Marriage is the bedrock institution of society. It’s also one of the most contentious political issues of our day. For thousands of years, marriage has existed to bring together a man and a woman as husband and wife to be father and mother to any children their union produces. And marriage policy is rooted in the reality that men and women are different and children need a mother and a father.

Now the question of who will define marriage policy – the courts or the people – has reached the Supreme Court. On March 26 and 27, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on two cases challenging state and federal laws that define marriage as the union of a man and women.

What’s at stake in the marriage debate? Why does marriage matter for public policy? What would be the consequences of redefining marriage?

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