The Cardus Institute is a Canadian think tank based in Hamilton, Ontario, which describes its mission as "clarifying and strengthening, through research and dialogue, the ways in which society's institutions can work together for the common good," and notes that it is "formed by the Christian social thought tradition as it has developed over centuries." [1] [2] [3] [4]
Cardus comes from the root cardo, which was a north-south oriented street in Roman cities considered an integral element of city planning and city life.
Cardus has its roots in a charity established in 1974 as the Work Research Foundation (WRF). [5] Spearheaded by Harry Antonides and Bernard Zylstra, the work of the Work Research Foundation consisted primarily in the publication of a quarterly newsletter, Comment, and occasional conferences.
In 1996, WRF received a project grant from the Donner Canadian Foundation to deal with freedom of association in Canadian labour relations. This project included a survey of Canadian attitudes towards unions [6] done in cooperation with Gallup; the publication of Buying a Labour Monopoly, [7] and numerous smaller publications and presentations. Ray Pennings directed this project and, together with Gideon Strauss, developed a proposal to turn the Work Research Foundation into a full-fledged think tank that would be "public, credible, and Christian." Michael Van Pelt, at that time the President of the Sarnia Chamber of Commerce, was hired as the first full-time employee and began work in September 2000. Ray Pennings joined the full-time staff in 2002, having previously served as the Public Affairs Director for the Christian Labour Association of Canada. They developed a threefold strategy of utilizing publications, research, and networking events in order to map the institutional space that exists between government and the markets.
Early research projects looked at leadership in the business sector, patterns of trade between Canada and the United States, and labour mobility in Canada's construction sector. The publication of Comment magazine as an anchor magazine commenced in 2002 and regular events, many of which involved Senior Fellows recruited to the organization, were held across the country.
From its guiding principles, Cardus currently works on five fronts:
Research Methodology – Cardus says it uses “standard social-scientific methods” and puts its research reports “through a process of peer review” with outside experts. [8]
Cardus produces: Comment, [9] a "journal of public theology for the common good." From 2011 to 2022, it produced Convivium, [10] a "journal of faith in our common life".
Cardus hosts a variety of private and public events across North America for business, educational and political leaders.
Among its notable events, Cardus has held:
According to Cardus, among its core values is the belief that “all human beings are made in the image of God and worthy of dignity, freedom, and justice.” It also states “that the poor and disadvantaged deserve special attention,” and that “governments have an important, but limited, function that includes enabling other civil society institutions to thrive.” The think tank holds that it “seeks the good of all people, regardless of their particular religious faith or absence of faith.”
Cardus describes its vision as being “people, institutions, and governments working together for the common good,” which is calls “social architecture.” Aside from government, Cardus says society’s institutions include “the voluntary sector, the family, the school, labour unions, and faith communities.”
Press Progress, an activist media organisation founded and funded by the left-wing Broadbent Institute, has criticized Cardus for some of the commentaries published in Convivium dealing with abortion and same-sex marriage. Press Progress has described Cardus as “an obscure right-wing think tank with questionable expertise.”
Cardus is supported through its publications and from private donors. It is a registered charity in Canada and in the United States. In 2021, the Charles Koch Foundation [20] gave a two-year grant to Johns Hopkins University’s Institute for Education Policy for its Program on Educational Pluralism, where a Cardus senior fellow serves as director.
Notable scholars associated with Cardus include James K.A. Smith, Stanley Carlson-Thies, [21] Jonathan Chaplin, [22] Janet Epp Buckingham, Fr. Raymond de Souza, Peter Stockland, and Paul Williams, [23] and the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, [24] Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013.
Cardus has also cooperated with:
Cardus also maintains a roster of senior fellows.
The Cardus Institute is a Canadian think tank based in Hamilton, Ontario, which describes its mission as "clarifying and strengthening, through research and dialogue, the ways in which society's institutions can work together for the common good," and notes that it is "formed by the Christian social thought tradition as it has developed over centuries." [1] [2] [3] [4]
Cardus comes from the root cardo, which was a north-south oriented street in Roman cities considered an integral element of city planning and city life.
Cardus has its roots in a charity established in 1974 as the Work Research Foundation (WRF). [5] Spearheaded by Harry Antonides and Bernard Zylstra, the work of the Work Research Foundation consisted primarily in the publication of a quarterly newsletter, Comment, and occasional conferences.
In 1996, WRF received a project grant from the Donner Canadian Foundation to deal with freedom of association in Canadian labour relations. This project included a survey of Canadian attitudes towards unions [6] done in cooperation with Gallup; the publication of Buying a Labour Monopoly, [7] and numerous smaller publications and presentations. Ray Pennings directed this project and, together with Gideon Strauss, developed a proposal to turn the Work Research Foundation into a full-fledged think tank that would be "public, credible, and Christian." Michael Van Pelt, at that time the President of the Sarnia Chamber of Commerce, was hired as the first full-time employee and began work in September 2000. Ray Pennings joined the full-time staff in 2002, having previously served as the Public Affairs Director for the Christian Labour Association of Canada. They developed a threefold strategy of utilizing publications, research, and networking events in order to map the institutional space that exists between government and the markets.
Early research projects looked at leadership in the business sector, patterns of trade between Canada and the United States, and labour mobility in Canada's construction sector. The publication of Comment magazine as an anchor magazine commenced in 2002 and regular events, many of which involved Senior Fellows recruited to the organization, were held across the country.
From its guiding principles, Cardus currently works on five fronts:
Research Methodology – Cardus says it uses “standard social-scientific methods” and puts its research reports “through a process of peer review” with outside experts. [8]
Cardus produces: Comment, [9] a "journal of public theology for the common good." From 2011 to 2022, it produced Convivium, [10] a "journal of faith in our common life".
Cardus hosts a variety of private and public events across North America for business, educational and political leaders.
Among its notable events, Cardus has held:
According to Cardus, among its core values is the belief that “all human beings are made in the image of God and worthy of dignity, freedom, and justice.” It also states “that the poor and disadvantaged deserve special attention,” and that “governments have an important, but limited, function that includes enabling other civil society institutions to thrive.” The think tank holds that it “seeks the good of all people, regardless of their particular religious faith or absence of faith.”
Cardus describes its vision as being “people, institutions, and governments working together for the common good,” which is calls “social architecture.” Aside from government, Cardus says society’s institutions include “the voluntary sector, the family, the school, labour unions, and faith communities.”
Press Progress, an activist media organisation founded and funded by the left-wing Broadbent Institute, has criticized Cardus for some of the commentaries published in Convivium dealing with abortion and same-sex marriage. Press Progress has described Cardus as “an obscure right-wing think tank with questionable expertise.”
Cardus is supported through its publications and from private donors. It is a registered charity in Canada and in the United States. In 2021, the Charles Koch Foundation [20] gave a two-year grant to Johns Hopkins University’s Institute for Education Policy for its Program on Educational Pluralism, where a Cardus senior fellow serves as director.
Notable scholars associated with Cardus include James K.A. Smith, Stanley Carlson-Thies, [21] Jonathan Chaplin, [22] Janet Epp Buckingham, Fr. Raymond de Souza, Peter Stockland, and Paul Williams, [23] and the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, [24] Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth from 1991 to 2013.
Cardus has also cooperated with:
Cardus also maintains a roster of senior fellows.