The Establishment Clause: Religion and the First AmendmentLeonard Levy's classic work examines the circumstances that led to the writing of the establishment clause of the First Amendment: 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. . . .' He argues that, contrary to popular belief, the framers of the Constitution intended to prohibit government aid to religion even on an impartial basis. He thus refutes the view of 'nonpreferentialists,' who interpret the clause as allowing such aid provided that the assistance is not restricted to a preferred church. For this new edition, Levy has added to his original arguments and incorporated much new material, including an analysis of Jefferson's ideas on the relationship between church and state and a discussion of the establishment clause cases brought before the Supreme Court since the book was originally published in 1986. |
Contents
Colonial Establishments of Religion | 1 |
New England | 27 |
The South | 52 |
Copyright | |
4 other sections not shown
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The Establishment Clause: Religion and the First Amendment Leonard W. Levy,Leonard Williams Levy No preview available - 1994 |
Common terms and phrases
aid to religion American Anglican Article assessment Baptists believed Bill of Rights Blackmun Brennan Burger Chief Justice Christian Church of England colonial Congregational Congregationalists Congress Connecticut Constitution constitutionality convention creation science creche Curry debate declared denomination Education endorsed England Dissent entanglement estab established church establishment clause establishment of religion establishment-clause exclusive establishment exemption fact favored federal Fourteenth Amendment framers free exercise freedom gion government aid government and religion Ibid incorporation doctrine James Madison Jefferson Kiryas Joel legislative legislature Lemon test lishment majority Massachusetts McLoughlin meant menorah minister multiple establishment nonpreferential nonpreferentialists opinion parish parochial schools political prayer preference principle prohibit proposed protect public schools ratified Rehnquist religious liberty Satmar Scalia school district sect sectarian secular Senate Separation of Church South Carolina statute support of religion Supreme Court tion tional town unconstitutional Unitarian violate the establishment Virginia vote wall of separation William worship York