Melissa Snarr is an associate professor of ethics and society and a Christian social ethicist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Her research focuses on political and religious ethics, social change, religion and war and religion and politics.

What are the laws regarding how churches and religious institutions comply with government guidelines? By Charles Austin The Record* Because the phrase, “freedom of religion,” is a beloved mantra of American democracy, the relationship between religion and civil authority is one of the most complicated and misunderstood aspects of modern life. In fact, religion in […]

Bob Bennett is a former U.S. senator from Utah, as was his father, and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bennett is now chairman of the Bennett Group, a consulting group for corporations in Washington, D.C.

Ravi Batra is an economics professor at Southern Methodist University and author of The New Golden Age: The Coming Revolution Against Political Corruption and Economic Chaos (Palgrave Macmillan, forthcoming January 2007). Batra says journalists should investigate such issues as how political corruption creates poverty and how politicians exploit religion to get elected and then adopt policies to benefit […]

A multimedia timeline chronicling former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich’s corruption trial and conviction.

A website that ranks the corruption of the states based on current laws, convictions and regulations among many other factors.

Members of Congress who are under ethics investigations have been using campaign funds to pay legal fees.

Ralph Reed’s defeat in the Republican primary for Georgia lieutenant governor is seen as the first sign of voter backlash against political corruption.

A story about U.S. Rep. Bob Ney agreeing to plead guilty to accusations of conspiracy to commit fraud.