The Institute of Religion, Politics, and Culture
Research, public education, and action for changemarkers.
OUR VISION
A world where dominant narratives of public religion and politics expand inclusion and imagination. Public leaders have the tools to understand religion in politics and effectively shape inclusive and justice-oriented policy.
ABOUT
The IRPC is a resource to the media and local community for responding and proactively speaking to religion and politics. It is a self-sustaining part of the Iliff School of Theology and a vital resource for faculty and students.
Research
We dive deeper into the details of religious influence on political ideas through academic research.
Education
We partner with advocates, legislators, and candidates running for office to put into practice the learnings from our research.
Creative Communication
Breaking through the noise to challenge assumptions and change the story.
Check out our podcast, Complexified
Complexified is a weekly interview podcast from the Iliff IRPC and Religion News Service, hosted by Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson.
Each episode dives into the most pressing news stories at the crossroads of religion and politics, exploring the nuances that often go overlooked. Whether you’re religiously curious, politically frustrated, or somewhere in between, Complexified brings you conversations that challenge assumptions and spark fresh insights.
A two-year project of bridge-building gatherings around food, music, art, & spirituality.
This project will foster intercultural belonging by building bridges across religious, political, and racial differences, beginning with ten individuals from diverse backgrounds committed to a two-year relationship-building community. Religious institutions have long exercised the potential to divide and unite across race, class, gender, socioeconomic, and political ideology.
This project will produce academic research for papers and presentations and cultural storytelling through audio and visual mediums to be shared.
This project is funded by a grant from the Denver Foundation.
Check out our Substack!
What is the IRPC’s Substack? A multifaceted newsletter that brings you reflections on our work, behind-the-scenes research on Complexified podcast episodes, and blog posts.
Meet the Team
Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson
Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics & Culture
Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson is the Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 2021, the Institute performs research on the ways religious histories inform political perspectives and shares that information to educate public leaders for transformative action.
Josh Perez
Creative Lead
Josh Perez is a creative and academic in the Joint Doctoral Program at Iliff and the University of Denver, where he explores the intersection of storytelling, cinema, lived religion, and what it means to be human. With a multidisciplinary approach that spans filmmaking, audio, writing, and photography, Josh focuses on the spaces where artistry and daily life meet.