John B. Orr

John B. Orr died in 2023. Read his obituary.

John B. Orr was senior research fellow of the Center for Religion and Civic Culture. In 1996, Orr co-founded the center with Donald E. Miller, and was co-director until 1998. He had a distinguished career at the University of Southern California, serving as director of the School of Religion, 1970-1981 and from 1990-1993, and dean of the School of Education, 1981-1988. Since 1988, Orr held the title of University Professor. He wrote extensively on various topics in the fields of religion, education, and politics, including essays and articles in Social Progress, Encounter, Church and Society, Current, California Elementary Administrator, Educational Theory, Mission Journal, Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, and the Newsletter of the American Academy of Religion. Professor Orr had funded projects and grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Naslund Research Fund, the Haynes Foundation, and the Lilly Foundation.