Highlights

by Jack Ryan Schlotter UPDATE: see Jack talk about his research with the Little Rock Congregations Study, including this case study on Grace United Church, in this short YouTube video: In 2022, two culturally-unique faith communities based in Central Little Rock, Arkansas merged. Grace Church, a majority White congregation, and Grace Temple Church, a majority … Grace United Church: The Marriage of Two Churches

by Owen Haynes Every night at iftar–the breaking of fast during the holy month of Ramadan–congregants eat dates at many mosques across the globe, including the Medina Institute in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dates are not a necessary part of the process, they are a tradition, but waiting to eat until sunset is. During the holy … Peaceful Traditions with a Police Presence

By Nathan Epperson The question of prophets and their place in the grand narrative of religion has been a source of division for millennia. Was Moses, Jesus, or Muhammad the one true messenger of God? The Baha’i Faith, a relatively new Abrahamic religion founded in the mid-19th century, offers a radical perspective. All three can … Not Baha’i Yourself

By Dominika Hanson According to research from the Little Rock Congregations Study, Little Rock residents have identified racial disparity and K-12 education as top issues in our community. CityChurch Network has been working towards innovative solutions by uniting churches and sharing best-practice ideas in connecting with families through church-school partnerships. Through the added stress of … CityChurch Network’s Vital Families Initiative Focuses on the Critical Issue of Education in Little Rock

by Molly Edwards The Islamic Center of Little Rock (ICLR), officially founded in 1992, has an active food bank that has been open since 2010 and has fed hundreds of families. The food bank is open on Sunday’s from 10:30am-12:30pm at 3224 Anna St. Bags normally consist of items such as food (including fresh fruits … Providing Aid for Those that Seek it: The Food Pantry at the Islamic Center of Little Rock in the Midst of a Pandemic

by Anna Gayle Griffiths Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series written by students in Dr. Rebecca Glazier’s International Religious Freedom class at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in spring, 2020. The students studied how learning positive things about religious minorities could help break the cycle of social hostilities and government restrictions on … Community Based Work and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints, Pinnacle Mountain Ward

by Sabah Ismail The Unitarian Universalist Church is a denomination of Christianity that truly molds its entire belief system around the idea of “loving thy neighbor.” Their focus on this teaching causes them to fully embrace the idea of completely accepting others, as well as helping them in any way they can. One of the … The Unitarian Universalist Church of Little Rock and the Stephens Food Pantry

by Isaac Thomas Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series written by students in Dr. Rebecca Glazier’s International Religious Freedom class at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in spring, 2020. The students studied how learning positive things about religious minorities could help break the cycle of social hostilities and government restrictions on religious … Lubavitch of Arkansas-Center for Jewish Life

by Landon DeKay Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series written by students in Dr. Rebecca Glazier’s International Religious Freedom class at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in spring, 2020. The students studied how learning positive things about religious minorities could help break the cycle of social hostilities and government restrictions on religious … The Madina Institute: Helping Community in Times of Crisis

by Dorothea Greulich Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series written by students in Dr. Rebecca Glazier’s International Religious Freedom class at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in spring, 2020. The students studied how learning positive things about religious minorities could help break the cycle of social hostilities and government restrictions … Congregation B’nai Israel’s Engagement to Make the Little Rock Community Better