Wheatley Institute

Wheatley Institute Fortifying institutions of family, religion, and constitutional government to strengthen society

Named for Jack and Mary Lois Wheatley, the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University enhances the reputation and scholarship of BYU by seeking creative and powerful ideas which lead toward practical and constructive solutions to real societal issues. The Institute broadly disseminates those motivating ideas and policy recommendations to the wider world and is guided in all its work by endurin

g, bedrock values. The purpose of the Institute is to produce consequential scholarship in key topics consistent with its core mission. The Institute will convene leading scholars and experts from BYU and from beyond campus to research and publish on these topics. This convening and collaboration will enrich the academic environment for BYU students and faculty. Application of sound scholarly work to important real-world problems and meaningful implementation of the results of research are top priorities. The Institute also seeks, through recognized scholarship, to influence the scholarly agenda and scholarly discourse in areas relevant to its mission both on campus and in the wider world. The Institute will expand its contribution and influence through the dissemination of scholarly products, exchange of academic personnel and ideas through conferences and seminars, and the results of applied and programmatic research. As part of BYU, the Institute follows university policies and procedures as set by BYU’s Board of Trustees, including those governing Institute appointments. The Institute is supported entirely by donated funds to fulfill its mission and purpose.

05/22/2026

What do young adults have to say about the emerging AI romance trend?

Get some student commentary on our latest report, Secret Soulmates! Tune in later this week to see how AI relationships can impact real-life ones-- and how most young adults don't understand the potential consequences of having an AI partner.

05/19/2026

AI romantic companions are on the rise. What does this mean for our closest relationships?

Wheatley Institute's latest report, Secret Soulmates, found that 1 in 7 young adults who are currently in committed relationships regularly interact with an AI romantic companion. These counterfeit connections are linked to worse communication and more instability in frequent users' real life relationships. Real relationships thrive on mutual growth and authentic connection, something an AI will never be able to replicate.

Learn more by reading the full report at wheatley.byu.edu!

05/04/2026

Does religion really help mental health?

Wheatley Institute's latest report examines hundreds of rigorous studies on religion and health. The result? Studies reporting a positive impact of religion on mental health outnumber the negative by 10:1.

The Religion and Mental Health Connection is the first of a three part series of reports on religion and health. Learn more at wheatley.byu.edu

04/24/2026

What advice do this year's graduating Wheatley Scholars have for new students? Listen to some well-earned advice and help us wish them luck on their new adventures!

In honor of America's 250th anniversary, BYU history professor Tyson Reeder, with support from the Wheatley Institute, t...
04/21/2026

In honor of America's 250th anniversary, BYU history professor Tyson Reeder, with support from the Wheatley Institute, taught a semester-long history course on the Declaration of Independence. As a culminating learning experience, the entire class, which included several Wheatley Scholars, traveled to key historical sites associated with the Declaration in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia.

Students toured Monticello, saw the original Declaration of Independence, visited Independence Hall, and learned more about the deep and complex history behind the Declaration and how each historical site presents in American public memory.

Leading up to the experience, students studied the intellectual, political and historical background of the Declaration, researching how places, events, and figures influenced the American founding, and how that legacy affects life down to the present day.

"I’ve come to feel strongly that these founding principles cannot be treated as something static. In this being 'America’s' document, that also makes it 'our' document, and it is up to us what we do with it and how we choose to uphold it now. As disciples of Jesus Christ, I feel it is our honor to do that now more than ever, to stand steadfast in the liberty in which Christ has made all of us free, and to seek to pursue the happiness that is inherent in the gospel."
-Madison Curtis, 2026 Wheatley Scholar

There was standing room only in the Wheatley office as Tyson Reeder, Wheatley Affiliated Scholar and assistant professor...
04/07/2026

There was standing room only in the Wheatley office as Tyson Reeder, Wheatley Affiliated Scholar and assistant professor of history at Brigham Young University, presented on his award-winning book, "Serpent in Eden: Foreign Meddling and Partisan Politics in James Madison’s America”.

Reeder’s extensive archival research in Europe and America shows how the foreign meddling in the newly independent United States motivated the Founders to abandon the Articles of Confederation in favor of a more cohesive central government, and then, ironically, how that same king of foreign interference through shadow diplomacy and misinformation, bled into the hyper-partisanship of the early American republic.

Reeder connected his historical analysis with the present day, concluding with the importance of having faith over fear and his confidence in the strength of the American constitution. Reeder’s remarks are now available at www.wheatley.byu.edu

There was standing room only in the Wheatley office as Tyson Reeder, Wheatley Affiliated Scholar and assistant professor...
04/01/2026

There was standing room only in the Wheatley office as Tyson Reeder, Wheatley Affiliated Scholar and assistant professor of history at Brigham Young University, presented on his award-winning book, "Serpent in Eden: Foreign Meddling and Partisan Politics in James Madison’s America”.

Reeder’s extensive archival research in Europe and America shows how foreign meddling in the newly independent United States motivated the Founders to abandon the Articles of Confederation in favor of a more cohesive central government; ironically, that same kind of foreign interference also bled into the hyper-partisanship of the early American republic through shadow diplomacy and misinformation.

Reeder ended his remarks with commentary on America's current political climate, the importance of faith over fear, and his confidence in the strength of the American constitution. His presentation is now available at www.wheatley.byu.edu

The Religion and the American Founding conference, held on BYU campus on March 11th and 12th, brought historians, archiv...
03/29/2026

The Religion and the American Founding conference, held on BYU campus on March 11th and 12th, brought historians, archivists, and researchers together to explore how various faith traditions played a role in the American founding.

The conference featured a virtual introduction by Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a keynote by historian Dr. Thomas Kidd, and many accomplished panelists who shared their research and professional insights. Recordings of the keynote and presentations can be found at americanreligion250.org.

The Faith in Educational Renewal report was highlighted at Harvard's annual Burton and Inglis Lecture. The report, which...
03/27/2026

The Faith in Educational Renewal report was highlighted at Harvard's annual Burton and Inglis Lecture. The report, which explores how religion can support student performance and outcomes within public schools, is the result of a collaboration between Wheatley Institute and the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Leadership Initiative for Faith and Education.

A panel of speakers, including Wheatley Institute Religion Director Paul Lambert, shared insights on a "third way" for engagement between religion and public schools that neither endorses nor excludes faith in public schools, allowing students and teachers to access resources that faith can offer in meeting student outcomes and performance.

Although more research is still needed at the intersection of faith and education, the findings so far are highly promising. These reports are a vital starting point to ignite critical conversations among parents, educators, and policymakers on the untapped educational resources in their own communities.

Learn more and read the reports at wheatley.byu.edu

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