David Masci

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.

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.

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.

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

The battle over same-sex marriage has been about more than whether to allow gays and lesbians to wed. In every state where same-sex marriage is legal – including Illinois, which today became the 16th state to allow gays and lesbians to marry – politicians and others have also debated how to best protect religious freedom. […]

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.

The legal battle over Texas' newly-enacted law putting restrictions on abortions is part of a scenarioplaying out around the country, as abortion opponents have pushed new restrictions through state legislatures and abortion-rights supporters have challenged them in court.

Same-sex couples were able to get married in New Jersey starting today when a court order went into effect ordering the state to recognize them. Gay rights advocates have stepped up their efforts to end prohibitions on gay marriage in at least 20 states.

Forty years after Roe v. Wade, the legal battles over abortion are far from over. In 2013 alone, state legislatures have enacted more than 40 new provisions aimed at restricting abortion access.