WELCOME!

Welcome to the website for Institute on Religion & Democracy. The IRD is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches' social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, and to contribute to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad. Thank you for visiting!

GET INVOLVED WITH THE IRD

SUPPORT THE IRD

IRD depends on support from people like you.  Click here to find out how you can support IRD in its mission to reform the social witness of the Church.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR E-MAIL NEWSLETTERS

Click here to register for IRD's weekly news e-mails and alerts. It's an easy way to keep up with what is going on in your church.

FOLLOW THE IRD
Become a fan on Facebook or keep up to speed by following the newest IRD articles and press releases on Twitter.

 Follow us on Twitter

EXPERT ANALYSIS & LEADERSHIP

IRD PUBLICATIONS

IRD's quarterly publication Faith & Freedom, our UMAction Briefing, and other publications are available online to registered users.  Click here to learn more.

IRD MEDIA CENTER

The Institute on Religion & Democracy has a team of experienced experts in their fields of study.  We provide published authors who have been following the mainline denominations for almost thirty years.

Featured IRD Expert

Dr. Paul Marshall
Ambassador to Islam? The United States shouldn’t legitimize the OIC.
Dr. Paul Marshall, IRD  Board Member, serves as a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom.

PUBLICATIONS FROM THE IRD STORE

Stay up to date with expert insight on the issues that matter.

Shop Online

 

   

Current Hot Issues Header

09
MAR

Individualism and the Death of Liberty
No one will be surprised by the assertion that American culture—including most of the American Church—is characterized by individualism. Self-actualization, deciding for oneself, and believing what seems true to you, is seen not only as a right, but as a duty.

05
MAR

For Same-Sex Advocates, Religious Liberty Takes Backseat
“Liberal clergy seem all too happy to let the D.C. government force other Christians to violate church teaching,” says IRD's Alan Wisdom. 

05
MAR

Religious Left Rallies for Obamacare’s Final Stand
The religious and evangelical left, plus the Islamic Society of North America and a few others, are making a final Custer-like stand on behalf of much cherished Obamacare.

04
MAR

Prayer for Wanbang Missionary Church of Shanghai
In February 2009 Pastor Liu Tongsu of the 1200-member Shanghai Wanbang Missionary Church sent a report to China Aid human rights monitors about the Chinese government authorities’ attempts to stop the worship services and other activities of Wanbang Missionary Church.

 

 


Outrageous Quotes Header

"You not only have a constitutional right for abortion, but you have a God-given right"

- Rev. Carlton Veazy of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), Speaking at a pro-abortion event on Capitol Hill that opposed restrictions on government-funded abortions in the House of Representatives-passed health care legislation.