Religion and Civil Society

Religious Liberty

Why Does Religious Freedom Matter?

From the earliest settlements of the 17th century to the great social reform causes led by religious congregations in the 19th and 20th centuries, religion has been a dominant theme of American life. Read More.

Shifting Culture War: Rising Threats to Conscience

Today, religious liberty issues are more complicated than simply freedom from government interference in religious worship or teaching. Read More.

Protecting Religious Staffing: A Wise and Just Policy

Religious staffing by religious organizations is an established position in federal law that deserves continued support. Allowing for religious staffing advance several important public interests and deserve legal protections. Read More.

The American model of religious liberty takes a positive view of religious practice, both private and public. Attempts to relegate religion to private life threaten religious freedom. Religious individuals and institutions should be free to exercise their religious belief in private as well as engage publicly on the basis of their faith.

Introduction to the Research

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Experts on Religious Liberty

Ryan T. Anderson
William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and a Free Society
Jennifer A. Marshall
Director, Domestic Policy Studies
Thomas M. Messner
Visiting Fellow

Our Work

Lecture posted May 22, 2013 by Mark B. Schneider Does North Korea Have a Missile-Deliverable Nuclear Weapon?
Backgrounder posted March 15, 2005 by Daniel J. Mitchell, Ph.D. The Impact of Government Spending on Economic Growth
Issue Brief posted May 23, 2013 by Luke Coffey Withdrawing U.S. Forces from Europe Weakens America
Lecture posted May 23, 2013 by Honorable Mike Lee What Conservatives Are For
Backgrounder posted March 1, 2006 by Tim Kane, Ph.D., Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D. The Real Problem with Immigration... and the Real Solution
Backgrounder posted April 25, 2012 by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., Steven P. Bucci, Ph.D., Jessica Zuckerman Fifty Terror Plots Foiled Since 9/11: The Homegrown Threat and the Long War on Terrorism
Center for Data Analysis Report posted August 21, 2008 by Shanea Watkins, Ph.D., James Sherk Who Serves in the U.S. Military? The Demographics of Enlisted Troops and Officers
Issue Brief posted May 23, 2013 by Baker Spring All Three Budget Options Would Damage National Security
Backgrounder posted January 25, 1996 by Patrick F. Fagan, Ph.D. Why Religion Matters: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability
Backgrounder posted August 25, 2000 by Denise H. Froning The Benefits of Free Trade: A Guide For Policymakers

Blog Post on Saturday, May 25, 2013 Obamacare’s Liberty-Crushing Mandate in Court
Blog Post on Saturday, May 25, 2013 Top 5 Reports of the Week
Blog Post on Saturday, May 25, 2013 Bedlam in Baghdad: Q&A on Iraq with James Phillips
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Indonesia Continues to Disappoint on Religious Freedom
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Iran’s Bogus "Election" Process
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Tornado Victims Get Help from Faith-Based Charities and Churches
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Thoughts About the Washington State Bridge Collapse and Transportation
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Will President Obama Call the London Attack Terrorism?
Issue Brief posted May 24, 2013 by Ryan Olson, Anthony B. Kim Congress Should Query IMF Support for Capital Controls
Blog Post on Friday, May 24, 2013 Did the IRS's Lois Lerner Waive Her Fifth Amendment Rights?

May 29

Event on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Masters of Nothing: How the Crash Will Happen Again Unless We Understand Human Nature
If we are to avoid a second crash, then we must achieve a better comprehension of human behavior and apply this understanding to how the — Read more

Attend in Person Watch Online
May 29

Event on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 The Last Days of Kim Jong-il: The North Korean Threat in a Changing Era
North Korea has remained a thorn in the side of the United States ever since its creation in the aftermath of the Korean conflict of — Read more

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May 30

Event on Thursday, May 30, 2013 How the West Really Lost God: A New Theory of Secularization
In How the West Really Lost God, leading cultural critic Mary Eberstadt delivers a powerful new theory about the decline of religion in the Western — Read more

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Jun 03

Event on Monday, June 03, 2013 U.S.-India: Prospects for Partnership - A Discussion with Members of the Indian Parliament
Join us as we examine the current status of the U.S. relationship with India – and explore how this relationship might expand. China’s rise, the — Read more

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Jun 05

Event on Wednesday, June 05, 2013 Honor Flight: One Last Mission
A special screeningHonor Flight is a heartwarming documentary about four living World War II veterans and a Midwest community coming together to give them the — Read more

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Jun 06

Event on Thursday, June 06, 2013 The Lack of Science in the Scientific Consensus: The Case of the National Climate Assessment
Global-warming alarmists continually refer to a “scientific consensus” to support drastic policy proposals. They insist on peer-reviewed publications as the standard for debate, while ignoring — Read more

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Jun 06

Event on Thursday, June 06, 2013 After the 2014 Withdrawal: How to Sustain the Decade of Gains for Women in Afghanistan
Co-hosted by the United States Institute of PeaceThe Heritage Foundation and the United States Institute of Peace will co-host Congresswomen Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and — Read more

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Jun 14

Event on Friday, June 14, 2013 American Betrayal: The Secret Assault on Our Nation’s Character
In American Betrayal, Diana West argues that – current policies today notwithstanding – America began to abandon its core ideals and march toward Socialism nearly — Read more

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Jun 21

Event on Friday, June 21, 2013 Lincoln Unbound: How an Ambitious Young Railsplitter Saved the American Dream – and How We Can Do It Again
In a mix of history and politics, author Rich Lowry traces Abraham Lincoln's ambitious climb from provincial upstart to political powerhouse and calls for a — Read more

Attend in Person Watch Online
Jul 08

Event on Monday, July 08, 2013 Sagebrush Rebel: Reagan’s Battle with Environmental Extremists and Why It Matters Today
Ronald Reagan, with his unbridled faith in American ingenuity, creativity, and know-how and his confidence in the free-enterprise system, believed the United States would “transcend” — Read more

Attend in Person Watch Online

Blog Post on 5/25/2013 1:00:06 PM Obamacare’s Liberty-Crushing Mandate in Court
Blog Post on 5/25/2013 12:00:31 PM Top 5 Reports of the Week
Blog Post on 5/25/2013 8:00:28 AM Bedlam in Baghdad: Q&A on Iraq with James Phillips
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 5:30:27 PM Indonesia Continues to Disappoint on Religious Freedom
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 4:30:33 PM Iran’s Bogus "Election" Process
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 2:30:52 PM Tornado Victims Get Help from Faith-Based Charities and Churches
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 1:46:41 PM Thoughts About the Washington State Bridge Collapse and Transportation
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 12:30:23 PM Will President Obama Call the London Attack Terrorism?
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 11:09:00 AM Did the IRS's Lois Lerner Waive Her Fifth Amendment Rights?
Blog Post on 5/24/2013 10:30:46 AM France Needs To See the Job Through in Mali

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