Ken Chitwood (@kchitwood) is a religion scholar and newswriter based between Germany and Arizona. He is a senior research fellow with the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative (IUPUI) and conducts research on Islam and Muslim communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, global religion, and ethnographic methods in an age of diversity and difference. Ken is editor of ReligionLink, a premier resource for journalists reporting on religion and serves as president of the Religion News Association (RNA). A Lutheran, Ken has been described as a “theologian without borders," interested in the contextualization of traditions across religious boundaries, physical borders, and cultural barriers.

Posts By This Author

Politics Leans on Stereotypes. Art Shows ‘the Soul of Immigrants’

by Ken Chitwood 09-23-2024

Sister Norma talks about her ministry while standing near some of her paintings of migrants. Courtesy Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic

The amber appears to ooze across the floor like slow-flowing lava. Containing found objects and materials sourced from Salvadoran communities around Los Angeles, Eddie Rodolfo Aparicio’s artwork is expansive and expressive of the materiality of often-marginalized Central American migrants in Southern California.

At the Border, a Shelter By — And For — Muslim Women

by Ken Chitwood 08-28-2024

A blue dome marks the site of Albergue Assabil in Tijuana’s skyline. Ken Chitwood/Sojourners

Anyone crossing the U.S.-Mexico border faces a journey fraught with violence and danger. But for women and children, that journey is even more treacherous. Not only are many fleeing violence at home — including gender-based violence — they also experience higher rates of violence en route. Torture, mutilation, sexual violence, femicide,disappearances, and additional health complications are common occurrences for female migrants making their way north.

What Faith and Immigration Leaders Say About VP Harris’ Candidacy

by Ken Chitwood 07-31-2024

Vice President Kamala Harris holds a press conference at the end of her visit to El Paso, Texas to tour the U.S.-Mexico border on July 24, 2024. Omar Ornelas/USA Today Network via Reuters. 

When President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection and Harris became the presumptive nominee, leaders in faith and immigration said that Harris brings a new outlook to the future of their work.

As More Migrants End Up on Skid Row, a Catholic Order Seeks to Help

by Ken Chitwood 07-24-2024

Skid Row — a 54-block area in downtown Los Angeles, home to one of the country’s most stable populations of people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity — on April 6, 2020. Photo by Ted Soqui/SIPA USA via Reuters.

It’s an overcast Saturday morning on Gladys Avenue in Skid Row — a 54-block area in downtown Los Angeles, home to one of the country’s most stable populations of people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Andrew Jiang of Alhambra, a city in western Los Angeles County, is there with a group of around 15 other volunteers with the Friars and Sisters Poor of Jesus Christ to serve chicken, rice, and vegetables to some 150 people living on Skid Row. On other days, a team of friars, nuns, and volunteers will walk block to block, distributing up to 400 sandwiches to more than 200 people.

Their Church Basement Used to Host Quinceañeras. Now It Houses Mauritanian Muslims

by Ken Chitwood 07-03-2024

Asylum-seeking migrants from Mauritania pray after walking in the mountains for hours to reach a main road on the U.S. side of the border in Barrett Junction, Calif., on June 5, 2024. REUTERS/Go Nakamura

Dioulde and Jallo are two of 20 Mauritanians living in a space that used to be rented out for quinceañeras in the largely working-class area of southeast Los Angeles, where the population is 89.1 percent Latino. Now, in a space that families used to celebrate their daughters’ 15th birthdays under the sprinkling lights of a chandelier, there are rows of futon-style beds lined up against the walls, with folded Muslim prayer rugs, gallon-sized water bottles, and plastic sandals neatly stacked alongside.

‘Cruel and Racist.’ Faith Leaders Say Biden’s Border Shutdown Echoes Trump

by Ken Chitwood 06-04-2024

President Joe Biden gives remarks on the southern border and asylum seekers in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., after signing an executive order that will temporarily shut down the asylum seeking process. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Sipa USA

Many faith leaders expressed deep disappointment at the announcement. While they agree something needs to be done about increased numbers at the border, they told Sojourners that Biden’s unilateral actions are the wrong approach. They also expect the executive order to be struck down in the courts.

Divided: Why Latino Christians Don’t Always Support Immigration Reform

by Ken Chitwood 06-03-2024

Trump supporters Rally at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., in October 2020. Picture Architect/ Alamy via Reuters Connect

Latinos do not always support candidates with progressive immigration policies — including policies that expand legal pathways to citizenship, enforce fewer penalties for those who immigrate without documentation, or end sanctions that devastate economies and fuel immigration. Experts and members of the community say Latinos of faith, with or without an immigration background, can feel torn between theologies that emphasize respect for the rule of law, a cultural emphasis on the family, allegiances to denominations that encourage support for conservative candidates, and their own personal trajectories.

