The Iona Institute | Welcome to the Iona Institute Website

About the Iona Institute

The Iona Institute promotes the place of marriage and religion in society. We defend the continued existence of publicly-funded denominational schools. We also promote freedom of conscience and religion.

The Iona Institute is headed by religious and social affairs commentator, David Quinn.

The Family; social construction or natural phenomenon?

Professor Brenda Almond examines the ideas undermining the belief that the biological family is of special importance.

Latest News

Monogamous societies safer than polygamous ones says new study

Societies where monogamy is the norm are safer than polygamous ones, according to a new Canadian study. Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that polygamous cultures have higher levels of robbery, rape, kidnapping, fraud and murder even when taking into account poverty levels. The higher levels, says the researchers, is accounted for partly by the bigger pools of unmarried men found in polygamous societies.
Read more »

Christian student in conscience battle to have case heard in court

A US student who was expelled from her social studies course in the state of Michigan for refusing to offer relationship counselling to couples who have sex outside marriage on religious grounds is to have her case heard in court. Julea Ward, who was expelled by the Eastern Michigan University in 2009, took her case to a Detroit federal court, but her case was dismissed by the court. However, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the ruling, finding that her claim that she was expelled because of her faith may be valid.
Read more »

The Iona Blog

The blind spots of a new study on marriage

Last month,a study was published purporting to show that the health and welfare benefits of marriage have been oversold. However, Dr. Scott Yenor says there are serious flaws in the study. not least the fact that it uses the "self-assessment of individual happiness" as the standard by which to judge the value of a social institution that is more about children than adults and their feelings of wellbeing.
Read more »

More blogs

Recent and Upcoming Events

Dec

Renewing the Church: A talk by George Weigel

George Weigel, author of the best-selling and most authoritative biography of Pope John Paul II, ‘Witness to Hope’, and one of America’s leading public intellectuals, addressed The Iona Institute on the topic ‘Renewing the Church’.

Oct

Marriage and the Common Good

Our next speaker will be Archbishop Diarmuid Martin who will address the topic, 'Marriage and the Common Good'. The event will take place at 8pm on Tuesday, October 25, in the Davenport Hotel, Dublin 2.

More Events