This is my archive

Rev. Gary Mason: Faith on the Peace Lines of Northern Ireland

Amid the bombings and murders of Northern Ireland’s decades-long conflicted called the Troubles, Rev. Gary Mason would go to the bars that he had frequented before embracing Christianity and talk with combatants. “Tell me your story,” he would ask. “What shaped you as a person? What voices spoke into your life to give you that worldview?" Read More

White Christian nationalism and the next wave of political violence

Images such as a flag that said “Jesus is my savior, Trump is my president” seem new, but this mix of white, right-wing identity politics and nationalist Christianity has been stirring for many years. It’s hard to say exactly when this version of white supremacist Christianity — embedded within and supported by the Republican Party — began, but one important turning point was President Nixon’s commitment to the GOP’s Southern strategy to attract Dixiecrats disaffected by the Democratic Party’s commitment to the civil rights movement. Read More

Celebrating Rev. Cecil Murray, His 90 Years of Life and the Love That He Has Shown Us All

For more than 15 years, I’ve watched as people from all religions and walks of life come to our offices to get a few moments of his time. I’ve seen mothers drag sons by the ear to sit them down for a talking-to at the table of the one who many call Papa.  I’ve seen fellow pastors seek his guidance, political leaders seek his approval, community leaders seek his backing, couples seek his blessing. Read More

The L.A. Decade: Religious Innovation in an Emerging Global City

In order to understand innovation, we first need to define it. My center, the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at USC, undertook a multi-year project to explore how religions are changing and where there is creativity in religious environments across Greater Los Angeles and Seoul, South Korea. Read More

Effective Relationship Building to Bridge Faith and Cultural Divides

The idea that government alone can solve complex problems has long been on the wane—so much so that many people today think government cannot solve any problem, regardless of its complexity. In reality, effective governance takes collaboration between government agencies, the private sector, and community groups to make progress on social problems, whether large or small. Read More