Research

Convictions matter. In an age of relativism and apathy regarding truth, what undergirds those convictions matters more than ever if those positions are going to stand and if our work is going to be understood. The Research team at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission provides the foundational groundwork that supports our ministry assignment.

Gathering together some of the most respected Southern Baptist minds, the ERLC’s various research initiatives and resources will influence evangelical thinking and give you confidence as you engage the public square with hope.

About ERLC Research

The Research team of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission provides theological and ethical foundations for the organization’s work and articulates a Baptist vision of civic and cultural engagement.

Initiatives of the Research team include the the Research Institute made up of four senior fellows and a cohort of other fellows, the regular production of theological white papers that provide parameters for good policy, long-form essays that help shape conversations in the SBC and wider evangelical world on topics related to our four main areas, and the ongoing production of practical guides and resources for Southern Baptist churches.

OUR RESEARCH WORK

Our Focus

Our ministry assignment is focused on four main areas: life, religious liberty, marriage and family, and human dignity. The work of the Research team roots our efforts in the truth of Scripture, the confessional statement of Southern Baptists, and ethical and philosophical considerations that are consistent with wisdom.

Essays

Long-form content

These 3,000-4,000-word articles deal with topics important to the Research team's work.

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White Papers

Academic studies

These downloadable papers explain an ethical or theological position on issues relevant to the ERLC's mission.

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Guides

Practical and theological church resources

These ebooks, handbooks, statements, and other resources are accessible and applicable to churches and ministry leaders.

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Research

Research consists of the Research team, which is comprised of ERLC staff members and our senior fellows, and the Research Institute, whose fellows are subject-matter experts and advisors for the ERLC. The Research Institute provides collaborative space for Southern Baptist researchers and academics, and its members serve as a resource on theological and policy matters in their areas of expertise.

Research Team

Miles Mullin

Vice President and Chief of Staff, Director of Research

Miles S. Mullin II, Ph.D., serves as vice president and chief of staff for the ERLC, having previously served at the Missouri Baptist Convention, Hannibal-LaGrange University,…

Alex Ward

Research Associate and Project Manager

Alex Ward serves as the research associate and project manager for the ERLC’s research initiatives. He manages long term research projects for the organization under the…

Matthew Blankenship

Research Assistant

Matthew Blankenship serves as a research assistant at the ERLC, assisting in the drafting and review of Research Team assets and resources. He previously worked as…

Senior fellows

Jason Thacker

Jason Thacker

Senior Fellow and Director of the Research Institute

Jason Thacker serves as senior fellow focused on pro-life and other bioethical issues including abortion, reproductive technologies, medical care, euthanasia, and end-of-life decision making. He also…

Nathan Finn

Nathan Finn

Senior Fellow

Nathan A. Finn serves as senior fellow focused on issues of religious liberty. He is an professor of faith and culture at North Greenville University, where…

Gregg Allison

Gregg Allison

Senior Fellow

Gregg R. Allison serves as senior fellow focused on issues of marriage and family. He received his Doctorate of Philosophy from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and…

RaShan Frost

RaShan Frost

Senior Fellow

RaShan Frost serves as senior fellow focused on issues of human dignity. He is the lead pastor of The Bridge Church in North Charleston, South Carolina,…

Latest resources

View the most recent essays, white papers, and guides from the Research team.

SEE ALL RESOURCES

mental health from a Christian perspective

How to think about mental health from a Christian perspective

Mental health is a complex topic in need of serious and compassionate thought from...

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cultural engagement

The New Challenges of Cultural Engagement

How Christian Leaders Can Respond Courageously, Cooperatively, and Locally

This is a unique moment in the history of American Christianity: Legal protections for...

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life and religious liberty

Life and Religious Liberty: The Issues Baptists Must Pursue for the Long Run

From Election Cycles to Cathedral Building

When Baptist U.S. Congressman Brooks Hays addressed the Baptist World Alliance in Copenhagen in...

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moral

Conscience and the Moral Education of Children

I have two toddlers, so I watch a lot of children’s television. I have...

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Why drafting women to combat roles does not solve the real problem 

We need citizens who love their neighbors, not draftees obligated by the government

In 1944, as the United States was fighting World War II, the government and...

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3 common myths about religious liberty

Where does the Baptist commitment to religious liberty originate? The Universal Declaration of Human...

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A Baptist Vision of Marriage, Family, Gender, and Sexuality

Until recently, the realities of marriage, family, gender, and sexuality were standard fare in...

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Made In the Image of God: Why Human Dignity Matters

The theological doctrine of the imago Dei is grounded in the truth that every...

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Flipping the script in the abortion debate

Strengthening the Christian pro-life ethic after Roe

The Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in the summer of 2022 was...

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Southern Baptists and religious liberty

Southern Baptists and religious liberty

The aim of this essay is to offer an overview of the Southern Baptist...

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functions of worldviews

The four functions of worldviews

Series Part 4: Understanding the significance of worldviews

In this series we’ve defined what a worldview is, considered the role of plausibility...

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Faith commitment

Important questions the faith commitments of worldviews help us answer

Series Part 3: Understanding the significance of worldviews

Almost all of our beliefs and values are built on the foundation of our...

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