Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society

The Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society is a socially conservative U.S. think-tank and advocacy group[1] that opposes abortion, divorce, and homosexuality, promoting instead the "child-rich, married parent" family.[2]

## History

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The Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society was founded by John A. Howard in 1997. The Center traces its origins back to 1976 when John A. Howard, President of Rockford College formed the Rockford College Institute. This group later became The Rockford Institute. In 1997 Howard and Allan C. Carlson broke from the Rockford Institute to form the Howard Center.[3] It incorporated the previous Center on Religion and Society, and took over publication of both The Religion and Society Report and The Family In America.[3]

It created and coordinates the World Congress of Families,[4] a group known for its involvement with the 2013 Russian LGBT propaganda law and opposing LGBT rights internationally.[5][6][7][8]

The current[when?] chairman of the board is Bill Andrews of Chicago, with a total of fifteen board members including Dallin H. Oaks who is an honorary board member.[citation needed] As of 2018, the president was Brian S. Brown. [9]

The Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society and the International Organization for the Family, whose directors include an ultra-conservative Spanish activist linked to the leader of the far-right Vox party, both support the World Congress of Families (WCF) network.[9]

## Controversies

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In January 2012, Robert W. Patterson resigned from his job as an aide in Pennsylvania's Department of Public Welfare after Governor Tom Corbett's administration rejected a request to allow him to continue as editor of the Howard Center's journal, The Family in America. His column had proposed that "birth-control pills suppress women's sexual pleasure" and suggested "condom use deprives women of "remarkable chemicals" in semen that elevate their mood and self-esteem."[10]

In November 2013, Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) denied a meeting hosted by the Howard Center and the World Congress of Families access to a Senate meeting room. The meeting eventually went on as scheduled after House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) intervened.[11]

## References

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1. ^ Buss, Doris (2003). Globalizing Family Values: The Christian Right in International Politics. U of Minnesota Press. ISBN 9780816642083. "howard center."
2. ^ Columbius, Angela (18 Jan 2012). "Corbett aide who edited journal quits". Philadelphia Inquirer. p. A4. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
3. ^ a b "Inventory of the Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society" (PDF). Northern Illinois University Libraries.
4. ^ Bob, Clifford (2012-02-29). The Global Right Wing and the Clash of World Politics. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521193818.
5. ^ "World Congress of Families Suspends Russia Conference". splcenter.org. Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
6. ^ "SPLC Adds Seven New Organizations To Anti-Gay Hate Group List22". Truth Wins Out. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
7. ^ Michaelson, Jay (19 July 2014). "The Kremlin's Favorite Anti-Gay Hate Group is Coming to Utah". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
8. ^ "World Congress of Families Suspends Russia Conference". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
9. ^ a b Provost, Claire (27 March 2019). "Revealed: Trump-linked US Christian 'fundamentalists' pour millions of 'dark money' into Europe, boosting the far right". openDemocracy.
10. ^ "Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare aide quits to keep his outside job as editor of conservative journal". PennLive.com. Retrieved 2018-06-19.
11. ^ Gay rights group hits Boehner for scheduling 'anti-LGBT' speakers on the Hill

## External links

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* Official website

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* United States

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