Near the Border, Faith Groups Grapple With ‘Palpable Paranoia’ Over Immigration

by Ken Chitwood 05-28-2024

Cochise County Sheriff's Criminal Interdiction Team deputy Christopher Oletski speaks with a driver who exhibited what he felt were nervous driving behaviors, prompting him to initiate a traffic stop to clear the vehicle for undocumented persons before allowing the driver to proceed, near the U.S.-Mexico border in Tombstone, A.Z., on May 22. REUTERS/Rebecca Noble

“Immigration, whether you live in the south of the state or the far north, is a part of life here,” said Adam Burke, a Lutheran pastor in the Arizona city of Prescott, which is between Phoenix and the northern city of Flagstaff. “Whether you see it or not,” he said, “it impacts Arizonans every day.”

That is why in poll after poll in early 2024 — like those conducted by Noble Predictive Insights, Morning Consult, and the UK-based Redfield and Wilton Strategies — immigration is, along with reproductive rights and the economy, a top issue among Arizona voters.

How Immigration Became a Top Issue for Voters 1,500 Miles from the Mexico Border

by Ken Chitwood 05-15-2024

Entrance signs to Whitewater, Wisconsin. Photo: Birgit Tyrrell via Reuters Connect

Nestled in the heart of the flat, fertile lands of southeastern Wisconsin, Whitewater is a small city of around 15,000 with a college-town feel. When Samuel Schulz, a Wisconsin Synod Lutheran pastor, moved there after graduating from seminary last year, one of the first things he noticed was a large presence of Spanish speakers around town.

Despite Legal Threats, Texas Ministries Say ‘The Work of God Can Never Be Illegal’

by Ken Chitwood 05-08-2024

Ruben Garcia, executive director of Annunciation House, speaks at the March and Vigil for Human Dignity in El Paso, Texas on March 21. REUTERS/Justin Hamel

Faith-based migrant ministries in Texas are used to operating in tough circumstances, including finding the right resources, meeting migrant needs, and funding their day-to-day work. But recent legal challenges have left some Texas faith leaders uncertain about the future of their ministries.

Evangelicals Want Immigration Reform. Here’s Why It's Unlikely They'll Get It

by Ken Chitwood 04-08-2024

Flanked by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) speaks at a bipartisan press conference to announce immigration reform at the U.S. Capitol on May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

According to a recent Lifeway Research poll sponsored by the Evangelical Immigration Table and other evangelical groups, evangelicals desire immigration reform with increasing urgency. Showing a marked increase from prior years, 77 percent of poll respondents say it is important that Congress passes significant new immigration legislation in 2024 — up from 71 percent in 2022 and 68 percent in 2015.

Ahead of Election, Evangelicals Want Sermons on Immigration

by Ken Chitwood 03-27-2024

Migrants rest outside a church as shelters have run out of space due to the arrival of hundreds of migrants, in downtown El Paso, Texas, U.S., May 9, 2023. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez 

Gabriel Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, said the results show an increasing interest from everyday evangelicals — even urgency — to receive guidance on the issue from the pulpit. “More and more evangelicals are looking to scripture and what it has to say about the immigrant, the refugee, and the stranger,” he said. “Evangelicals want to move beyond just political talking points and be discipled on immigration reform.”

‘Crisis,' ‘Illegal,' ‘Migrant' — Language Shapes Policy, Say Christian Leaders

by Ken Chitwood 03-25-2024

Migrants seeking asylum in the United States walk past a wire fence deployed to inhibit the crossing of migrants into the United States, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, October 5, 2023. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez

According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, religious Americans differ widely on how they refer to the increase in arrivals at the border. While only 45 percent of all U.S. adults say the large number of migrants is a “crisis,” majorities of white Christian groups — 70 percent of white evangelical Protestants, 64 percent of white Catholics, and 57 percent of white non-evangelical Protestants — feel that it is. In comparison, only 32 percent of Black Protestants and 27 percent of the religiously unaffiliated, or “nones,” say the situation at the border constitutes a “crisis.”

‘I Don’t Know Which Way To Turn’: ELCA Grapples With Racism, Resignation of Trans Bishop

by Ken Chitwood 07-11-2022

Megan Rohrer during their installation ceremony as the fifth bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on Sept. 11, 2021. Rohrer resigned as bishop less than a year later. Photo courtesy Sierra Pacific Synod, ELCA. Photo credit to Gareth Gooch and Bill Wilson. 

