The Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society is an
American organization that promotes research that demonstrates the importance
of a mother and father with a family consisting of their own biological
children as the basic unit of society.
The Center traces its origins back to 1976 when Rockford
College President John A. Howard formed the Rockford College Institute. This
group later became The Rockford Institute. In 1997 Howard and Allan C. Carlson
broke from the Rockford Institute to form the Howard Center. The Howard Center
is an independent, non-sectarian organization.
The current chairman of the board is Bill Andrews of Chicago,
with a total of fifteen board members including Dallin H. Oaks who is an
honorary board member.
The Howard Center gained some publicity when Carlson, who was
then its president, testified in a victorious Washington Supreme Court case
against gay marriage.
