity, Evangelicalism, Innovation and Change, Religious Leadership, Southern California
ArticleSonia Tinoco García: Responding to Muslim Asylum Seekers at the US-Mexico BorderThis article was originally published on New Lines Magazine, with the support of CRCC’s global project on engaged spirituality. It’s late afternoon in Tijuana, and the air is hot and thick. Hamza — …Topics: Engaged Spirituality, Immigration, Islam, Southern California, Spiritual Exemplars
AnnouncementJohn Orr: Religion professor’s long career at USC helped launch some of the university’s most distinctive programsProfessor Emeritus of Religion John Orr was a continuous presence on the USC campus for nearly 30 years. He helped usher in a number of programs that define the university’s commitment to …Topics: Christianity, Religious Leadership, Southern California
CRCC in the NewsL.A. Times: Najuma Smith on the LAPD Civilian Review ProcessThe Los Angeles Times interviewed CRCC’s Najuma Smith about her decision to volunteer for Los Angeles Police Department civilian review process. The Times investigation found that some reviewers have been chosen repeatedly …Topics: Faith-State Relations, Najuma Smith, Racial Justice, Southern California, Violence
CommentaryThriving (or Just Surviving): 2023 Trends to Watch in Religion and SocietyIf CRCC’s annual trends to watch have been growing more ominous in recent years, then 2023 feels like a pivotal year for many of the issues we’ve been tracking: Like our final …Topics: Christianity, Evangelicalism, Media and Technology, Politics, Racial Justice, Southern California, Thriving Congregations, trends
CRCC in the NewsMedia on the 30 Years after LA’s 1992 Civil UnrestAs the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture reflected on the 1992 Civil Unrest, the words and efforts of the Rev. Dr. Cecil Murray following the unrest continued to be highlighted …Topics: Black Church, Protest Movements, Racial Justice, Southern California
“More than 80 percent of the population of the UAE is composed of non-citizens—a remarkable statistic that accounts, at least in part, for why the restiveness of the Arab Spring made barely a ripple here. Still, the relative tolerance of the UAE’s authoritarian regime makes for some fascinating contradictions. Non-Muslim religious movements are tightly constrained in where and how they can conduct their activities, but if they play by the rules, it’s easy to flourish.”
—Nick Street,
“Spiritual Sargasso Sea: A Long Weekend in Dubai”
CRCC Experts
To schedule an interview with one of our experts, please contact CRCC:
crcc@usc.edu or 213-743-1611
Brad ChristersonBrad Christenson is a sociologist who has written extensively in the areas of religion, race, ethnicity, and globalization.
Richard FloryExecutive DirectorRichard Flory is a sociologist whose work focuses on religion and urban life, religious and cultural change, and youth and young adults.
Andrew JohnsonPast FellowAndrew Johnson is a sociologist who studies religion on the margins of society, with specific interests in religious practice inside of prison, Latin American Pentecostalism and religion in the city.
Juan MartínezPast FellowJuan Martinez studies the history of Latino Protestantism, Latino Protestant identity and transnational mission among U.S. Latinos.
Donald E. MillerCo-FounderDonald Miller focuses on global religious trends, genocides of the 20th century, and the role of religious NGOs in addressing issues of moral concern.
Bruce PhillipsBruce Phillips is among the leading researchers in the sociology of American Jewry and is an avid historian of Los Angeles.
Najuma SmithAssistant Director of Community and Public EngagementRev. Najuma Smith combines her experience as a pastor and expertise as a community leader to train Murray Center Fellows.
Rev. Frank Jackson, Jr.Rev. Frank Jackson, Jr. couples his experience in business and investment with his passion for community development.
Diane WinstonAs a journalist and scholar, Diane Winston is a national authority on religion, politics, the news media and entertainment.