Rohrer’s resignation as bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) Sierra Pacific Synod, followed months of conflicts that destroyed reputations and livelihoods, permanently severed relationships, and left a church worshipping in a rainy parking lot. Sources within the ELCA told Sojourners that Rohrer’s resignation prompted sadness and denial, anger and celebration.

Observing Ramadan After the Hurricane

by Ken Chitwood 05-17-2018

A driver drives a car along the street after Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), the island's power company, said on Wednesday that a major power line failure in southern PuertoRico cut electricity to almost all customers, in San Juan, Puerto Rico April 18, 2018. REUTERS/Gabriel Lopez Albarran

Following up with Juan after a year of struggle in the wake of the storm, he said, “Puerto Ricans are proud, committed, strong, and ‘pa’lante’ (moving forward). And that includes Muslims.” After the destruction of Hurricane Maria, the month of Ramadan, held special meaning for him. It held hope for “renewal.”

What Does God Require of Us Amid Rising Islamophobia?

by Ken Chitwood 02-08-2017

Seeing the parallels between Micah’s time of unease and ours, it would behoove us to lean in for a listen when Micah writes, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. What does God require of you? That you act justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

The 2 Questions Neither Convention Is Asking

by Ken Chitwood 07-26-2016

On the floor of the RNC. Image by JP Keenan/Sojourners

While questions may not serve as effective campaign platforms, they can spark a conversation and reveal what our missions, values, and visions truly are. Americans from all backgrounds and political parties should take the time to ask: What kind of America are we making, and why are we united in this together?

A Crucial Ingredient in Justice Work: Rest

by Ken Chitwood 05-11-2016

Image via /Shutterstock.com

Justice work is good work. It is a high calling. It deserves great effort and exertion. But in today’s world, if our work in the realms of social justice mimics the exhausting routine of the fiercely competitive struggle for wealth and power, we would do well to take a moment to consider the biblical rhythm of Sabbath.

The esteemed rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote in The Sabbath that the holy day serves as a “sanctuary in time.” The invitation of the Sabbath is a summons to dwell in the eternality of time, he wrote, to turn from “the results of creation to the mystery of creation, from the world of creation to the creation of the world.”

A 'Radical' Response to Islamophobia

by Ken Chitwood 07-10-2015
If we believe that Christ has torn down the dividing wall of hostility, then Christians have an important role in ending Islamophobia.
connel / Shutterstock

connel / Shutterstock

“IT ALL STARTED with pig races,” said Dawud, the groundskeeper at the Muslim American Society’s mosque in Katy, Texas. Soon after the group purchased the land, their neighbor, Craig Baker, began hosting well-publicized hog heats for some 300 spectators every Friday evening. Baker’s timing was deliberate, chosen to correspond precisely with the jummah prayers—the holiest time of the week for Muslims—and to offend their dietary restrictions, which forbid pork.

That was back in 2006. Today, things are more peaceful. Follow the narrow road that curves amid loblolly pines and sage grass, and you’ll see sun gleaming off the black roof of the now-finished mosque. “It was a matter of disagreement, but it’s over now,” said Dawud last fall. “I am happy it’s done and we are at peace.”

But while the pig races have ended, signs of hostility linger: Two blue and white billboards bearing a Christian cross and a Star of David are posted just off the edge of the mosque’s property. The intended message isn’t subtle: “Muslims, you don’t belong here.”

Though many Americans actually had favorable views of Islam after 9/11, a recent study by Georgetown University’s Bridge Initiative found that those views became increasingly negative throughout the Iraq war.

‘Radical Muslims’ Clothing Line Attempts to Shatter Stereotypes

by Ken Chitwood 04-13-2015
Photo via Mohammad Izzraimy, Izzraimy.com / RNS

Model Firman Nazirulhasif wears Boston-based Munir Hassan’s clothing line. Photo via Mohammad Izzraimy, Izzraimy.com / RNS

Radical Muslims. The phrase elicits images of ISIS militants and terror in the desert, perhaps grainy YouTube videos, Kalashnikovs, and raised fists.

What about a man in an ankle-length garment and cotton headscarf carving the air with his skateboard?

Is that a radical Muslim?

Along with shirts bearing the “Radical Muslims” image and a Nike-like swoosh saying “Just Dua It” (dua being nonobligatory Muslim prayer, or supplications), Boston-based Munir Hassan has created an entire line of stereotype-shattering clothing for American Muslims.

In an explicit attempt to flip the script on popular images of Muslims and Islamic symbols, Hassan’s own Sidikii Clothing Co. merges cultures in fashion-forward, Muslim inspired designs.

“I’m Muslim, I’m American. I was born both,” said Hassan.

“I wanted to design clothing that showcased different pieces of my culture inclusively.”