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Religion and Human Flourishing

Research, reports, and lectures from Wheatley Institute
"Religion is the basis of civil society, and the source of all good and of all comfort"
- Edmund Burke
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The New Believers

April 15, 2025 05:00 PM
Wheatley Fellow and Deseret Magazine executive editor Hal Boyd wrote an brief article for Deseret Magazine about recent developments in American religion and secularism, introducing a series of articles about America's decline in, and return to, religious activity—including an article written by Reverend Andrew Teal, who visited Wheatley Institute last fall.
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2025 Religious Freedom Annual Review

Tuesday, June 17
Religion, Peace, and Human Flourishing: Understanding the Whys of Religious Freedom
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When Mothering Is a Sacrifice: Feminism and the Lost Art of Consecration

April 02, 2025 02:00 PM
Wheatley Fellows Jenet Erickson and Loren Marks contributed an article to the Public Square Magazine exploring the sacrifices made by mothers and their profound impact on a child's life. They argue that well-intentioned feminist efforts have begun to devalue the vital institutions of marriage and family, placing more importance on autonomy and prestige—when family and motherhood bring a deeper satisfaction. They look at the issue through a religious lens, comparing scripture and prophetic teachings to data and statistics, including a recent report in collaboration with Jason Carroll, Wheatley Institute's Family Initiative Director.
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Life on the Covenant Path

March 28, 2025 03:14 PM
Emily Reynolds, Assistant Director of Wheatley Institute, delivered a campus devotional at Ensign College about the importance of prioritizing faith and family in an increasingly self-centered world.
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Christian Renewal and the Future of American Democracy

January 24, 2025 05:07 PM
There has been an immense, gaping hole in Christianity for lack of a fully articulated civic theology. And in the absence of a civic theology of how Christians should address our common culture and politics, there has been the inrush of all these other forces we've seen–such as toxic polarization and partisanship.
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Mercy at the Margins

January 22, 2025 01:51 PM
Distinguished Wheatley Fellow Shima Baughman was featured on the Faith Matters podcast, sharing both her current research on the positive impact of faith communities on criminal justice and the powerful story of what led to her passion for justice and mercy.
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Be Ye Therefore a Perfectionist?

January 22, 2025 01:18 PM
"It's not really necessarily about having high goals, it's not necessarily even about not meeting those high goals—it's about how I feel about myself when I don't meet those goals. If I'm imperfect at something, how do I feel about myself?"
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Why I Returned to Teach at BYU

January 13, 2025 04:50 PM
Distinguished Wheatley Fellow Shima Baughman wrote an article for the Deseret News about returning to teach at BYU after 10 years at the University of Utah.
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The Tides of Religion

November 19, 2024 06:00 AM
While 84% of the world’s population still affiliates with a faith of some sort, there are clear indicators that people in the United States and elsewhere are abandoning religion. This shift toward secularization may have significant social and psychological consequences, because religion is often linked to better mental health, stronger social ties, and increased rates of marriage and childbearing. This report examines who and how many are leaving religion, which faiths are most affected by disaffiliation, individual and social consequences of a decline in religiosity, and factors increasing the likelihood of returning to faith.
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