Heritage Foundation Leadership for America

Diplomacy in an Age of Faith: How Failing to Understand the Role of Religion Hinders America's Purposes in the World

The American foreign policy establishment has failed to grasp the significance of the resurgence of religion around the world. It has missed the opportunity to incorporate the U.S. policy of advancing religious freedom to root democracy so that it matures and consolidates, particularly in highly religious societies, and as a means of diplomatically fighting the war against terrorism.

Protecting and Strengthening Religious Freedom: A Memo to President-elect Obama

President-elect Obama, you spoke truthfully when you said that "[o]ur law is by definition a codification of morality, much of it grounded in the Judeo–Christian tradition."

The Relationship Between Family Structure and Adolescent Sexual Activity

Families remain one of the most powerful socializing influences on the sexual attitudes and behaviors of adolescents. Adolescents from intact family structures are less likely than their peers from non-intact family backgrounds to engage in sexual activity. Moreover, when adolescents from intact families do become sexually active, they tend to do so at an older age than their counterparts from non-intact families.

Executive Summary: Same?Sex Marriage and the Threat to Religious Liberty

Judicial decisions redefining marriage to include same-sex unions state that limiting marriage to men and women is a form of unacceptable dis­crimination against homosexuals. Individuals and institutions that believe mar­riage is a relationship between a man and a woman could lose access to government ben­efits and become subject to costly lawsuits under nondiscrimination laws that protect sexual orientation, gender, and marital status.

Same–Sex Marriage and the Threat to Religious Liberty

Judicial decisions redefining marriage to include same-sex unions state that limiting marriage to men and women is a form of unacceptable dis­crimination against homosexuals. Individuals and institutions that believe mar­riage is a relationship between a man and a woman could lose access to government ben­efits and become subject to costly lawsuits under nondiscrimination laws that protect sexual orientation, gender, and marital status.

Holiday naysayers

Christians in the United States have finally started fighting back against the "Happy Holidays" movement. And about time it is; any public displays of the religious significance of the holiday are now so rare that when my 2-year-old daughter was asked who was born at Christmas, the inevitable answer was "Santa!" Sadly her logic was impeccable. There must be dozens of Santas for every Christmas creche on display. Encouragingly, Christians are fighting back to reclaim Christmas for Jesus - or as one sign on rural Virginia Route 609 in Madison County aptly puts it, "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."

Preparing the Way: Evangelicals and the election

Are evangelicals swerving to the left in American politics? Throughout the primary season, the mainstream media loudly trumpeted the idea that younger evangelicals’ attention to the environment and “social justice” issues signals a departure from traditional concerns such as abortion and marriage.

Ladies, Please

A user's guide to growing up female in America.

The High Cost of Broken Families

Between 1970 and 2005, the number of children living in two-parent homes has dropped from 85 percent to 68 percent. Essentially, one third of all U.S. children are now born outside of wedlock. Of significance, 46 percent of all babies born out of wedlock are Hispanic. Why should our community care? Or even yet, why should our government care?

Evangelicals...and Justice From All

When it comes to faith and politics, young evangelicals are getting a lot of attention these days. Several recent polls and a slew of new books suggest social-justice concerns are prompting evangelicals under the age of 30 to move left politically. As part of the largest religious group in the United States, their political allegiances are under particular scrutiny, especially during a cliffhanger election year.

The Moral Costs of Socialized Medicine

There are moral costs in socialized medicine. Anyone who considers Canada's health system a role model for the U.S. should consider the case of Samuel Golubchuk. His case shows the inevitable collision course between government-controlled health care and the rights of private conscience.