Religion and Human Flourishing

Wheatley Institute partnered with the BYU International Center for Law and Religion Studies to host the 2025 Religious Freedom Annual Review. This year's theme was Religion, Peace, and Human Flourishing: Understanding the Whys of Religious Freedom. The Annual Review brought a broad array of perspectives to this issue, with religious, media, academic, legal, and thought leaders. These exerts addressed several questions. What role does religion play in building peace and fostering human flourishing? How does religious freedom’s respect for both individual choice as well as the human dignity of all increasingly matter in a fractious world? Experts on religious freedom and peacemaking explored the interconnections.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.