David Masci, Author at Pew Research Center

short readMay 5, 2014

Supreme Court affirms town council’s right to prayer

The Supreme Court brought some clarity to the role of prayer in civic life today by reaffirming that prayer before legislative bodies is not only constitutional, but that it can contain Christian and other faith-specific language. At the same time, today’s 5-4 ruling in Town of Greece v. Galloway largely upheld existing case law rather than significantly breaking new ground.
short readApr 14, 2014

SpaceX launch illustrates NASA’s growing use of private companies

NASA’s SpaceX launch could herald the beginning of the use of private, reusable rockets to service America’s space program.
short readApr 10, 2014

Gay marriage battle moves back to courts
short readMar 25, 2014

After Hobby Lobby, a nonprofit legal challenge to the contraception requirement

Even though the two cases heard by the Supreme Court involve for-profit businesses, the rulings in Hobby Lobby and Conestoga on the contraceptive requirement could impact subsequent cases involving nonprofits like Little Sisters of the Poor.
short readMar 24, 2014

5 questions about the Hobby Lobby case and contraceptive coverage

A Q & A about the two related cases that will be argued before the Supreme Court on Tuesday involving a challenge to regulations in the Affordable Care Act requiring many employers to include free coverage of contraceptive services in their employees’ health insurance plans.
short readMar 10, 2014

Is the Mormon Church expanding the role of women?

Pew Research Center surveys show that Mormons are more supportive of traditional gender roles for women, and against allowing women to be priests, but the Church is taking some steps to expand women’s roles.
short readFeb 11, 2014

Gay rights in Russia and the former Soviet republics

The upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Sochi have cast a spotlight on a recently-enacted Russian law banning the distribution of gay “propaganda” to minors. However, among the 15 countries that used to comprise the Soviet Union, Russia is not the only state to restrict LGBT rights.
short readDec 25, 2013

Most Americans believe in Jesus’ virgin birth

Most U.S. adults believe Jesus was born of a virgin, including one-third of Americans with no specific religious affiliation.
short readNov 20, 2013

States that allow same-sex marriage also provide protections for religious groups and clergy who oppose it
short readNov 6, 2013

5 facts about the U.S. Supreme Court’s public prayer case

Today, for the first time in 30 years, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider a constitutional challenge to the practice of legislative prayer. Here are five facts about the case.

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David Masci

Supreme Court affirms town council’s right to prayer

SpaceX launch illustrates NASA’s growing use of private companies

Gay marriage battle moves back to courts

After Hobby Lobby, a nonprofit legal challenge to the contraception requirement

5 questions about the Hobby Lobby case and contraceptive coverage

Is the Mormon Church expanding the role of women?

Gay rights in Russia and the former Soviet republics

Most Americans believe in Jesus’ virgin birth

States that allow same-sex marriage also provide protections for religious groups and clergy who oppose it

5 facts about the U.S. Supreme Court’s public prayer case

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