Understanding the role of religion is vital in this time of profound cultural change, in which religion is increasingly central to the economic, political, and cultural life of societies. With its timely and empirically grounded scholarship, the Program’s work stimulates public learning, informs public policy considerations, and deepens our understanding of the ways in which religious institutions and communities best contribute to public life.

Begun in 2000 through the generous funding of Pew Charitable Trusts, Terry and Gene Lockhart, Andrew D. Hart, Jr., and The Celerity Foundation (the LaBrosse-Levinson family), the Program seeks to find fresh ways of thinking about the role of religion in the modern world.

Towards this goal the Program hosts the LaBrosse-Levinson Lectures, produces a series of films, conducts the South Africa research project, and co-sponsors relevant publications. The Program has also funded graduate student and faculty fellows and sponsored educational initiatives within the University of Virginia.