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Loving Thy Neighbor

Report from Sam Fulwood documents how many faith communities across the country are standing up for immigration reform.

The Faithful Divide Over Wedding Vows

A report by Jonathan Duffy and Sally Steenland explores the strategies for Proposal 2 in Michigan, a state constitutional amendment that prohibited same-sex marriage.

Debating the Divine

This collection of essays aims to turn down the heat and turn up the light on the question of whether religion should be a force shaping our public policies and our common civic life.

Pursuing the Global Common Good

When is war justified? Is the use of torture ever acceptable? These are some of the issues in a new book by policy experts and faith leaders, published by the Center for American Progress.

Other Religion & Values Features

March 11, 2010

The Spirituality of Gender Identity

More faith communities are accepting transgender individuals, writes Sy Mukherjee. By Sy Mukherjee
March 10, 2010

Video: Being an American Muslim Is About Reaching Out

Rami Nashashibi, a community organizer in Chicago, talks about what being an American Muslim means to him.
March 10, 2010

On the Ground in Chicago

Sally Steenland interviews Rami Nashashibi about his community organizing work in Chicago. By Sally Steenland
February 2, 2010

Connecting Muslims and the Media

Sally Steenland interviews Edina Lekovic about bring a translator between Muslims and the mainstream media and being a Muslim American woman who wears the hijab. By Sally Steenland
February 2, 2010

Video: A Joining of Faiths at a Mos Def Concert

Young Muslim American Voices interviews Edina Lekovic about what it means to be a young Muslim in America.
January 25, 2010

Video: Coming of Age in a Post-9/11 World

Young Muslim-American leaders discuss their challenges and opportunities as part of CAP’s Young Muslim American Voices project.
January 13, 2010

Being Green and Muslim

Sally Steenland interviews Mohamad Chakaki about social and environmental issues and being a Muslim American. By Sally Steenland
January 12, 2010

Video: Hugs v. Hate

Mohamad Chakaki, a member of CAP's Young Muslim American Voices Roundtable, talks about his environmental activism and an experience with profiling.
December 14, 2009

Obama's New 'Just Peace' Policy

President Obama broke with traditional Just War thinking in his Nobel prize acceptance speech, and so far almost no one seems to have noticed. By Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
December 9, 2009

Faith Groups Pledge to Fight Climate Change

Prior to the Copenhagen conference nearly 200 religious leaders gathered in England to make the largest ever faith commitment to environmental sustainability, writes Eleni Towns. By Eleni Towns
December 4, 2009

How the Bishops Lost Sight of Their Own Priorities

As longstanding advocates for universal health care, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has played an ongoing, and increasingly controversial, role in health reform. Early in the process, they set out a number of criteria—eight to be exact—that they set as priorities to be included in health reform legislation. By Jessica Arons, Ellen-Marie Whelan
December 1, 2009

The Moral Dimensions of Health Care Reform

Ellen-Marie Whelan and Marta Cook discuss how legislation under consideration in Congress measures up to Catholic social teachings. By Ellen-Marie Whelan, Marta Cook
November 23, 2009

Predicting the “Future of Faith”

A Progressive Book Club event discusses Harvard professor Harvey Cox’s new book on Christianity.
November 19, 2009

How to Make the Afghanistan War a “Just War”

Susan Thistlethwaite and Brian Katulis argue that moral considerations should shape the Obama administration’s decision on the Afghanistan war. By Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, Brian Katulis
November 16, 2009

Young Muslim American Voices Are More Important than Ever

Last week CAP launched a project with young Muslim American leaders to promote understanding of America’s growing religious diversity. By Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, Sally Steenland, Marta Cook , Eleni Towns
November 5, 2009

Progressive People of Faith Call for Health Reform

Marta Cook highlights what faith groups across the country are doing to support health care reform. By Marta Cook
November 4, 2009

Introduction of His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Remarks from John D. Podesta at a joint Center for American Progress and Georgetown University event. By John Podesta
November 4, 2009

A Changeless Faith for a Changing World

Address of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Orthodox Christianity.
November 4, 2009

A Revolutionary Faith

Statement on remarks from His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Orthodox Christianity.
October 15, 2009

Evangelicals Step Up for Marriage Equality

Marta Cook documents the growing grassroots support for LGBT rights among evangelicals. By Marta Cook
October 1, 2009

The Rise of Progressive Religious Activists

Religious activists are embracing progressive issues such as health care reform and immigration reform, poverty, and climate change, write Valerie Shen and Sally Steenland. By Valerie Shen, Sally Steenland
September 25, 2009

Faith Leaders Push for Immigration Reform

Faith leaders at a CAP event encourage people to think of the moral imperative underlying the immigration reform debate.
September 23, 2009

A Time to Be Born

Faith leaders should play a role in creating a dialogue about the use of assisted reproductive technologies, writes Dr. Kate Ott.
September 22, 2009

Expert in the Field: Greensboro, North Carolina

Sam Fulwood visits goes to Greensboro, North Carolina to take a look at how communities of faith are mobilizing around immigration. By Sam Fulwood III
September 22, 2009

Interactive Map: Faith Groups Rally Around Immigration Reform

Interactive map shows how faith groups across the country are promoting greater awareness on the need for comprehensive immigration reform.
September 17, 2009

Faith Experts Discuss Afghanistan

Brian Katulis briefs faith communities on the recent election in Afghanistan and how the United States and faith groups can provide sustainable help to the country. By Eleni Towns
July 21, 2009

Real Economic Development in Afghanistan: Women Rug Weavers Create Hope

Slideshow and Interview with Arzu Rugs CEO Connie Duckworth give an inside look at sustainable security in action in Afghanistan. By Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
July 10, 2009

Faith and Science Personified

The nomination of Dr. Francis Collins to head the National Institutes of Health brings progressive faith and science together in one superb appointee, writes Sally Steenland. By Sally Steenland
June 23, 2009

Is the Religious Right Losing Its Grip?

