Family Facts: Social Science Research on Family, Society & Religion

Are you a seminary student or a grad student studying religion and public life? Would you benefit from a semester in our nation’s capital exploring the intersection of faith, government, and civil society?

The Religion and Civil Society Fellowship provides an opportunity for select seminary students to work alongside Heritage Foundation experts while researching the implications of religious faith for a healthy social order.

The Fellowship

Established at The Heritage Foundation in 2004, the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society works to strengthen and protect religion, family and community at the level of both principle and policy. Toward this end, the center endeavors to shape a healthy public discourse concerning faith and public life and to integrate serious reflection on the role of religion and civil society across policy areas.

This fellowship is designed to help future pastors and religious leaders understand the relations between the church, the family, government, business, and other institutions of society and the roles they play in meeting people’s needs and sustaining ordered liberty. Such an understanding will serve participants not only in their personal studies and development but also in their future ministry and congregational leadership.

Fellows will read and attend lectures and briefings to gain a basic familiarity and understanding of public policy issues, such as free market economics, poverty, welfare, health care, education, the environment, family, religious liberty, and church-state relations. An emphasis will be placed on integrating these different issues into a coherent framework and articulating them to a lay audience.

To gain a better understanding of how such issues play out in Washington, D.C., fellows will also have the opportunity to meet with leaders working at the intersection of faith and civic life.

In addition, fellows will conduct research, which may include interviews and on-site visits to government social service offices, churches, and faith-based organizations serving community needs. These experiences will assist fellows in creating educational resources that will benefit their peers and future parishioners. They will also provide opportunities for fellows to contribute to Heritage Foundation products and resources.

Where: Fellows will work alongside staff in the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.

When: This three-month Fellowship will run from late January to late April 2010.

Compensation: This is a paid fellowship.

To Apply: Please send the following completed items to Religion and Civil Society Fellowship, DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society, The Heritage Foundation, 214 Massachusetts Ave., NE, Washington, D.C. 20002:

• A curriculum vita
• Written answers to several short-length questions (Click Here)
• A larger writing sample (up to 5,000 words), preferably related to an issue of public or political life
• Two referencesone each from a professor and a church leader (print copies of attached form to provide to your references)

A follow-up interview will be required.

Completed applications will be accepted through December 18--with notification of decision being made by December 31--2009.

For more information, call 202.608.6208

» Click Here to view fellowship application