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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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Having Trouble With Mental Health? Try Religion

May 15, 2025 12:51 PM
Wheatley Religion Fellow Samuel Wilkinson co-authored an article for the Deseret News on the history of the relationship between psychiatry and religion. Despite longstanding negative assumptions from early psychiatry, many modern studies have found strong links between religious attendance and lowered risks of depression and anxiety.
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A Bonfire of Faith

May 12, 2025 02:32 PM
Wheatley Constitutional Government Fellow Hal R. Boyd gave a BYU Campus Devotional emphasizing the importance of a Christ-centered education and the dangers of drifting away from the faith-focused center of the BYU experience.
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BYU Devotional: Paul Lambert

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Tuesday, July 29
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Faith beyond church: Student gains confidence at Religious Academic Conference

April 28, 2025 11:57 AM
University of Idaho student, Eliza Bailey, recapped her time at Wheatley Institutes annual Student Conference on Religion in the Public Sphere (SCRIPS). Bailey touched on her ability to step out of her comfort zone and become more confident in herself.
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Perspective: National data doesn’t confirm popular distortions about Latter-day Saint women

April 25, 2025 09:58 AM
Wheatley Fellows, Jenet Erickson and Justin Dyer in addition to Morgan Gardner, wrote an article for Deseret News on how both single and married Latter-day Saint women are significantly more likely to report a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being — along with better happiness and family life, all of which are tied to higher levels of religiosity.
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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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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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