Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC) At Pacific University, he serves as the director of the Center for the Peace and Spirituality, University Chaplain, and as assistant professor of religious studies. His academic work has focused on the intersection between theology and public policy. Dr. Currie, who began his professional career at just 18, has worked for the common good of the United States and Oregon for over thirty years.
As a minister in the UCC since 2006, he has worked to build regional and national interfaith coalitions to address critical national issues, such as healthcare, gun violence, climate change, and immigration reform.
At Pacific University, Dr. Currie has overseen redesigns of the comparative religion and peace and social justice academic programs, designed new courses, helped launch a yearly social justice retreat, and brought nationally known speakers on peace and spirituality to campus.
Dr. Currie spent 17 years working directly on issues related to homelessness and housing before earning his master of divinity degree. His work included overseeing redesigns of the Multnomah County and the City of Portland service delivery systems for homeless single adults and homeless youth. Dr. Currie also played a pivotal role in opening the Goose Hollow Family Shelter and, as a member of the board of directors of the National Coalition for the Homeless, advocated for successful changes to federal law that led to new protections for students experiencing homelessness in the United States.
Dr. Currie writes frequent Op-Ed pieces for national and local publications and appears often in the news for his advocacy work.
In addition to providing volunteer assistance to various local and state national public policy campaigns, Dr. Currie served as a surrogate for Obama for America (2008, 2012) on faith outreach, and a surrogate for Correct the Record during the 2016 election cycle.
He is a recipient of a 1998 Community Harmony Award from the City of Portland Metro Human Rights Center. In 2002, Willamette Week named him one of the "Best People in Portland". Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon awarded Currie the “2003 Vollum Ecumenical Humanitarian Award”. He was honored with a "Blessed Are the Peacemakers Award" by the World Council of Churches in 2004. The National Association For The Education Of Homeless Children and Youth presented Dr. Currie with their Distinguished Service and Leadership Award in 2011. In 2013, he was invited by the White House to join President Obama and Mrs. Obama, along with Vice-President Biden and Dr. Biden, at the National Prayer Service held following the Inaugural at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C..
Dr. Currie is married to Liz Smith Currie, who works as a policy adviser for a local elected official. They have twin daughters, Frances and Katherine, who attend school in the Portland Public School District.
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