What makes a man a good father? What role does religion generally, or do various religious denominations specifically, play in developing or impeding the characteristics of a good father?

In advance of the upcoming celebration of Father’s Day, the Ethics and Public Policy Center hosted a discussion of these issues. W. Bradford Wilcox, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, presented findings from his book Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands (2004), as well as from his new research on religion and urban fathers. Syndicated columnist Mona Charen and Washington Monthly editor Amy Sullivan offered their own insights.

AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS EVENT

 Event audio (MP3 format, 8 megabytes, 76 minutes playing time)

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

W. Bradford Wilcox is assistant professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, where he teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels in statistics, family, and religion. He is also a member of the James Madison Society at Princeton University. Prior to coming to the University of Virginia, he held research fellowships at Princeton University, Yale University, and the Brookings Institution.

Mr. Wilcox's research focuses on the influence of religious belief and practice on marriage, cohabitation, parenting, and fatherhood. He has published articles on religion, parenting, and fatherhood in The American Sociological Review, Social Forces, The Journal of Marriage and Family and The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. His first book, Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands (2004), examines the ways in which the religious beliefs and practices of American Protestant men influence their approach to parenting, household labor, and marriage. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, Mr. Wilcox is now researching the effect that religion has on relationships among low-income parents in urban America.

Mona Charen is a syndicated columnist and political analyst living in the Washington, D.C. area. She received her undergraduate degree at Barnard College, Columbia University, with honors. She also holds a degree in law from George Washington University. Ms. Charen began her career at National Review magazine, where she served as editorial assistant. In 1984, she joined the White House staff, serving first as Nancy Reagan's speechwriter and later as associate director of the Office of Public Liaison. In the latter post, she lectured widely on the administration's Central America policy. Later in her White House career, she worked in the Public Affairs office helping to craft the president's overall communications strategy. In 1986, Ms. Charen left the White House to join the presidential quest of then-Congressman Jack Kemp as a speechwriter.

The syndicated column she launched in 1987 is now published in more than 200 papers. Her two most recent books are Useful Idiots: How Liberals Got It Wrong in the Cold War and Still Blame America First (2003) and Do-Gooders: How Liberals Hurt Those They Claim to Help (and the Rest of Us) (2004).

Amy Sullivan is an editor of The Washington Monthly, a doctoral candidate in sociology at Princeton University, and a contributing editor at the Gadflyer website. Sullivan collaborated with veteran journalist Marvin Kalb on the research and drafting of One Scandalous Story (2001), which examined the Lewinsky scandal and its implications for modern political journalism.

From 1995 to 1997, Sullivan was a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Tom Daschle, focusing primarily on health and social policy. She played a key role in the development and passage of the Agent Orange Benefits Act of 1996, landmark legislation that extended health benefits and compensation to certain children of Vietnam veterans. Sullivan has also served as editorial director for the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.