Watch New Documentary Exploring the Impact of Spiritual Practice on Inmates in Mississippi’s Parchman Prison

In 2012, Byron Johnson, co-executive director of Pepperdine University's Center for Faith and the Common Good, initiated a three-year study examining how the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary project at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana, positively influenced the daily lives of the inmates. The program, which began in 1995, eventually expanded to multiple facilities nationwide, including the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, Mississippi, a maximum-security prison notorious for its history of violence and poor living conditions. In 2023, Johnson and a team of filmmakers visited Parchman to document inmates' experiences in the program and highlight the transformative impact of spiritual practices in challenging environments. The recently released documentary, A New Morning at Parchman Prison, explores how Christian practices like prayer, Bible study, and group singing influence human flourishing.

Visit the Center for Faith and the Common Good website to watch A New Morning at Parchman Prison.