Institute on Religion and Democracy
Encyclopedia
The Institute on Religion and Democracy is a Christian
think tank
that promotes Christian conservatism in public life. The organization comments on current events in the Christian community. Their stance on biblical and social issues has attracted criticisms from the agencies of Mainline Protestantism, ecumenical groups such as the National and World Council of Churches
and liberal
evangelical
groups.
The IRD is funded by gifts from both foundations and individuals. It describes itself as "an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches’ social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad." IRD's board includes Roman Catholics.
The IRD focuses much of its criticism on the policies of the United Methodist Church
, the Episcopal Church
and the Presbyterian Church (USA)
. Notable members of the organization's Board of Directors include journalist Fred Barnes
, United Methodist theologian Dr. Thomas C. Oden
, Princeton University ethicist Dr. Robert P. George
, former papal biographer Michael Novak
and theologian George Weigel
.
The IRD critiques church officials and agencies that it asserts have strayed from orthodox theology or replaced traditional church work with political activism. Problems IRD has attributed to some church officials include "the pursuit of radical political agendas", which they feel are not justified by "Scripture or Christian tradition", but instead are "left-wing crusades": "feminism
, environmentalism
, multiculturalism
, revolution
ary socialism
, sexual liberation, etc."
and Richard John Neuhaus
joined the IRD board early on, as did Christianity Today magazine founding editor Carl F. H. Henry
. IRD challenged churches that supported the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua and other Marxist liberation movements. Emphasizing the importance of democracy, human rights and religious liberty, IRD urged churches to peacefully support democratic reforms under repressive regimes.
Since the early 1990s, the IRD has actively urged U.S. churches to affirm traditional Christian sexual ethical teachings, including opposition to same-sex marriage. IRD has also challenged Mainline Protestant church agencies that support abortion
rights. According to the IRD, international religious liberty is a chief concern, and their religious liberty program has especially focused on southern Sudan
.
Since 9-11, IRD has emphasized the importance of traditional Christian "Just War
" teachings. Most recently, IRD has challenged church officials who they say uncritically accept worst case scenarios regarding human-induced climate change. Mark Tooley
became IRD's president in 2009.
Critics of IRD have said that "IRD's conservative social-policy goals include increasing military spending and foreign interventions, opposing environmental protection efforts, and eliminating social welfare programs" and that the organization is non-religious in nature but rather a front group for conservative political groups that hope to undermine Christian voices opposed to conservative public policies.
Many Mainline Protestant church officials and liberal caucus groups in those denominations have criticized IRD as an outside force within their churches. IRD has responded that its staff and supporters are long-time members of Mainline Protestant churches.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
that promotes Christian conservatism in public life. The organization comments on current events in the Christian community. Their stance on biblical and social issues has attracted criticisms from the agencies of Mainline Protestantism, ecumenical groups such as the National and World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
and liberal
Liberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
evangelical
Evangelical left
Evangelical left is a term used to describe those who are part of the Christian evangelical movement in the United States but who generally function on the left wing of that movement, either politically or theologically, or both...
groups.
The IRD is funded by gifts from both foundations and individuals. It describes itself as "an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches’ social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad." IRD's board includes Roman Catholics.
The IRD focuses much of its criticism on the policies of the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
and the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
. Notable members of the organization's Board of Directors include journalist Fred Barnes
Fred Barnes (journalist)
Frederic W. Barnes is an American political commentator. He is the executive editor of the news publication The Weekly Standard and regularly appears on the Fox News Channel program Special Report with Bret Baier...
, United Methodist theologian Dr. Thomas C. Oden
Thomas C. Oden
Thomas Clark Oden is an American United Methodist theologian and religious author associated with Drew University in New Jersey. He was born in Altus, Oklahoma, and holds a Doctor of Literature from Asbury College....
, Princeton University ethicist Dr. Robert P. George
Robert P. George
Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, where he lectures on constitutional interpretation, civil liberties and philosophy of law. He also serves as the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions...
, former papal biographer Michael Novak
Michael Novak
Michael Novak is an American Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat. The author of more than twenty-five books on the philosophy and theology of culture, Novak is most widely known for his book The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism...
and theologian George Weigel
George Weigel
George Weigel is an American author, and political and social activist. He currently serves as a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Weigel was the Founding President of the James Madison Foundation...
.
The IRD critiques church officials and agencies that it asserts have strayed from orthodox theology or replaced traditional church work with political activism. Problems IRD has attributed to some church officials include "the pursuit of radical political agendas", which they feel are not justified by "Scripture or Christian tradition", but instead are "left-wing crusades": "feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
, revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
ary socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, sexual liberation, etc."
Background
The IRD was founded in 1981 by United Methodist evangelist Edmund Robb and AFL-CIO official David Jessup. Michael NovakMichael Novak
Michael Novak is an American Catholic philosopher, journalist, novelist, and diplomat. The author of more than twenty-five books on the philosophy and theology of culture, Novak is most widely known for his book The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism...
and Richard John Neuhaus
Richard John Neuhaus
Richard John Neuhaus was a prominent Christian cleric and writer. Born in Canada, Neuhaus moved to the United States where he became a naturalized United States citizen...
joined the IRD board early on, as did Christianity Today magazine founding editor Carl F. H. Henry
Carl F. H. Henry
Carl Ferdinand Howard Henry was an American evangelical Christian theologian who served as the first editor-in-chief of the magazine Christianity Today, established to serve as a scholarly voice for evangelical Christianity and a challenge to the liberal Christian Century.-Early Years and...
. IRD challenged churches that supported the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua and other Marxist liberation movements. Emphasizing the importance of democracy, human rights and religious liberty, IRD urged churches to peacefully support democratic reforms under repressive regimes.
Since the early 1990s, the IRD has actively urged U.S. churches to affirm traditional Christian sexual ethical teachings, including opposition to same-sex marriage. IRD has also challenged Mainline Protestant church agencies that support abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
rights. According to the IRD, international religious liberty is a chief concern, and their religious liberty program has especially focused on southern Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
.
Since 9-11, IRD has emphasized the importance of traditional Christian "Just War
Just War
Just war theory is a doctrine of military ethics of Roman philosophical and Catholic origin, studied by moral theologians, ethicists and international policy makers, which holds that a conflict ought to meet philosophical, religious or political criteria.-Origins:The concept of justification for...
" teachings. Most recently, IRD has challenged church officials who they say uncritically accept worst case scenarios regarding human-induced climate change. Mark Tooley
Mark Tooley
Mark Tooley, born 1965, became president in 2009 of the Washington-D.C. based Institute on Religion and Democracy , a conservative religious thinktank noted for its critique of liberal religious groups....
became IRD's president in 2009.
Critics of IRD have said that "IRD's conservative social-policy goals include increasing military spending and foreign interventions, opposing environmental protection efforts, and eliminating social welfare programs" and that the organization is non-religious in nature but rather a front group for conservative political groups that hope to undermine Christian voices opposed to conservative public policies.
Funding
According to GuideStar.org, the Institute on Religion & Democracy generated $1.1 million in contributions in 2004 (the most recent IRS 990 form available online). Contributions to the IRD equate to less than 1% of the budgets of all mainline churches combined.Many Mainline Protestant church officials and liberal caucus groups in those denominations have criticized IRD as an outside force within their churches. IRD has responded that its staff and supporters are long-time members of Mainline Protestant churches.