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.
Learn MoreWhite Papers
Academic studies
These downloadable papers explain an ethical or theological position on issues relevant to the ERLC's mission.
Learn MoreGuides
Practical and theological church resources
These ebooks, handbooks, statements, and other resources are accessible and applicable to churches and ministry leaders.
Learn MoreResearch
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 collaborati
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
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
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
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
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.
How to think about mental health from a Christian perspective
Mental health is a complex topic in need of serious and compassionate thought from...
Read MoreThe 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...
Read MoreLife 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...
Read MoreConscience and the Moral Education of Children
I have two toddlers, so I watch a lot of children’s television. I have...
Read MoreWhy 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...
Read More3 common myths about religious liberty
Where does the Baptist commitment to religious liberty originate? The Universal Declaration of Human...
Read MoreA Baptist Vision of Marriage, Family, Gender, and Sexuality
Until recently, the realities of marriage, family, gender, and sexuality were standard fare in...
Read MoreMade In the Image of God: Why Human Dignity Matters
The theological doctrine of the imago Dei is grounded in the truth that every...
Read MoreFlipping 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...
Read MoreSouthern Baptists and religious liberty
The aim of this essay is to offer an overview of the Southern Baptist...
Read MoreThe 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...
Read MoreImportant 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...
Read More