Social conservatives stick to free market rhetoric despite their slipping influence in tough economic times, writes Lester Feder. By Lester Feder
June 8, 2009

Religious Voices Are Critical for the Advancement of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Equality

Last week CAP and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force released two groundbreaking reports on marriage-equality ballot initiatives in California and Michigan.
May 19, 2009

Good Religion Gone Bad

The revelation that Donald Rumsfeld appended Bible verses to secret Iraq war memos is problematic on many levels, write Sally Steenland and Susan Thistlethwaite. By Sally Steenland, Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
May 14, 2009

Obama’s Notre Dame Dust-Up

President Obama will speak at Notre Dame’s commencement, despite protests, yet it’s the school, not the protesters, that’s in line with mainstream American Catholics, writes Susan Thistlethwaite. By Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
April 29, 2009

The Question of Conscience

A panel of experts joined CAP to discuss conscience or refusal clauses and how they currently do not protect patients’ consciences or rights to access care.
April 22, 2009

21 Ways Faith Groups Are Combating Global Warming

Faith groups across the country are taking action to reduce the effects of global warming and reduce their own emissions.
April 16, 2009

A Role for Faith in Tough Economic Times

Brookings Institution economist Rebecca Blank discusses the recession, failures of the market, populist anger, and the role of faith communities during this time of economic turmoil with Sally Steenland. By Sally Steenland
April 14, 2009

Four Things You Didn’t Know About God and Same-Sex Marriage

Christians who oppose same-sex marriage say it goes against the biblical conception of marriage and sexuality, but they're wrong.
April 2, 2009

Young Muslim-American Voices: Young Muslim-American Calls for Inclusion and Respect

Sally Steenland interviews Safiya Ghori-Ahmad, the Muslim Public Affairs Council’s government relations director, as part of a new series on Young Muslim-American Voices. By Sally Steenland
March 13, 2009

Matters of Conscience

Obama moves to reinstate the balance of conscience among doctors and patients rather than favor only one set of beliefs, observes Sally Steenland. By Sally Steenland
March 3, 2009

Expressing Faith Through Marriage Equality

Progressive religious leaders should be a strong voice in the fight for marriage equality, writes Sarah Dreier. Opportunities to do so abound this week. By Sarah Dreier
February 27, 2009

Weekly Round Up: February 23 - 27, 2009

Our experts analyzed Obama's budget, offered ideas for how to bring the electrical grid into the 21st century, and responded to Obama's call for a college education for all.
February 26, 2009

Conservative Virtues, Then and Now

Right-wing commentators argue Americans need the discipline of a recession, yet during the bubble they insisted greed was good, observes Sally Steenland. By Sally Steenland
February 26, 2009

Virtudes Conservadoras, Ayer y Ahora

Los comentaristas de la derecha sostienen que los estadounidenses necesitan la disciplina de una recesión e incluso durante la burbuja sostuvieron que la codicia era buena, como lo indica Sally Steenland. By Sally Steenland
February 24, 2009

Progressive Fundamentals: The Dignity of Work

Work is an essential component of human dignity, a fact that should not be ignored when considering how to move forward on economic recovery, writes Susan Thistlethwaite. By Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite
February 23, 2009

One Congress Under God

The 111th Congress is one of the most religiously diverse yet, embodying the founding fathers’ vision for religious freedom in the country, writes Sarah Dreier. By Sarah Dreier
February 13, 2009

Science, Religion, and a Language for Public Policy

Experts at CAP event discuss the cultural history of Darwin's theory of evolution and its role in modern society.
February 12, 2009

Something Darwin Didn't Know

Darwin's commitment to weighing the facts, even when the topic was an emotional one, would serve competing advocates of science and religion well as the world celebrates the great naturalist's 200th birthday today and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his "On the Origin of Species." By Rick Weiss
February 10, 2009

The Role of Religion in Presidential Campaigns

E.J. Dionne and Shaun Casey discuss the changing shape of religion in presidential races, from Kennedy to Obama.
January 12, 2009

Faith-Based and Secular Groups Join Forces to Fight Big Coal in Virginia

Faith-based and environmental groups across Virginia have been joining forces to promote clean energy and stop new coal-fired power plants.
December 22, 2008

Jewish Groups Embrace Sustainable Agriculture

Jewish environmental organizations are bridging religious tradition with support for locally produced food, writes Lester Feder. By Lester Feder
December 16, 2008

Improving Health Care Through Faith Partnerships

Gary Gunderson discusses how Memphis is providing better care through health partnerships with local faith communities. By Gary R. Gunderson

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Where We Stand on Media and Culture

CAP promotes and encourages progressive ideas and action by engaging Americans across many cultural milieus in many different media outlets. America is defined by its embrace of different races and cultures, religions and viewpoints—all sharing a common respect for the dignity of each and every individual and a strong belief in building a just and free country. We work to uphold these progressive values that underpin our society through film projects, public opinion polling, policy events, and book events, alongside activist campaigns, comedy reviews, radio outreach, and constant blogging on a variety of websites. These efforts are spread across a range of CAP outlets, including Campus Progress and Science Progress, and Center for American Progress Action Fund projects, including Think Progress, Mic Check Radio, and Climate Progress.