This study examines the portrayal of religious and ethnic group conflicts in the media using a case study in Oregon. Local newspaper reports about a struggle between the St. James Catholic Church and the San Martín Catholic Mission were analyzed using cluster criticism to identify the key terms used to communicate ideas about the two congregations to the local public. Various patterns of themes emerged, which indicate that the institutions and leaders on each side of the conflict were presented as opposing forces of hierarchy/community and logic/emotion. From this analysis it can be seen that the newspapers reporting on this conflict portrayed St. James as more of a hierarchical business structure, while San Martín was represented as a vulnerable and benevolent community. The newspaper\u27s rhetorical strategy of associating the names of the churches with certain features may have influenced local perceptions of the conflict, leading to a favorable outcome for the San Martín community.
Additional keywords: cluster analysis, Latin
