The Witherspoon Institute congratulates Ryan T. Anderson on his appointment to serve on the Religious Liberty Commission. President Trump established the commission on May 1, 2025 to examine the state of religious freedom in America, as well as emerging threats to this freedom.
The chair of the commission is Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and its vice-chair is Dr. Ben Carson. By July 2026, it will produce a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, strategies to protect religious liberty for future generations, and programs to enhance America’s religious pluralism.
Ryan is the Founding Editor of Witherspoon’s online journal, Public Discourse. He created the journal in 2008 to enhance public understanding of the moral foundations of free societies, which includes the protection of religious freedom. Today, Public Discourse offers daily essays by leading scholars and public intellectuals to foster civil dialogue on respect for the dignity of the person, the family, the rule of law, the university, and business. In 2024, the journal received 1.8 million page views.
Ryan now serves as the President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington D.C. He is the author or co-author of five books, including several related to religious liberty. A graduate of Princeton University, Ryan earned his Ph.D. in political philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. His research has been cited by two U.S. Supreme Court justices in two Supreme Court cases.
Ryan’s appointment exemplifies what we call the Witherspoon Way: our strategy of identifying, forming, and supporting tomorrow’s leaders who will renew our culture and its most important institutions. We wish him well with his important work on the Religious Liberty Commission. Please see here for more information about the commission and its members.
