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Religion in American Public Life

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American politics and policy ranging from church-state relations to immigration and the environment all have a significant religious dimension. Social and political movements are often motivated by faith or religious identity, and some of the most contentious public debates of our time revolve around moral beliefs. These resources address the changing role of religion in American public life.

Our Experts

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Paul Elie

Senior Fellow

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David Hollenbach

Senior Fellow
Walsh School of Foreign Service and Department of Theology and Religious Studies

Project Spotlight

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American Pilgrimage Project Conversations

The American Pilgrimage Project invites Americans of diverse backgrounds to sit together and talk to each other one-to-one about the role their religious beliefs have played at crucial moments in their lives. The conversations are recorded by

Religion in American Public Life A-Z Subtopics

Narrow your search for Religion in American Public Life content by selecting from this list of subtopics

Videos

March 27, 2025

Trump and the Future of America’s Strategic Religious Engagement (Video)

Duration: 1 hours 0 minutes

March 25, 2025

The Future of Facts and Free Speech (Video)

Duration: 1 hours 26 minutes

March 12, 2025

American Heretics: Religious Adversaries of Liberal Order (Video)

Duration: 1 hours 24 minutes

Publications

Article March 12, 2025

Jesuit Higher Education & American Democracy

In this In Fides article for the spring 2025 edition Berkley Center Director Thomas Banchoff considers: How should Jesuit colleges and universities contribute to American democracy?

Blog Posts

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